Committee on Education and Workforce Development

BLOCK I

The committee will receive testimony from the Virgin Islands Department of Education and the Virgin Islands Board of Education on the plans for the 2022 school reopening.

Subpoenaed Testifiers:

Honorable Racquel Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner, VI Department of Education

Stefan Jurgen, Ph.D., Insular Superintendent, STT/STJ, VI Department of Education

Dionne Wells-Hedrington, Ph.D., Chief Operations Officer, STT/STJ, VI Department of Education

Joseph Sibilly, Territorial Facilities Manager, STT/STJ, VI Department of Education

Carlos McGregor, Insular Superintendent, STX, VI Department of Education

Davidson Charlemagne, Maintenance Supervisor, STX, VI Department of Education

Invited Testifier:

Kyza Callwood, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board of Education

BREAK        3:15 – 3:45 PM

BLOCK II

The committee will receive testimony on the following bill:

Bill 34-0144          An Act amending title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 9, section 86 relating to school truancy to provide procedures for addressing unexcused absences from school and providing for other related purposes (Proposed by: Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr.)

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Racquel Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner, VI Department of Education

Kyza Callwood, Chairman, VI Board of Education

Leontyne Jones, AFT President, St. Thomas-St. John Federation of Teachers, Local 1825

Rosa Soto-Thomas, AFT President, St. Croix Federation of Teachers, Local 1826

BLOCK III

The committee will receive testimony on the ICF contracts and the status of workforce development.

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Gary Molloy, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Labor

Honorable Anthony Thomas, Commissioner, Department of Property and Procurement

Darryl Griffith, Executive Director, VI Housing Finance Authority

Michael Carty, Executive Director, VI Workforce Development Board

William Trumbell, Vice President, ICF Incorporated LLC