In the fall of 2005, the Foundation launched a comprehensive Model Schools Initiative, seeking to fulfill our long-term goal of developing a strategic and collaborative approach to improving our public education system.
Our VISION is that, given high quality educational curriculum, resources and community supports, our public school students will be armed and ready to compete in a 21st Century global economy. In the end, we recognize, all too well, that the success and well-being of our young people is the single greatest insurance for the economic and social welfare of the Virgin Islands.
Beginning in the Middle: Targeting Junior High Students
The St. Croix Foundation made the decision to focus on one school, as a pilot, with the intent of not diluting our efforts. We chose Elena L. Christian Junior High School (ECJH) as the launch-pad for our Model Schools Initiative. With challenging demographics and serious discipline and behavioral problems, ECJH’s Administration became a willing and eager Partner with the Foundation on this pilot Initiative.
MSI: School-based Achievements
After five consecutive years of providing academic programming and administrative supports to our pilot schools, Elena Christian Junior High School, some significant accomplishments were made including the following:
- A Scholastic Reading Counts library with over 7500 SRC library books was developed by the Foundation
- A state-of-the-art computer lab and technology center was built and donated by HOVENSA, L.L.C. at the start of the 2007-08 school year at a cost of over $100,000.
- Our target population (ECJH seventh grade student) outperformed all other St. Croix District seventh grade junior high school students in every content area on the 2007 ITBS Exam. (Note: while encouraging, it must be noted that overall scores for all students in the junior high school population are still woefully below national averages.)
- In 2008, ECJH had the lowest number of discipline infractions than any other secondary school in the District.
- St. Croix Foundation sponsored visits from internationally renowned education consultant Dr. Daggett to speak to all public education teachers, administrators, and key community stakeholders in both School Districts in the Territory.
- We also sponsored local delegations of educators to attend the 14th, 15th, and 16th Annual Model Schools Conferences
In total, through our Model Schools Initiative, the Foundation expended approximately $500,000 in support of our local public schools.
DOWNLOAD/READ THE FULL MODEL SCHOOLS INITIATIVE REPORT HERE.
