Members of the V.I. Board of Education told Gov. John deJongh Jr. they were concerned about school staffing levels and budget cuts during a meeting Monday to discuss a wide range of education topics.
All participants in the talks supported continued funding for early childhood education, and the governor told the board members the recent problems with St. Croix bus service was the result of as cash flow problem.
“These discussions are an opportunity to allow board members to outline their concerns, and for my office and the Education Department to respond,” deJongh said after the meeting. “Such a dialog ensures we are all on the same page when it comes to improving our school system and the quality of education in the Virgin Islands.”
The governor shared plans for the 2012-13 school year, including plans for the closing and merging of some schools. He said the “difficult changes” that must take place in the St. Croix district due to the closure of the Hovensa refinery will be done in a way to minimize their effects on students.
DeJongh added that it’s important for the government to keep parents and the community informed about the process of redistricting.
Responding to concerns about staffing levels in light of recent dismissals within the Education Department, deJongh told board members, “The territory’s financial situation forced us to reduce the government’s workforce, including some personnel in our schools.”
“Adjustments are necessary to ensure this process impacts learning as little as possible, and we manage to preserve arts, sports and extracurricular activities,” he said.
All agreed the territory needed to keep investing in early childhood initiatives. They also discussed ways to allow students to take more career and technical courses without jeopardizing their graduation schedule.
DeJongh explained this week’s school bus situation on St. Croix as a problem with cash flow. The governor apologized to parents inconvenienced by the busing problems and assured board members that Education was committed to ensuring all students can get to school conveniently and on time.
Bus service was restored Wednesday morning.
