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HomeNewsArchivesFOR 1ST TIME IN DECADES, ST. JOHN HAS A 10TH GRADE

FOR 1ST TIME IN DECADES, ST. JOHN HAS A 10TH GRADE

Oct. 25, 2001 – Last August, five students took their seats for the first day of the academic year — and in so doing became the first sophomores to attend classes at a St. John school since the middle of the last century.
Who are these educational pioneers? They are the 10th grade students of the Coral Bay School, St. John's first independent secondary school.
The school, which opened for grades 7-9 last year, added grade 10 this year. It will continue to expand its curriculum over the next two years, until its first senior class graduates in 2004. If all goes well, the current sophomores will be in that graduating class.
"It's really exciting," says Jennifer Gibbud, CBS sophomore and president of the student body. "We get to be part of something that is new and still growing."
Of course, being the lead class brings responsibilities. "How we do in the next couple of years will be a reflection on the rest of the school," Jennifer says. "We are setting a precedent for the classes that follow."
One 10th grade class member, T.J. Courtney, is among four CBS students commuting from Red Hook to Cruz Bay each day in contrast to the standard practice of high school students riding the ferry in the opposite direction. "The boat ride is kind of a drag, but the school is only two blocks from the dock," T.J. notes. "I chose to commute because I really like the closer interaction I get with my teachers and friends. It's worth the trip in my opinion."
It is still too early to tell what long-term impact the existence of a high school will have on the social fabric of St. John, but co-administrator Scott Crawford is optimistic. "As the school grows, we're going to see a real positive ripple effect throughout the community," he says. "Having a viable school attracts families to the island, and those families become part of the St. John community."
The sophomore class alone has two new students from the states. One is Greg Miller, whose family recently moved to St. John from Long Island, N.Y.. Greg's parents, Bruce and Lydia, the owners of Cruz Bay's new Asian restaurant, the Bamboo Grill, say the existence of a quality high school on St. John was a major factor in their decision to relocate to the island.
The Coral Bay School currently has 32 students, more than double the number enrolled a year ago. Since the beginning of this school year, one new sophomore has enrolled, bringing the total for that class to six. Two more are scheduled to join the class in the second quarter.
To learn more, stop by the school, located in the Lumberyard Business Complex, or call 776-1730.

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