An annual School Management Accountability Report of all public school facilities, school guidance, and school administration in the territory has been completed by the Virgin Islands Board of Education School Plants and Facilities Committee. In the St. Thomas-St. Thomas District, school visits and walk-throughs for 2023 were conducted between Feb. 22-24 and March 7, and in the St. Croix District, March 1-3 and March 8.
By going on school visits, the board can get a sense of a school’s intangible climate as well as essential factors like the dynamism of the teaching, student engagement, the quality of communication, and respect between students, teachers, administrators, and parents, as well as the overall impression that the school provides a safe and inspiring learning environment.
The Virgin Islands Code – Title 17 (Education) (Chapters. 1 — 45) Chapter 3. The Virgin Islands Board of Education (§§ 21 — 24) directs the board to oversee the procedure that follows.
The Board of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall make recommendations to the Legislature and the governor through an annual report of its findings and recommendations based on the inspections conducted under the provisions of this section no later than June 15 after the close of the school academic year. The report shall include the following:
(1) Findings of administrative deficiencies and the recommendations for addressing the deficiencies;
(2) Findings of guidance and counseling deficiencies and recommendations for addressing the deficiencies; and
(3) Identification of strengths and weaknesses of each school to include achievement and standardized test scores and statistics for dropouts, attendance, college entrance and vocation program entrance.
Kyza A. Callwood, Ph.D., the chairman of the board, thanked St. Croix District Superintendent Ericilda Ottley-Herman and Symra Dee Brown-Gumbs, Ph.D., the deputy superintendent of St. Thomas/St. John District; Gene Weeks, the director of maintenance for St. Thomas/St. John; Alan Fleming, the acting chief operations officer; Davidson Charlemagne, the territorial facilities manager; and Yauncey Milligan, the director of maintenance for St. Croix, as well as the operations staff and all of the officials at the school sites for their direct and informative presentations and responses to issues that affected their educational programs, maintenance problems and definitive solutions to overcome each challenge faced.
“At times, the most impartial and clearest view comes from those outside looking in,” said Callwood.
The School Management Accountability Report will also include comprehensive annual inspection reports from the Department of Health-Environmental Health Division, the Department of Labor (OSHA), the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the Department of Public Works, and the Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Service regarding the start of the school year. These reports will specify that the building must be safe, adequate for the environment, sanitized and compliant before occupying the same.
Based on assessments and evaluations, the Board of Education will make recommendations relative to funding or processes required for essential program services, academic and social success in public education, and timely and prompt maintenance issues to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and Gov. Albert Bryan, Jr.
Callwood said, “… that the board will share with the Department of Education a brief preliminary report of at a glance view that draws attention to factors which adversely impacts student achievement; the challenges associated with the physical structure (brick and mortar), health and safety regulations, and capital investments needed to improve the learning environment and quality of instruction.”
The School Management Accountability Report is a serious, evidence-based document to complete. He thanks board members and staff for their commitment to the extensive visits to open more opportunities for the learning success of Virgin Islands students.
