Committee Education and Workforce Development

Agenda

The Committee on Education and WorkForce Development has scheduled a meeting to receive testimony on the following bills

Block I                        10:00 AM-11:30 AM

Bill No. 34-0091 An Act amending title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 5, section 41 relating to the courses of study in public schools to address gaps in education curriculum and workforce development by adding: home economics, equine studies, information technology by creating a reporting mechanism for the development and implementation of the curriculum

Sponsored by Senator Genevieve R. Whitaker

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Racquel Berry Benjamin, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Education

Dr. Michael T. Francois, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board for Career & Technical Education

Kyza Callwood, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board of Education

Rosa-Soto Thomas, President, St. Croix Federation of Teachers

Carol Callwood, President, St. Thomas-St. John Federation of Teachers

Manley Acoy, Trainer

Margarita Benjamin, President U.S. Virgin Islands Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students Association, Inc.

Dr. Suzanne Magras, Director, University of the Virgin Islands, Center for Excellence in Leadership and Learning (UVI CELL)

Dr. Chenzira Davis Kahina, Director, University of the Virgin Islands, Caribbean Cultural Center

Bill No. 34-0092 An Act amending title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 5, section 41 (c) relating to courses of study in public schools to add paragraph (11) to establish a marine and environmental education course Sponsored by Senator Genevieve R. Whitaker

Invited Testifiers:

Valeria Peters, Executive Director, Virgin Islands Nature Conservancy

Honorable Jean Pierre Oriol, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources

Jennifer Valiulis, Director, St. Croix Environmental Association

Honorable Racquel Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Education

Kyza Callwood, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board of Education

Rosa Soto Thomas, President, St. Croix Federation of Teachers

Dr. Michael T. Francois, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board for Career & Technical Education

Carol Callwood, President, St. Thomas-St. John Federation of Teachers

Kemit-Amon Lewis, Marine Scientist

Lunch                         11:30 AM-12:30 PM

Block II                      12:30 PM-1:30 PM

Bill No. 34-0094 Am Act mending title 17, Virgin Islands Code, chapter 3, section 24 (a) (2) (2) to establish and mandate stakeholder engagement and participation in the development of a report for the annual assessment and evaluation of all public-schools facilities; and adding subsection € to require stakeholders to hold townhall meetings on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St, John

Sponsored by Senator Genevieve R. Whitaker

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Racquel Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Education

Rosa Soto Thomas, President, St. Croix Federation of Teachers

Kyza Callwood, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board of Education

Carol Callwood, President, St. Croix Federation of Teachers

Dr. Michael T. Francois, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board for Career & Technical Education

Magarita Benjamin, President, U.S. Virgin Islands Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students Association, Inc.

Block III                     1:30 PM-3:00 PM

Bill No. 34-0053 An Act amending Virgin Islands Code, title 17, chapter 5 by adding section 41i to establish the Emergency Medical Services Program; amending title  33, chapter 111 by adding section 3099a to establish the Emergency Medical Services High School Program Fund; and making a $160,000 appropriation from the Centennial Special Fund to the Department of Education to fund the Emergency Medical Services basic EMS education program

Sponsored by Senator Kenneth L. Gittens

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Racquel Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Education

Dr. Michael T. Francois, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board for Career & Technical Education

Darryl A. George, Sr., Director, Virgin Islands Fire Services

Jacqueline Greenidge-Payne, Training Officer, EMS, Virgin Islands Department of Health

David Sweeney, EMS, Coordinator, Virgin Islands Department of Health

Nancy Callwood, State Director, Virgin Islands Office of Career and Technical Education

Bill No. 34-0093 An Act amending title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 5, section 41 (c) relating to courses of study in public schools to establish a Spanish language course

Sponsored by Senator Genevieve R. Whitaker

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Racquel Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Education

Carol Callwood, President, St. Croix Federation of Teachers

Kyza Callwood, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board of Education

Magarita Benjamin, President, U.S. Virgin Islands Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students Association, Inc.

Rosa Soto Thomas, President, St. Croix Federation of Teachers

Jose Martinez, Sr. Owner & Host, Crucian Educational Non-Profit Group, Inc.,