St. Croix High Schools will follow a modified schedule beginning Thursday in response to the ongoing heatwave impacting the territory and concerns about extreme classroom temperatures, St. Croix district Insular Superintendent Sharlene Belton-Gonzalez announced Wednesday.
Recent job actions, including a mass sick-out by teachers, have highlighted the unbearable heat conditions in some classrooms. The VIDE acknowledges these issues and is actively working to resolve them. The Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance is overseeing maintenance concerns and has already begun implementing solutions such as electrical assessments and upgrades, prior to any job action or protest. Ongoing work across the districts has included the installation of air conditioning units, additional fans, and other necessary repairs. Maintenance teams are working to improve the conditions for both educators and students by addressing these heat-related challenges, according to the press release.
While the VIDE continues to tackle these infrastructural issues, it remains committed to minimizing disruptions to student learning and instruction. Ensuring consistent classroom attendance is critical to reducing learning loss, which can severely impact student success.
All students, faculty, and staff at the St. Croix Educational Complex High School, the Career and Technical Center, and St. Croix Central High School are required to adhere to the abbreviated schedule below, which will start on Thursday. This schedule will remain in effect until further notice. Lunch will be available for all students and bus transportation services will continue to be provided for students who utilize the school bus, the press release stated.
The following is the modified schedule, which begins Thursday:
