Dr. Jorge "Tito" Galiber, a physician at Juan F. Luis Hospital in St. Croix, was elected chairman of the newly sworn in Board of Education during a weekend retreat where the board defined its vision, mission and goals.
These goals will be made public Thursday at a 2 p.m. press conference at the Department of Education teleconference center on St. Thomas. It was not known Wednesday morning if the conference would be publicly televised.
The retreat, held at Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach Club and Resort, focused on restructuring the board and the Department of Education, giving the board governance over the territory's public school system. It would replace the position of commissioner of education with a superintendent of education, who would serve at the pleasure of the board.
Legislation to that effect had been in the office of Senate Minority Leader David Jones since last year. It is now in the Senate legal counsel's office, according to Jones' office.
Galiber replaced former board Chairman Keith Richards of St. Thomas, who held the post for four years. The position rotates every four years between St. Thomas and St. Croix members.
Other officers on the nine-member board are longtime board members Harry A. Daniel, vice-chairman, member at-large; and Gerald E. Hodge Sr., secretary, of St. Thomas.
The other six members are: Terrence D. Joseph, St. Croix, Claudette R. Petersen, St. Croix, Malik Sekou, St. Thomas, Linda V. Thomas, St. Thomas and Yvonne W. Henry, St. Croix.
The board formed four standing committees at its retreat: Policies, Rules and Regulations; Professional Staff Certification and Higher Education; School Plants and Facilities; and Private and Public Sector Liaison.
To ensure that each student gets the best possible education, the board said its goals include improved student, parent and teacher relationships, comprehensive community engagement, an enhanced quality of professional development and adequate resources to establish these goals.
