First the Good News – more schools met the federal
measurements for Adequate yearly progress than last year. The Department of Education annual report
Card on our schools lists 14 of the 33 schools making adequate yearly progress
in reading and math – compare 14 this year to only 5 last year. That’s
progress. The hard news is that 19
schools did not make the goal and none of the High School or Junior High
Schools met the goals. The progress and
improvements are all at the elementary school level. Moreover, 10 of the 14 schools making adequate
progress are on St. Thomas, only 4 on St. Croix. The schools? Leonard Dober Elementary School,
Joseph Sibilly School, Ulla Muller school, Evelyn Marcelli School, Joseph Gomez
Elementary School, Gladys A Abraham Elementary School, J. Antonio Jarvis
School, Yvonne Milliner Bowsky Elementary School, E. Benjamin Oliver School and
Guy Benjamin School. On St. Croix the schools are Alexander Henderson
Elementary School, Alfredo Andrews Elementary School, Pearl B. Larsen School, Ricardo
Richards Elementary School.
Dr Laverne terry, Commissioner of Education said that she is
pleased that there is progress and we know where the work must be done at the Junior
High and High School level. One other Good
News – math scores were up across the board throughout the territory. Oh and our
teachers are better prepared. Three
years ago only 11% met the federal standards for being highly qualified. Now
45% meet that standard. That’s substantial progress.
New CEO for Schneider Hospital as Alice Taylor gets ready to
come on board as the head of the Schneider Hospital. She starts work April 5th. Taylor has a Masters degree in Business Administration
and a Masters degree in Nursing both from Widener University in Chester Pennsylvania
and she earned her nursing degree from Holy Family College in Philadelphia. Her
recent posts include CEO of the Broward General Medical Center and prior to
that Director of Outpatient Services.
She held Administrative posts at Albert Einstein Health Network, at
Methodist Hospital and Temple Hospital in Philadelphia. She is already thinking
about how to solve some of our hospital’s problems like figuring out which
patients need free service and which ones really could pay something for their
medical care. Alice Taylor starts April 5.
Remember retro – some people can’t forget. The Government promised pay increases and
never delivered the money. Now there is
a plan to move forward on retro. The
total due is some 400 million dollars but what we have now is some 45 million
and how to pay it out is at issue.
Should the oldest workers get some first, or should everyone who is due
money get some or what. The Retroactive
Wage Commission was established by the Legislature late in 2007, and now it is
going to listen to you at a series of public forums for the people identified
as due to receive retro. The forums will meet today in the St. John Senate
Chambers, Wednesday in the Charlotte Amalie High School auditorium on St.
Thomas, and Thursday in the St. Croix campus of UVI's Great Hall. All forums
will be held from 6 to 9 p.m.
St. Thomas St. John Parent University is coming back with
more. From March 2 to March 24 at Lockhart Elementary School on Tuesday and
wed evenings from 6 to 8:00 PM. For more
information call 775-2250.
The road beside GERS will be closed from Wednesday through March
10th as the road is excavated to install new infrastructure
lines. Residents and business will be
able to get access but there will be no through traffic on Route 23 behind the
new GERS building.
WAPA says they will be pumping water out to the Donoe
pumping station from 1 to 4 and 8 PM to 43am on weekdays and similar hours on
Weekends – there may be reduced water pressure in Charlotte Amalie, Hospital
ground, Estate Thomas as WAPA works on their 24 inch water line serving the
east end. The pipe line work is
scheduled to end in Mid-March.
Beacon schools continue registration from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
today for the Spring semester at Addelita Cancryn Junior High School, E.
Benjamin Oliver School, Ivanna Eudora Kean School and on St. Croix t Claude O.
Markoe School, Elena Christian Jr. High School and Juanita Gardine (Gar-dean)
Elementary School and at Julius Sprauve School, St. John. A list of classes is available on line at
beaconschools.vi
Scholarships from Wal-Marts. Delegate Dr. Donna Christensen announces
the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation received a generous gift from
Wal-Mart to support scholarships. Applications
are available from the delegate’s office. and must be complete by April 1.
Good News Maker of the Day are the folks at Cruzan Rum –
Fortune Brands who gave Governor John DeJongh a check for $50,000 to support
the Virgin Islands relief effort in Haiti. Rather than give funds to other
charities, Fortune Brands choose to work through the USVI. So far the total
raised by the Governor and Senate President is now $270,000 for Haiti relief.