Preschool breaks ground in Chilmark

Behind the Chilmark school’s jungle gym on the Beetlebung campus Friday morning, early childhood education stakeholders were joined by Island families and friends to break ground on a new building that will house the future of the Chilmark Preschool.

The existing preschool currently operates out of a leased classroom on the Beetlebung campus, and with a continuous increase in elementary school populations, the preschool was forced to relocate. 

“We are absolutely thrilled to begin construction on this urgently needed building,” said Rebekah Thomson, board president of Friends of the Chilmark Preschool, during Friday’s groundbreaking. “There is an acute need for early childhood education and care, especially up-island.”

Planned for the new building are two new classrooms, an entrance foyer, a director’s front office, three bathrooms, a conference room, and faculty lounge. School officials hope the building will be ready for the 2026 school year. 

The modest, energy efficient building will serve up to 38 preschoolers and possible toddlers from 18 months to three years old. 

At the ceremony on Friday morning, John Keene, owner of John Keene Excavation, and Keith Fenner, owner of Fenner Construction, ceremoniously positioned trucks and excavators  on the small plot of land where grass was torn away to prepare for construction. 

Nora Wilcox, the administrative director for Chilmark’s preschool opened the ceremony, thanking the community for their support. 

“This moment has been a long time coming,” said Wilcox. “Getting to this point has taken a lot of dedication, creativity, and a lot of heart.” 

Friends of the Chilmark Preschool — the nonprofit that runs the school —  has raised $2.9 million through general grants and private donations, and are hoping to raise another $1.7 to cross the finish line

Chair of the building committee, Alicia Knight spoke to the need of the new space. 

“We are now at maximum capacity with a long waitlist,” said Knight. “Consequently, a bold vision was developed to create a space our youngsters and community deserve.”

Knight said the goal was to open the building in time for the 2026 school year, the same time they need to move out of their current, leased classroom. 

“That timeline is ambitious and achievable. Each shovel in the ground gets us closer to that goal,” said Knight. 

Deirdre Bohan the CEO of South Mountain Company, contractors on the project, gave her thanks to the community for their support then introduced Thomson.

“I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to every person who helped bring us to this day,” said Thomson to the crowd. “This project is about so much more than a new building. It’s about investing in the youngest members of our community and in the future of up-Island life.” 

“Today marks a celebration of Chilmark Preschools 20 years of successfully serving Island families, and now we are building for the next 20 years and many more beyond that,” added Thomson. 

After the speeches, families, stakeholders, preschoolers, and community members equipped themselves with shovels and hardhats for the official groundbreaking.