77.8 F
Cruz Bay
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesTerritory Welcomes New International Teachers

Territory Welcomes New International Teachers

Feb. 7, 2006 – In an effort to fill vacant teacher positions, the Education Department hired 27 teachers from such diverse locations as the Philippines, Bulgaria, Cameroon and Trinidad.
Education Department spokesman Juel Anderson said all teachers, except the one from Trinidad, have arrived in the territory.
The teachers will teach special education and math at the junior and senior high school levels. Additionally, Anderson said one of the international teachers will serve as the full-time librarian at Addelita Cancryn Junior High School.
In a news release issued last week, Alscess Lewis-Brown, the department's human resources director said, "The entire process has been long and arduous."
She said that since schools on the mainland also experienced shortages in special education, mathematics and foreign languages, the territory was forced to look internationally.
Lewis-Brown said the new teachers have excellent credentials and as much as 15 years' experience.
The teachers all have U.S. Department of Homeland Security clearance.
Lewis-Brown said she hopes the community will welcome the new teachers with V.I. hospitality and warmth.
"It is our desire to assist our new teachers with a positive transition experience," Lewis-Brown said.
The new teachers will undergo diversity training on Feb. 10 on St. Croix and Feb. 16 on St. Thomas. The training includes briefings on V.I. history and culture. The teachers will also receive tours of their respective island.
Lewis-Brown said that the teachers will participate in an orientation program to familiarize themselves with the community's organization, public safety, local banking, and child protection laws.
Additionally, they will learn about the department's personnel policies and procedures, payroll and business office procedures, union rules and regulations, health care program benefits and other benefits.
An orientation session was held Tuesday on St. Croix.
On St. Thomas, orientation will be held at 9 a.m. Feb. 15 at the Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School auditorium.
Any other new teachers and Education Department staff members who have not been to an orientation session are invited to attend.
Back Talk

Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.