Oct. 24, 2006 — While parents and teachers are pushing for repairs to begin on the Charlotte Amalie High School gymnasium, they are also pushing for a better relationship between the school's administration and officials from the Department of Education.
At an emergency parent-teacher meeting held at the gym on Monday evening, CAHS Principal Jeanette Smith-Barry said that government officials have been making school-related decisions relating without consulting parents or CAHS staff. She said that the government's plans to repair the roof, floor and bleachers of the facility should have been cleared with "the people who have to live everyday with the situation."
According to Keith Richards, the governor's special assistant in charge of capital projects, a "public exigency" proclamation issued by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull early Monday would allow Education to expedite the procurement process so that repairs could begin on the gym by mid-November.
However, Richards said that plans have been made to repair certain parts of the gym, leaving out critical components, such as enclosing the facility and installing an air conditioning unit.
"How are you going to repair the gym and not include the air conditioning?" Smith-Barry said, pointing to nearby parents who were sweating after spending just 30 minutes in the facility. "Is anyone ever going to consult with us, and ask us what we want?"
She added that parents and CAHS staff had recently discussed the idea of converting the existing gymnasium into a cafeteria, since at least $5 million has been appropriated over the past three years for the construction of a brand new gym.
This includes money appropriated from the 1999 Series A bond proceeds, a 2003 bond issue and a legislative act passed in December. Paperwork brought to Monday's meeting by former Sen. Carlton Dowe indicates approximately $12 million from the 1999 bonds were appropriated for the construction of a cafeteria, gym and auditorium at Addelita Cancryn Junior High School, along with the construction of a new gym at CAHS.
"Whatever happens with the repairs, let it be done with the understanding that this situation is only temporary," Smith-Barry said. "The repairs must be completed with the understanding that nothing should jeopardize the plans to build a new gym."
Richards said that approximately $500,000 of the money appropriated for gym will be used for repairs. "It is a two-phase process," he assured Smith-Barry. "First we're going to do the repairs, then we're going to look at building a new gym. We just want to make sure the facility is useable as soon as possible."
Richards' statements conflict with testimony provided at a recent Senate hearing by Brent Blyden, the Education Department's facilities and capital projects manager. At the time, Blyden indicated that discussion on whether the gym will be rebuilt would take place "after an assessment is done."
Meanwhile, the current state of the gym could impact the status of the school's accreditation, Smith-Barry said. She explained that the state of the school's facilities, which includes the gym, is a sticking point for accreditation officials at the Middle States Association for Colleges and Schools.
"How many years can we keep telling them that plans are in the works to get things started? Middle States is coming for a site visit in December — we must have something to show," she said.
When contacted Tuesday afternoon, Hank Cram, executive director for Middle States' Commission on Secondary Schools, said that facilities management is one of the 12 standards the organization uses in determining whether or not a school is reaccredited. He said that the report generated by Middle States officials after the site visit in December will determine whether another site visit will be conducted and whether the school's accreditation, which expires in 2008, will be impacted.
Since the school's physical education teachers have threatened to "walk out" if conditions at the gym do not improve, Smith added that she is also concerned about the status of seniors graduating next year. All students, she said, are required to take at least two semesters of physical education in order to graduate.
"While I support the teachers who have said they will not work under these conditions, I also have to think about my students," she said.
Arthur Solomon, chair of the Physical Education Department at CAHS, assured Richards and other government officials attending Monday's meeting that the teachers would "take action" if repairs do not begin next month.
Solomon has protested the conditions of the gym in the past, organizing strikes in conjunction with many of the territory's coaches. The most recent attempt started last Friday, when CAHS physical education teachers had to "shovel" water out of gym after a set of storms showered the territory with heavy rainfall.
"We are willing to stick it out a little longer, but if Nov. 4 comes and nothing is done, then we're going to walk again," he said.
Richards said that Turnbull's declaration of "public exigency"– which also authorizes Education to contract for repairs and to purchase supplies, materials and equipment necessary to repair public schools around the territory — has put CAHS gym repairs on an expedited timeline. He said that the procurement process will begin on Nov. 2, and a contractor will be selected "15 days after that."
He added that "extensive work" on the gym will be conducted over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
Richards also took to heart concerns raised by parents about organizing a meeting which would give both government officials and CAHS representatives an opportunity to "come to the table" to discuss plans for the school. He said he would work with Turnbull to organize such a meeting "by next week."
Meanwhile, parents were encouraged by Anthony Francis, the school's PTSA president, to keep the "pressure on" government officials.
"We need to appeal to the community to come together and get this issue resolved," he said.
No one from the Education Department was present during Monday's meeting. Several calls made Tuesday to Education Commissioner Noreen Michael and Emily Carter, St. Thomas- St. John Insular Superintendent, to discuss the status of the gym were not returned.
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