Sandys Secondary Middle School is celebrating its 89th anniversary.

The board from the school issued a press release acknowledging its history which dates back to the enrolment of 17 girls and one boy in the living room of Mr and Mrs Cyril Foley.

In 1927, the Foleys opened the doors of their Bob’s Valley home to foster the dream of having a secondary school in Sandys, according to the statement.

Over the next 20 years, the school struggled to remain open, due to challenges with location and finances — however, it was finally relocated to a permanent home at its current location on Scott’s Hill Road, Sandys.

The school was adopted by the Government in 1963 and became a fully funded public school before, in 1997, becoming one of island’s five middle schools.

The founders of Sandys Secondary School are Richmond Simmons, Frances Simmons, Florence Smith, Leonard Simmons, Fanny Ratteray, William Robinson, Harry Smith, Alice Scott, John Scott, Samuel Swan, Susan Philpott and Thomas Durrant.