A new garden on Chilmark School grounds will honor a late Island educator and leader in the public schools.

The small native plant garden being built behind the school will honor the memory of school committee chairman and substitute teacher Susan Parker. Ms. Parker served as committee chairman for the All-Island school committee, the high school committee and the Up-Island school committee and supported the creation of the Chilmark Preschool. She died in June at age 64.

The project is near completion and is scheduled to open this fall with a dedication ceremony, Chilmark School principal Susan Stevens told the Up-Island school committee Monday night at their regular meeting.

Native plant garden will attract butterflies and birds. — Ray Ewing

Donations to fund the garden are not being accepted, she told the committee, because the school already has what they need for the garden. “Everything is taken care of,” Mrs. Stevens said.

In addition to native plants, Mrs. Stevens said a special chair and a new sign being painted by a parent will be placed in the outdoor memorial.

The garden will likely be visited by birds and butterflies, both of which Ms. Parker had a fondness for. “She always liked the outdoors,” Mrs. Stevens told the Gazette after the meeting.

The committee responded positively. “This is a wonderful idea,” committee member Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter said.

In other business, Up-Island committee chairman Michael Marcus announced the hiring of Richard Travers as head custodian for the West Tisbury School. “He’s an extremely capable guy,” he told the committee.

The board also discussed some fiscal issues and voted to approve management and non-union salary adjustments for the 2014-2015 school year.