A rendering of the proposed Sprauve PreK–12 School on St. John, envisioned as a modern, hurricane-resilient campus designed to consolidate educational facilities and serve as a central hub for students across the island. Photo Credit: GVI.
ST. JOHN — The long-awaited replacement for the Julius E. Sprauve School has taken a major step forward. The Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR), in partnership with the Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE), has announced the awarding of a $1.3 million contract to Consigli/Benton Joint Venture 1 for the preconstruction phase of the new Julius E. Sprauve PreK-12 School on St. John.
The contract covers the project’s preconstruction phase, including finalizing designs, conducting constructability reviews, and performing value engineering to ensure that the new facility meets the highest standards for functionality and resilience.
Education Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington, Ed.D., said the milestone marks a moment of pride and progress for St. John residents who have waited years for a modernized educational facility. “The people of St. John have waited patiently for this moment, and it fills me with immense pride to see this long-awaited investment come to fruition,” said Dr. Wells-Hedrington.
She described the project as a transformative investment for the island’s future. “The funding secured for the construction of a modern PreK–12 campus for the new Julius E. Sprauve School represents more than buildings—it represents progress, equity, and hope for generations to come. With the resources in place, the land identified, and the passion of our community behind us, we stand ready to create history together. This is truly the most significant public infrastructure investment ever made on the island of St. John.”
The preconstruction phase is expected to last approximately ten months. During that period, the team will refine the design, complete engineering reviews, and lay the groundwork for the full construction phase. The contract also provides funding for early work packages, which may include ordering long-lead-time equipment, site preparation, underground utilities, foundation work, and structural steel mill orders.
Once the design and permitting processes are finalized, the government will issue a Notice to Proceed (NTP) for the construction phase. Under the current schedule, once construction begins, the project will take about 38 months to complete.
Officials say the project’s framework is based on Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) standards — a delivery method designed to streamline communication between contractors, engineers, and project managers, minimizing delays and ensuring satisfactory performance.
ODR Director Adrienne L. Williams-Octalien said that reaching this milestone required years of coordination among multiple government agencies and partners. “Getting to this point has not been a walk in the park,” she said.
Williams-Octalien explained that the project had to navigate several key stages, including the approval of industry standards finalized in 2020, the obligation of FEMA funding in December 2023, and the mutual acceptance of a land exchange agreement with the National Park Service in February 2024. The procurement process began later that year in October 2024, paving the way for the current contract award.
“As one of the more complex recovery projects requiring collaboration from multiple entities, we are thrilled to launch this essential initiative for the children of St. John and extend our most sincere thanks to FEMA and every single agency, team member, and resident who played a role in getting us to this point,” she said.
The new Julius E. Sprauve PreK-12 School is part of the St. John mixed-sector bundle, a group of reconstruction projects coordinated under the territory’s SuperPMO initiative. The bundle’s approach allows multiple large-scale projects to move forward simultaneously, maximizing efficiency and oversight.
The Sprauve project joins several other recently awarded school reconstruction efforts under the St. Thomas Education Bundle, which includes the Emanuel Benjamin Oliver Elementary, St. Thomas Administrative Center, Lockhart K-8, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, Yvonne Milliner-Bowsky Elementary, and Jane E. Tuitt Elementary. Those projects were awarded in February 2025 to the Suffolk-CBNA Joint Venture.
The announcement marks the most significant step yet in the effort to rebuild and modernize public education infrastructure on St. John following the devastation of the 2017 hurricanes.
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