After a disruption lasting nearly eight years, parents on St. John are now able to enroll their children at Head Start, the program that provides free early childhood education to children and support services to parents.
The doors will open at the brand-new building on Sept. 2, according to Masikia Lewis, administrator of the Head Start program in the Virgin Islands.
Lewis said the new classroom has space for 20 children, and 17 families have already enrolled their youngsters. Children who will turn three by Dec. 31 are eligible for the two-year program. Parents may sign up on Tuesdays when staff from St. Thomas come to the Human Services Department’s Multipurpose Center in Cruz Bay.
Acceptance into the program is based on family income. SNAP (food stamp program) recipients are eligible, as are those who receive funding through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. Children who are unhoused or who have special needs also qualify. “I encourage anyone to register,” said Lewis.
The Head Start program came to a halt on St. John when Hurricane Irma damaged the building that had served preschoolers for decades in their location next to St. Ursula’s Episcopal Church in Cruz Bay. Although the building appeared to be intact, it was no longer able to meet updated construction codes.
After years of planning, public hearings, and identification of funding sources, construction of the new building was completed in November 2024 with a ribbon-cutting celebration.
At the time, however, officials were unable to hire qualified staff and delayed the opening till the start of the 2025-26 school year.
Staffing at various locations remains a problem, according to Lewis, and she’s encouraging qualified applicants to apply to the Human Services Department through the Division of Personnel. “We require a bachelor’s or associate degree, or a Child Development Associate credential,” she said. Interviews for new staff will be held through August.
The Cruz Bay Center is the first of six projects funded by a $42.4 million grant through the US. Department of Human Services, which did not require a match in funds from the territory.
Other projects underway include Head Start centers in Lindbergh Bay and Bolongo Bay on St. Thomas and Concordia on St. Croix. Construction has also begun for the Minetta Mitchell Center in Sub Base, which will serve as a nutritional center and an administration building in Anna’s Hope on St. Croix.
Benton Construction, LLC, completed the Cruz Bay Head Start Center; Custom Builders is constructing the other five projects.
