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Jan. 25, 2007 – Senator Liston Davis, Chairman of the 27th Legislature’s Committee on Education, Culture and Youth, Wednesday (1-24-07) on St. Thomas continued his efforts to receive a “hands on” assessment on the condition of all public schools by touring the J. Antonio Jarvis Elementary School and Annex, and reiterated his opinion that the school needs to be relocated.
Senator Davis was greeted by Jarvis Elementary School’s Principal Carolyn Archer and Assistant Principal Stephan Jurgen, who told the senator that the institution was a “forgotten” school when it came to the necessary maintenance and upgrade of the facility. Although there were minimal improvements since Senator Davis visited the school two years ago, the area is too confined for the student population and the walls are crumbling due to the age of the structure and weather damage.
Principal Archer expressed concerns that students are at risk because the lumber of the porches have begun to deteriorate and needs to be replaced. Mr. Jurgen also indicated that many classrooms on the bottom floor were like dungeons and not suitable for teaching children.
Mrs. Archer also told Senator Davis that the closing of the Conrad Building just south of the main facility reduced the amount of classrooms for students and indicated that she did not know when or if the building would be used again. She pointed out areas where electrical cables were running along the walls where students walk on a daily basis, and indicated that the gut along the school needs clearing to remove rodent infested garbage and to prevent flooding.
Mrs. Archer and Mr. Jurgen then escorted Senator Davis to the Annex where he was shown leaky roofs, dilapidated bathrooms, mold infested cafeteria doors and a small confined concrete area near the street where the children play. Davis was also told that the kitchen did not have a refrigerator.
Mrs. Archer also indicated that enrollment was down, faculty personnel had been reduced, and there were no school monitors and little maintenance support.
Senator Davis commended Mrs. Archer for her initiatives to improve the school environment but added that the school, which at one time was the largest elementary school on the island has already served its usefulness. He called on education administrators to advocate for the relocation of the J. Antonio Jarvis School.
Senator Davis also visited the Adult Education Program, where he met Ms. Dahlia Adams, the current administrator in charge. Ms. Adams showed the senator an improved facility but indicated that her primary structural problem was the daily droppings from pigeons in the interior of the facility. However, Adams said that provisions were already made to address those concerns.
Ms. Adams told Davis that the GED test has not been administered in many months because there was no examiner on staff. She also stated that the only communication she receives from the superintendent of schools is basic correspondence.
Senator Davis concluded that more communication was needed between education administrators and educators on the school based level to efficiently address the maintenance needs of all educational facilities, and improve the learning environment for the students.
