Many histories meet here
Follow the town’s changing names, listen for Wampanoag voices in the archives, and trace how a community created MVPCS.
Tisbury, then West Tisbury
Tisbury was incorporated in 1671. West Tisbury separated from it in 1892. The town’s history includes North Tisbury, once called Newtown, and Christiantown. That is why a map or deed from before 1892 may use “Tisbury” for a place now in West Tisbury.
Read the town’s history ↗
Christiantown: a neighboring history
The Land Bank’s history traces Christiantown to land set aside by Josias of Takemmy in 1659. The community’s land was reduced over time. This nearby history matters, but the collection does not establish that the present school lots lay inside a particular historic boundary.
Read Christiantown’s landscape history ↗In 1811, people from Christiantown and Chappaquiddick wrote to Governor Elbridge Gerry. Their letter offers a community voice to compare with later government reports. Read who created a document before deciding whose perspective it represents.
A school built by its community
MVPCS grew from island families’ wish for a school centered on students, projects, and community participation. Its history includes both educational ideas and the practical work of securing land and building classrooms.
- 1993–1994
An idea becomes a community project
Island parents, teachers, and community members developed a public-school alternative after Massachusetts’ 1993 education reform. Options in Education formed in 1994 to support the school.
Read the source ↗ - March 15, 1995
The charter is authorized
Massachusetts authorized MVPCS after the founders revised their application.
Read the source ↗ - April 29, 1996
A land record
The registry index records an acquisition by Options in Education at Book 675, page 665. The full deed still needs to be obtained and read.
Read the source ↗ - September 16, 1996
The school opens
MVPCS opened its doors. Its first classrooms served a smaller age range; the K–12 program grew over the following years.
Read the source ↗ - 1997
Room to grow
Contemporary reporting describes permission for a classroom addition. An approval is evidence of permission, not by itself proof of completion.
Read the source ↗ - 2000–2001
Kindergarten to graduation
The first kindergarten class arrived in September 2000. The first senior class graduated in June 2001.
Read the source ↗ - 2009
Four new classrooms
A September 2009 report describes a ribbon-cutting for four elementary classrooms and supporting spaces.
Read the source ↗ - By 2019
A science center and a continuing home
The school’s 2019 strategic plan describes the Vernon Jordan Science Center and states that MVPCS had occupied the same location since opening.
Read the source ↗ - 2021
An international learning connection
The school identifies 2021 as the year it became an International Baccalaureate World School.
Read the source ↗ - 2026
Thirty years of MVPCS
September 2026 marks thirty years since the school opened. The campus story continues as students learn, ask questions, and contribute to their community.
Read the source ↗
When sources disagree
Options in Education’s retrospective account places land purchase and construction in 1995. The registry index, assessor construction year, and contemporary reporting support 1996 for the acquisition and opening. Keep both accounts visible and seek the full deed; do not silently turn the two dates into one.
Compare the OIE account ↗ Check P01, P02, and the newspaper references →Go further: a chain of evidence
The next step is the full two-page deed at Book 675, page 665, followed by its earlier deed and plan references. Middletown Village Trust records are research leads, not a proven ownership chain. The 1828 property inventory is not a will and has no demonstrated connection to these school lots.
Research snapshot: September 23, 2026. The newest acquired aerial is from 2025. Original documents, catalog notes, and source images retain their original language.