A Brief History

About The Edgartown School

Prior to the opening of the present main building the Edgartown School, grades 1 through 6 met in the North School, now a section of Edgartown Commons and Grades 7 through 12 met at the South School, former home of the Edgartown Boys’ and Girls’ Club.

Regionalization, one of today’s hot issues, was considered as far back as 1922 and 1923. A joint committee was formed and the superintendent in one of his annual reports strongly recommended unionization. However, discussion came to an end when Edgartown decided to go ahead and erect its own building. It wasn’t until the 50’s that the subject was brought up again and action started, which culminated with the opening of the M.V.R.H.S. in 1959.

The class of 1926 was the first senior class to complete a year and graduate from the Edgartown building. Eleven members received diplomas. However, the first public event to be held was the exercises for the graduation of the class of 1925. There were 14 members in that class. In the twelve grades there were 246 students, of these, 58 were in the high school. The principal was Walter Grenall, who has since been succeeded by Charles Cooper, Walter Morris, General Theodore Dillon, Robert Scott, Bryant Bean, William Reagan, James Tripp, Marvin Shapiro and Edward Jerome, Paul Dulac, John Stevens & Dr. Shelley Einbinder.

In the early 50’s overcrowding became a real problem. In 1955 a new wing was added which provided space for grades 1, 2, 3, and the Kindergarten. Later, the interior of the main building was restructured to meet the needs of today’s education.
In September 1959, the M.V.R.H.S. opened and the students of the four upper classes left to attend the new school, leaving more space for the remaining grades.

In September of 1980, a free standing addition was erected to house a library, art department, shop and music room.
From September 1986 through December of 1987, the entire facility was renovated and new space was added for classrooms, special needs, reading, physical education, computer lab, library, office and a cafeteria with its own kitchen.

In June of 2001, construction on a new two story K-8 school building began. Additions built in 1956, 1979 and 1986 were demolished to make room for a facility that would accommodate children and meet the needs of today’s educational demands. In 2003 a new era in Edgartown School history began as we moved into the new facility with a capacity to house 550 students in its classrooms and 600 students in its core facilities.

In 2005-2006 long-term principal Edward J. Jerome retired from the Edgartown School and G. Paul Dulac became the new principal. In 2007, Edgartown School graduate John W. Stevens joined the faculty as principal. In 2019, Dr. Shelley Einbinder became principal of our school.

Joseph Robichau
Betty D. Robichau
Edward J. Jerome
John W. Stevens
Shelley Einbinder