In the nation’s capital all week for discussions with federal officials, Gov. John deJongh Jr. met with representatives of the Middle States Association for an update on the status of securing full accreditation for St. Croix Central High School.
“I especially wanted to take an opportunity during this trip to discuss with Middle States our progress on the four capital projects at Central High School and provide them an update of work presently being done at all of the territory’s public high schools," deJongh said in a Government House statement. "While the major focus was on the Central High School projects, I was able to reassure them that the work on the track at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School can restart given the recent approval of the $87 million bond issue as the fund source.”
The administration’s goal is to work toward securing full accreditation of Central by the end of this year, and that work at Kean High start before the school year commences, deJongh said. Central High is presently under provisional accreditation and Middle States has specific guidelines and objectives for the school to be fully accredited.
DeJongh gave Middle States Executive Director Hank Cram and his team an update on work being done on the school’s gymnasium, where new bleachers are expected to be installed shortly; an upgrade of the school’s electrical systems to support new classroom technology; the construction of a perimeter fence; and a rehabilitation of the Vocational Education facilities.
“The work on all of these projects is ongoing and will near completion shortly,” deJongh told the Middle States team. The three other public high schools — Educational Complex on St. Croix, Ivanna Eudora Kean and Charlotte Amalie High School on St. Thomas — are all accredited.
Middle States team members told deJongh the principals and administrators at junior high schools in both territorial districts have also expressed an interest in pursuing accreditation.
“No resources will be spared in our attempt to provide a well-balanced education for each student enrolled in the territory’s public school system,” deJongh said.
In the upcoming weeks, deJongh, Education Commissioner La Verne Terry and Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls will meet with Central High School administrators and the leadership of the school’s Parent Teacher Association to brief them on not only the ongoing work on the campus of Central High but also on his meetings with the officials of Middle States.
