The Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE) sincerely apologizes to the students and parents of Eulalie R. Rivera K-8 School for a one-time incident that occurred on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, which resulted in an insufficient amount of school lunches for a segment of 8th-grade students. This isolated event affected our students, and for that, the VIDE takes full responsibility.
We recognize the severity of this matter and understand the importance of ensuring that all students receive proper meals during the school day. The Department remains committed to the well-being of our students and to preventing such occurrences from happening again.
The kitchen at Eulalie Rivera School is currently undergoing total renovation, which has been delayed due to required processes. As a result, meals are prepared at St. Croix Educational Complex High School (SCECHS) and transported daily to Eulalie Rivera. While this method has been effective, the incident on September 17th revealed the need for a more efficient process. To address the issues that led to Tuesday's lunch shortage, the Department will implement the following measures as an immediate course of action:
Transition to Batched Meals: Meals will continue to be prepared and transported from SCECHS, but instead of prepackaged portions, batched meals will be provided. This adjustment will allow kitchen staff at Eulalie Rivera to better manage portions and ensure that all students receive lunch on time.
Increased Meal Quantity: To address the fluctuating number of students who choose to eat the school lunch, we will increase the overall quantity of meals delivered each day. This will ensure that every student has access to lunch, regardless of demand.
On Wednesday, Assistant Commissioner Victor Somme III, Assistant Director of the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance Bobby Ferris, District Director of the School Food Authority Leah Christian, and Principal Loretta Moorehead conducted a walkthrough of the school's kitchen and cafeteria to assess the situation and ensure that the necessary steps are taken without further delay.
It is important to note that this is the first time such an issue has arisen at Eulalie Rivera School. In the past, meals have always been adequately provided to students, and the Department is committed to maintaining this standard.
The VIDE assures the public that this will never happen again. We are deeply committed to the health, safety, and well-being of our students and will continue to work diligently to provide an uninterrupted meal service. The Department values the trust of parents and the community and will remain transparent in all future updates related to the kitchen repairs and meal distribution at Eulalie R. Rivera K-8 School.
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Download press release here: pdf Press Release 0907 24 VIDE Provides Information Regarding School Lunch Matter at ERRS (76 KB)
