The Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy broke ground Thursday on a $15 million FEMA-funded campus reconstruction project that will rebuild and modernize key educational facilities as part of a multi-year recovery effort following the 2017 hurricanes.
Faculty, staff, members of the VIMSIA Project Management Team and representatives from the Virgin Islands Office of Disaster Recovery gathered for the ceremony, joined by two of the school’s youngest students, who helped mark the beginning of a project designed to serve future generations of learners.
The disaster recovery initiative will reconstruct several buildings on the campus over multiple phases while allowing the school to remain in operation throughout construction.
Virgin Islands Office of Disaster Recovery Director Adrianne Williams-Octalien said the project reflects the territory’s commitment to supporting not only public institutions but nonprofit schools as well.
“We tend to focus a lot on recovery projects for government buildings or the public schools,” Williams-Octalien said. “But we also care deeply about our nonprofit and private school partners and are very pleased to see this $15 million project coming to fruition.”
Construction will begin with infrastructure and foundation work led by Apex Construction, with the first phase scheduled for completion this summer. Nuconic will then construct a new modular academic building during the winter and spring of the 2026-27 school year. Additional buildings are planned in future phases as part of the school’s long-term campus master plan.
Head of School Gloria Arpasi said the investment will strengthen both the campus and the community it serves.
“We are a small but mighty community that has led educational success in the Virgin Islands for over 60 years,” Arpasi said. “This transformation of our campus will create lasting opportunities for hundreds of children for decades to come.”
School officials said the construction schedule has been carefully planned to minimize disruption to students and faculty. Safety measures and phased construction will allow classes and campus operations to continue while work progresses.
Founded more than 60 years ago, the nonprofit school serves students from 12 months through 12th grade.
