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Office of Public Relations and Communications

About Us

The Virgin Islands Department of Education’s Office of Public Relations and Communications exists to heighten the public’s awareness of the Department’s mission to ensure that all students are prepared for college or the career of their choice upon graduation from high school.

In support of the mission, the Public Relations Office provides publicity for events, activities and the many successes of the Department’s schools, students, teachers, employees and leadership through internal and external communication.

The Office of Public Relations and Communication, through an integrated marketing communications approach services the marketing, branding, public, and media relations, advertising and graphic design needs of the Department, districts, and schools.

The Public Relations Office reports directly to the Commissioner of Education.

 

Building National Local Pride

BUILDING NATIONAL AND LOCAL PRIDE 

It offers students an opportunity to engage in civic responsibilities.  Students get to experience raising and lowering the U.S. & V.I. Flags to signal the start and end of the school day.  This is an excellent way to engage students  in an activity that builds national and local pride. It is a great activity to teach students what it means to “take time for what’s important”.
 

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New School Lunch Items Get High Ratings at Taste Testing

A large sampling of school lunch menu items, from tropical fruit sides to a Creole chicken entrée, got high marks from the hundreds of students, parents and government officials that tested them out last week at a tasting held at Addelita Cancryn Junior High School.

Hosted by School Food Authority Director Esther Lynch-Izaak, the testing was meant to give VIDE’s leadership and State Special Nutrition Office a first-hand look at what exactly would be hitting the cafeterias once school starts in September. Acting Education Commissioner Donna Frett-Gregory, who also participated in the testing, added Monday that getting more involved in the school lunch process – from testing to ordering – helps keep the Department more aware of what the students’ issues and concerns are when it comes to what is being served.
 
Frett-Gregory has also continued to push for more accountability within the program, and has tasked the territory’s School Food Authority and Nutrition Program officials with turning around the public’s perception of the taste and quality of specific commodity items, including a sweet potato puree, a Creole chicken (or boil-in-the-bag) entrée and other dishes that were surveyed during the testing. Proper training for the schools’ kitchen staffs, particularly in the area of food preparation, is also a top priority, according to Frett-Gregory.
 
Responding to the concerns, chefs from Chartwell’s Dining Services, contracted by the Department to streamline the schools’ kitchens, were also on hand during last week’s testing to prepare some of the dishes, which all received high marks from the participants surveyed. The Creole chicken – which was prepared by the chef by removing the contents and putting it in the oven – was a clear favorite, along with a local stuffing dish made from the potato puree, and a new peanut butter and banana wrap.
 
“What we really wanted to do is show the public that we are bringing in good, nutritional products,” Special Nutrition Programs Director Angela Frett said after the event. “This testing allowed us to get the feedback we needed from our clients – the students – and now we really have to be responsible for training our staff in following the recipes and preparing the dishes so that they not only taste and look good, but meet our federal nutritional guidelines.”
 
While the adults – including parents, VIDE’s officials and representatives from the offices of Sens. Janette Millin-Young and Tregenza Roach – participated in the survey, more than 200 students from local summer camps were also served at the event, with their feedback recorded by School Food Authority director Esther Lynch-Isaak.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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VIDE Officials Denounce Robbery at Career, Technical & Adult Education Office

V.I. Department of Education officials are speaking out against a robbery that occurred over the recent Carnival weekend at the Career, Technical & Adult Education offices located on St. Thomas.

Taken during the break-in were two of the office’s first-floor air conditioning units, along with the associated copper piping. State Career, Technical & Adult Education Director Eduardo Corneiro discovered the theft Monday as employees returned to work and spent the day working with police on a report.
 
“It is always disappointing when incidents such as these occur,” Corneiro said Tuesday. “It goes without saying that when someone attacks Education, they also attack our children and all those who benefit from our programs. It’s senseless for one person’s small gain to affect so many people.”
 
Acting Education Commissioner Donna Frett-Gregory added that the theft of any equipment from DOE facilities just puts more strain on the Department’s already tight financial budget.
 
“For the Department to be placed in a position of now having to replace this equipment because of one person’s selfish actions is just unacceptable,” Frett-Gregory said. “Our focus needs to be on serving the needs of our students, and we’re asking our stakeholders to help us. Please don’t stand by and allow these incidents to continue – report any information you might have to the proper authorities. The Department’s mission is to deliver a high quality education to the students of this territory, but that goal is harder to achieve when our resources continue to be depleted by incidents such as these.”
 
 
 
 

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St. Thomas

1834 Kongens Gade, St. Thomas, VI 00802
Phone: 340-774-0100

Curriculum Center:
340-775-2250
Mon – Fri:  8AM – 5PM

          

St. Croix

2133 Hospital Street, Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820
Phone: 340-773-1095

Curriculum Center:
340-778-1600
Mon – Fri:  8AM – 5PM

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