Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Building Project
“This is incredibly exciting for the Island. We want a beautiful building – one that’s worthy of all the great things that are happening inside of it. One that students can move through in four years and feel really proud to be part of and come back to.”
– Sara Dingledy, Principal
Quick Links:
Get Involved: Community Listening Sessions July 16-17!
Add your voice and input to the future of MVRHS! Drop in to any of the Community Listening Sessions to meet the architects and share your thoughts.
Tues. July 16
11AM-12PM -Vineyard Haven Library
1-2PM – Aquinnah Library
3-4PM – Chilmark Library
5-6PM – Oak Bluffs Library
Wed. July 17
3-4PM – West Tisbury Library (meets downstairs in the Large Conference Room)
5-6PM – Edgartown Library
7-8PM – Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School
Our School
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) opened in 1959 and has proudly provided outstanding college and workforce preparation and special needs instruction to the Island’s children for a generation. Not surprisingly, the 64 year-old building has become deficient in several areas including space needs and its mechanical systems. Multiple studies and assessments have resulted in the same conclusion and most systems within the school are far beyond their useful lifespan. We believe our school facility can be better and we want to engage in a thorough process that will answer all the community’s questions and unify the island around a preferred option that addresses current concerns and provides a facility that meets the needs of our students well into the future.
In March, 2022, MVRHS was accepted into the MSBA (Massachusetts School Building Authority) program after six years of effort. Participation in this program is a once in a generation opportunity that will guide us on developing the vision for a building project and offers a 38.74% reimbursement for the cost of the project for eligible space. Thanks to our participation in the MSBA program and the advocacy from island stakeholders, voters from all 6 towns approved the district to borrow $2 million to undertake a feasibility study for a building project at annual town meetings in the spring of 2023. With the Island’s support, the school district has created a School Building Committee (SBC) that will provide oversight for the multi-year construction process. The SBC will report to the full High School Committee at each stage of the process.
Our Vision
Our building project marks the beginning of a transformative journey for MVRHS. Together, we aim to create a state-of-the-art facility that meets the needs and aspirations of our island, while inspiring and empowering our students and community.
Our Progress
Our participation in the MSBA program was a significant first step, providing us with a clear path forward and a concrete timeline. Following MSBA guidelines, the Owners Project Manager (OPM) Selection Committee hired an OPM to oversee the construction phase from design to completion. In December 2023, CHA Consulting of Boston was selected as the OPM.
In April 2024, Tappé Architects was officially selected by a 16-member design selection panel, with school officials, school committee members, and members of the MSBA. Tappé has extensive experience working in the community and MVRHS. Tappé created our 2016 Space Needs Study (linked below) and are the current architects of the Tisbury School Project and were the architects of the Edgartown Library.
Our Next Steps
We are now beginning the visioning process with guidance from CHA and Tappé Architects, ensuring it reflects the needs and aspirations of our island community. Community members are encouraged to join listening sessions (see above) to meet the architects and share their thoughts.
While schematic designs and overall costs are still to be determined, by November or December of 2024, MVRHS plans to have several schematic designs ready to present to town voters.
There is a long road ahead, and we are in this together. At the end of this process, we have the opportunity to build something remarkable for our island community.
Space Needs Study (Tappé Architects) | October 2016
In the spring of 2015, the high school commissioned studies to investigate the state of the facilities. Areas in need of repair, renovation, upgrading, and transformation are highlighted in the studies. Tappé Architects incorporated all of these studies into a building-wide space needs study.