The largest independent school on Martha's Vineyard
Community
Community is central at VMS. Children and their growth bring us together, and the authentic connections and values we hold in common sustain us as our students mature into resilient explorers, confident learners, and empathetic citizens.
Our faculty is a dedicated group of professionals who are thoughtful and ambitious about their work. They are drawn to VMS by the opportunity to impact young students using a progressive, multicultural curriculum that tackles challenging topics in age-appropriate ways. At every grade level, VMS teachers create inclusive, anti-bias classrooms where children’s identities are embraced and their voices are valued. Students learn to consider the experiences of others and gain the capacity to advocate confidently for justice in an increasingly complex and diverse world.
Board of Trustees
The VMS volunteer Board of Trustees focuses on the short and long-term health of the School and is dedicated to the following priorities: carrying out the stewardship of the school’s mission; ensuring the school’s financial stability; hiring and evaluating the Head of School; overseeing the Strategic Planning process
2030 Strategic Vision
The Plan for the Future
Having celebrated the 50th anniversary in 2025, Vineyard Montessori School’s Board of Trustees identified strategic priorities to be a strongly positioned community school, serving infants through Grade 8 on a campus that is accessible to all. VMS is a leader in innovative education, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice is interwoven throughout all facets.
Progressive Programming:
- A forward-thinking educational model that prepares students for the future by engaging them in a wide range of dynamic, cross-disciplinary learning experiences.
- Expanded curriculum with real-world learning that addresses both global and local challenges.
Community Ties:
- Resources and services create a holistic approach to remove barriers to learning and promoting family and student success.
- VMS leads as a vibrant community hub with a culture of progressive learning, collective trust, and shared responsibility.
Enhanced Infrastructure:
- A Physical Campus includes accessible buildings, additional classrooms, walkways, and playgrounds.
- A sustainable financial model to ensure equity for all families.
Alumni
VMS Family Teacher Association (FTA)
Vineyard Montessori School’s Family Teacher Association (FTA) plays an important role in the life of the school. All families of enrolled students are automatically members of the FTA. The FTA exists to cultivate a dynamic and nurturing community that channels support for students, teachers and the school — and they have a lot of fun doing so!
Your time, talents, and enthusiasm are what makes our Montessori community thrive. Participation in any area and at any level is important and greatly appreciated.
Want to get more involved? Email fta@vineyardmontessori.com!
Founders Story
This is a story of how the love, curiosity and commitment of a few converged to create an island wide educational movement.
In July 1974, Jane Counter and her family moved from St. Croix, in the US Virgin Islands, to Martha’s Vineyard to begin a new chapter of their lives. Their daughter, Nisa, had attended a Montessori School in St. Croix and thrived there. Jane had spent some time in her daughter’s classroom and began to understand why Nisa and her classmates loved school so much.
“The order must have been a comfort to the children. They carried their work on little trays and returned it to its place when they finished. They all looked so purposeful and happy.”
It was Jane’s dream to start a Montessori school on Martha’s Vineyard. Jane began to share her dream with her friends, Amy Zoll and Pat Newick.
They met regularly to share their inspiration and plans for moving forward. The Zolls offered their home as a meeting place. Jon Harris, an island educator and friend of the Zolls, joined this group.
As they began to share their excitement about starting the first Montessori school on Martha’s Vineyard, they inspired others to join them. Hazel and Ben Coffin and John and Diane Bucchanan joined. The Coffins offered their home at Scrubby Neck Farm as another meeting place.
During the winter of 1972, Nat and Pam Benjamin and their year-old daughter Jessica stayed with Nat’s family in Garrison, NY. Nat’s young cousins were attending a Montessori school there. Curious, Pam began reading about the Montessori Method. When Nat, Pam and Jessica moved to Martha’s Vineyard during the summer of 1972, Pam began to look for others who might be interested in Montessori education.
Pam and Jane were living in the same neighborhood in the fall of 1974. When they met, they quickly realized they both shared a love and passion for the Montessori methodology! Pam joined these education meetings, offering her energy, enthusiasm and outreach to this effort. Meanwhile, Shakti Reynolds and Jill Wilson were teaching in the Montessori School in St. Croix where Nisa Counter, Jane’s daughter, had attended. Nisa had been a student in their class. Both Shakti and Jill were considering starting their own school. Where that school might live was the big question. Both women had traveled extensively, trained together in India and were open to exploring new possibilities.
During this time, they received a letter from Jane Counter. She shared that an enthusiastic group of parents on Martha’s Vineyard were interested in starting a Montessori School. Jane wondered if they might be interested in relocating to Martha’s Vineyard and becoming the school’s first teachers?
Shakti decided to go have a look. She arrived on Martha’s Vineyard for the first time in February 1975. A group of motivated parents had gathered in Mike and Amy Zoll’s living room and warmly welcomed her. “When you walked into the room, we knew our teacher had arrived,” was the sentiment of many. Shakti shares that she felt the same way. Jon Harris offered to give Shakti a tour of the island. Shakti says she loved everything she saw.
In the spring of 1975, Jill joined Shakti for a second visit to the island. This time an even larger group of interested parents had gathered in Nat and Pam’s living room. They were unanimously asked to be the school’s first teachers.
Shakti and Jill accepted and arrived on the island ready for this new adventure in the spring of 1975.
Shakti describes the time following their acceptance as an incredible period in the history of the school. This motivated group of parents joined together and shared their love, energy and talents to make this school a reality. Nat and Pam sent out a fundraising letter. Laney Stevens and George Moffet were among the school’s first donors. Their grandchildren were among VMS’s first students.
Nat Benjamin, Daniel Depperman and Kenny Bilzerian built most of the beautiful furniture for the classroom. Nat and Daniel also built two balance beams, a low one and a high one and a jungle gym for the playground.
The founding group was growing! Bob and Charlene Douglas joined and held a fundraising dinner at the Black Dog Tavern.
“When the Douglases joined, our fundraising efforts took off,” Jane remembers.
Another fundraising dinner was held at the Sandpiper restaurant where the school now resides! A fundraiser was held at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury and a talk on the Montessori Method was held at the Mansion House, then owned by the Coffin family.
Shakti and Jill chose the name: Vineyard Montessori School.
The next challenge: How would they pay for the expensive Montessori materials? Shakti took a job at the Menemsha Inn to help finance the cost of materials.
Where would the school reside? Finding a suitable location for a school proved to be quite challenging. Bob Dauglas offered a building he owned at Five Corners but unfortunately it wasn’t suitable for a school.
They were hoping to open their doors in September but where? Luckily, a suitable location was found with little time to spare!
The Playhouse, then the Masonic Hall on Church Street in Vineyard Haven, became Vineyard Montessori School’s first home.
The Vineyard Montessori School officially opened its doors in September, 1975 to a class of 23 students.
VMS’s first students:
Jessica and Signe Benjamin; Chris Bettencourt; Alison Bilzerian; Ari Buccahanan; Benny Coffin; John Connolly; Nisa Counter; Anna Depperman; Stephanie Devine; Robbie and Jamie Douglas; Wardell Eisner; Andew Francis; Gimili Glavin; Ricky Greene; Sloan and Max Hart; Micah Moffett; Hopi Morton; Alex Warriner; and Daniel and Eden Zoll.
From inspiration to manifestation, it took this motivated group of parents and supportive community members only 1 year and 2 months to open a school!
As the school got underway, fundraising efforts continued.
Some of the funds raised went toward scholarships for interested families in need of financial assistance.
Early on, VMS was committed to being a welcoming and diverse community.
One notable fundraiser was a dance performance directed by Jill Wilson’s husband, Monty Thompson. Monty, originally from Trinidad, was a master West Indian Dance teacher and choreographer. Jill was a premier dancer in his dance company in St. Croix.
Monty choreographed a dance to the 91st psalm. Nat and Pam Benjamin, Jon Harris and George Moffett recited the psalm as Jill danced to a delighted audience.
A few of the original and essential group of supporters of VMS have passed away.
A big and heartful thank you to Jon Harris, Pat Newick, George Moffett and Robert Douglas, all of whom supported VMS for many years and in countless ways.
To all those who chose a new path for education on Martha’s Vineyard, and gave your blood, sweat and tears to bring the Vineyard Montessori School into reality and help it to grow and flourish, thank you.
You have left a vibrant legacy that lives on, fifty years later.
