Shannon Harris Oriol. By. Antilles School
ST. THOMAS — The Antilles School Board of Trustees announced Friday the appointment of Shannon Harris Oriol as the next head of Antilles School, effective July 1, 2021.
According to the release, Oriol is currently the assistant head of school, with responsibilities of chief academic officer and oversight of enrollment. She is a lead coordinator for the school’s strategic plan implementation and Middle States accreditation, and has additionally served on the accreditation teams for other territorial and stateside schools, and on the boards of Dancing Classrooms VI and the VI Children’s Museum.
“Shannon’s combination of academic and operational knowledge augmented by her professional qualifications separated her from a crowded applicant field, but it is her demonstrated ability to care deeply and think strategically that most distinguishes her as a Head who can ably lead Antilles into its next chapter,” Claire Starkey, president of the Antilles School Board of Trustees, said. “As our School, like so many others in the States and across the globe, works to provide and preserve a quality education in the midst of this pandemic, we valued Shannon’s clear understanding of our challenges and strengths, and her ability to provide a level of stability and continuity that are critical at this juncture.”
A New Jersey native with Caribbean roots, Oriol holds a master’s degree in educational administration, according to the release. She began her career as a classroom teacher and became a state-wide educational specialist before moving to St. Thomas as a visiting instructor at the University of the Virgin Islands in 2002, and she joined Antilles in 2006. In the fourteen years since, she has been director of professional development, advancement and communications, marketing and admission.
“I am honored to accept this position, and dedicated to Antilles School living up to its mission and launching leaders who will contribute to the greater good of our community, and our world,” Oriol said.
