At the start of the New Year — with less than a week to go before classes resume — the V.I. Education Department announced a major new initiative to enhance student performance. The announcement of a personalized student development plan appeared on the agency’s social media page on Jan. 2.
St. Thomas-St. John district Superintendent Stefan Jurgen and Deputy Superintendent Symra Dee Brown also appeared in a video promotion to share details about the upcoming change. Education officials introduced the Multi-Tiered System of Supports or MTSS, as a “proven framework that helps schools meet the unique needs of every student.”
“This approach is all about designing support for success from the start. It’s not just about helping kids who may be struggling — it’s about ensuring all students, at every level, get what they need to thrive. We have been implementing this framework for years but now, it’s time to take it up to the next level,” the posted announcement said.
There was also a notice posted for parents to watch out for MTSS updates that will provide more information. With four days until the Jan. 8 return to school, Joseph Sibilly Elementary School parent Desiree Wilkes Maduro expressed disappointment.
If the new student support system was so important, why did the department issue what she called a last-minute notice? “We don’t know what the expectations are about. I’m left to understand that more information will come out soon, and to me the wording is so vague — it’s disappointing the way this was rolled out at the last minute. Why couldn’t they have told us in November?” Wilkes Maduro said.
Former public school parent DaraMonifah Cooper wondered if the new support system was related to the Individualized Education Program her son received 15 years ago at Kirwan Elementary School. “It’s a legal document; it falls under the special education program. Educators, counselors get together to create a plan with measurable goals to help the child get through the school system, but every child didn’t get one,” Cooper said.
Details found in the Jan. 2 posting said effective Jan. 8, every student in V.I. public schools will receive a success plan of their own; schools will rearrange class schedules, giving teachers time to conduct personalized interventions.
The educational technology platform Branching Minds says the Multi-Tiered Support System seeks to address academic progress, as well as social-emotional and behavioral issues. V.I. Education officials also promise the initiative will promote consistency across the school system between underperforming schools and those producing better outcomes.
Consistency is something Maduro agreed is currently lacking. ”I’m part of the (Parent-Teachers Association), and a lot of issues have been identified on all of the campuses,” she said.
If the program works as intended, officials said it will give all students a greater chance to succeed.
As families on St. Croix wrap up their Crucian Christmas Festival celebrations, the department issued a reminder about reporting schedules at four schools that were working on modified schedules.
“The following schools in the St. Croix District, which had been operating on a modified schedule, will resume their regular hours starting Wednesday, January 8, 2025: Eulalie Rivera PreK-8 School; St. Croix Central High School; St. Croix Educational Complex High School, (and the) St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC),” the announcement said.
