Schools Will Open On Sept. 3, D.O.E. Reaffirms: 'We Are Ready,' Commissioner Says

Following a Consortium story quoting Senator Janelle Sarauw who toured schools in St. Thomas over the weekend and said that at least three -- Charlotte Amalie High School, the Addelita Cancryn Intermediate & Junior High School and the Lockhart Primary School -- should be delayed by at least three days to allow for more preparation, the Department of Education on Sunday night reaffirmed its Sept. 3 opening school date and maintained that the schools were prepared for the school year. Ms. Sarauw had visited the schools and even helped with some cleaning at Cancryn. D.O.E. Commissioner Racquel Berry-Benjamin said members of her team in both districts conducted two days of assessments of the territory’s public schools to ensure schools would open on time. “Our schools were thoroughly assessed in both districts and while there was some minor water damage and debris resulting from the storm, nothing we have found would impact us opening the school year as planned,” she said. In addressing t...