Dressed appropriately in their schools’ uniforms, students in public schools throughout the Territory on Tuesday, September 6 marched through school gates and into welcoming classrooms with high hopes for a successful 2016-17 School Year. This year, Education Commissioner Sharon Ann McCollum, Ph.D., is shining a brighter light on the achievement of Virgin Islands’ students. “Student achievement is the focus for this school year,” she said during a stop at Addelita Cancryn Jr. High School on St. Thomas. “We invite all of our parents, all of the members of our community to join us in transforming our public school system.”
Commissioner McCollum and St. Thomas-St. John Insular Superintendent Dionne Wells-Hedrington toured a number of the district’s schools to greet students, parents and school administrators. At Yvonne Milliner-Bowsky Elementary School, Commissioner McCollum held informal discussions with the school’s principal, Ms. Thomas, and with parents registering their children for school. The same cheerful scene played out at Joseph Gomez, E. Benjamin Oliver and Joseph Sibilly elementary schools.
Superintendent Wells-Hedrington welcomed the community’s support of the Department’s efforts to provide students with a quality education. “Welcome to School Year 2016-2017, and of course we welcome the public to visit our schools to volunteer and help with this process,” she said. “Again, it takes a village to raise our children and we always need your support.” Across the board, students in the two school districts were greeted by improved school facilities, thanks to the Department of Education’s ongoing maintenance of its buildings. During the summer months, a covered walkway was installed at Cancryn Jr. High that connects classrooms to the cafeteria. Principal Lisa Hassell-Forde said students cheered when they observed the new walkway.“We are off to such a tremendous school year,” she said. “We can talk about challenges, but the work that has been done at The Addelita Cancryn Jr. High School between the state and the district, we would not be able to open the school year without the support we have gotten from them. We have had tremendous parent support in the last few days. Our teachers are ready and working. Our campus looks good. Our students are ready for school.”
Cancryn Assistant Principal Mr. Richards highlighted a commitment he made to young men attending the junior high school this year.
“I have already said to some of them that I will hold some classes in math and science, if they don’t understand and they need help, they can arrange it with me and I will help them,” he explained. “They will be moving on from seventh to eighth grade in one year, and eighth to ninth in one year. That is our initiative.”
On St. Croix, Assistant Education Commissioner Chermaine Hobson joined by Deputy Insular Superintendents Vaughn Hewitt and Faith George-Boone toured schools to include St. Croix Central High and St. Croix Educational Complex (SCEC). At both schools, high schoolers returned eager to learn and expand their academic horizons. The Education team on St. Croix also touring junior high and elementary schools in the district, reported that everything went well for the first day of the 2016-17 School Year.
“Our schools are works in progress,” Commissioner McCollum said. “We have inherited years of problems that we are working on. We are improving our physical plants; work is ongoing. We are moving from the idea of summer maintenance to ongoing maintenance all year long. There will be significant improvements and work done in the schools throughout the school year, as well as what we have already done.”
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Miss Amanda Burton's first grade class at Lew Muckle Elementary School leave the classroom for a stretch before tackling their first assignment for the 2016-17 School Year. |
Education Commissioner, left, and St. Thomas-St. John Superintendent Dionne Wells-Hedrington, right, greet Bowsky Elementary School Principal Daphne Gonzalez-Thomas, on the first day of the 2016-17 School Year.
Third grade boys at Sibilly Elementary enjoy a short break on the first day of the 2016-17 School Year, Tuesday, September 6, 2016.
Commissioner McCollum discuss the new school year with Joseph Sibilly librarian, Ms. Davis.
At Work: Education administrators lock heads to resolve a situation as they toured the St. Croix Educational Complex on Tuesday, September 6 as the 2016-17 School Year opens to a bright start. From left to right is St. Croix Deputy Superintendent Vaughn Hewitt, St. Croix Deputy Superintendent Faith George-Boone and Assistant Commissioner of Education Chermaine Hobson.
St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center Principal Myrl Hendricks exams a student’s class schedule on the opening day of the 2016-17 School Year on September 6, 2016.
Lew Muckle Elementary School Kindergarten students are cool with the newly installed ac unit in the upper right hand corner.
Fathers came out in support of their children as they begin the 2016-17 School Year here at the St. Croix Educational Complex, and also at St. Croix Central High School on Tuesday, September 6.
