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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nVIDE and Suffolk-CBNA Joint Venture Hosts Project Launch Ceremony<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Marking the Start of the Modernization of the Lockhart K-8 School<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE), in partnership with the Suffolk-CBNA Joint Venture, the Government of the Virgin Islands, and the Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR), officially launched the modernization of Lockhart K-8 School during a ceremonial event held Thursday, September 10, at the school\u2019s campus on St. Thomas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Project Launch Ceremony marked a significant milestone in the Territory\u2019s ongoing efforts to transform and modernize public school facilities while creating learning environments designed to meet the evolving needs of Virgin Islands students, educators, and communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The renovation and expansion of Lockhart K-8 School will create a new 1,070-student campus that supports a changing educational vision for U.S. Virgin Islands public schools. The project is designed around a commitment to educating the whole student within a values system that prioritizes resilience, flexibility and adaptability, access to quality education, and sustainable, high-performance design.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A key component of the project is a new two-story building addition that will increase the school\u2019s capacity and provide modern spaces focused on teaching and learning. The addition will include classrooms, teacher planning areas, and collaboration spaces designed to support educators and enhance the student learning experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cToday is more than a project launch. It is the launching of a vision. A vision that says our children deserve schools that inspire them, protect them, prepare them, and communicate to them every single day that their future matters,\u201d said\u00a0Dionne Wells-Hedrington, Ed.D., Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Education.\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cWe are not simply renovating a building, we are transforming the educational environment and the future of our children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLockhart K-8 School represents a lasting investment in the students, families and community of St. Thomas,\u201d said Suffolk President Jeff Gouveia on behalf of the Suffolk-CBNA Joint Venture. \u201cFor us, this work is about more than building a school. It is about honoring the trust placed in us by the Government of the Virgin Islands, VIODR and VIDE, rebuilding stronger and delivering a safe, resilient facility that will serve students for generations. We are also committed to being a good member of the community by creating opportunities for local contractors, workers and businesses and strengthening the Virgin Islands construction industry for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Lockhart K-8 School is the fifth VIDE project launched in 2026 under the Rebuild USVI initiative. It is just one of six projects included in the first bundle procured to modernize educational facilities on St. Thomas,\u201d remarked ODR Director Adrienne L. Williams-Octalien. \u201cFEMA\u2019s partnership and willingness to support innovative solutions have been vital to this progress. Congratulations to all stakeholders on reaching this critical milestone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Governor Albert Bryan, Jr.\u00a0reaffirmed the Government of the Virgin Islands\u2019 commitment to modernizing school facilities and creating high-quality educational environments for students across the Territory.\u00a0\u201cTogether with the Department of Education, I am proud of the talent, vision and hard work on display here today. It took a lot of people to get us to this moment, from the Lockhart family and the Department of Education to FEMA and our design-build partners. Today, we celebrate not simply the modernization of Lockhart K-8 School, but an investment in the people of the Virgin Islands, because where our children learn matters. We are not just rebuilding a school building; we are transforming the educational environment in which our young Virgin Islanders will learn, grow and prepare for their futures. This is about creating a place that inspires our children and gives our educators the tools and environment they deserve,\u201d said Governor Bryan.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Governor Bryan remarked, \u201cWhat may have once seemed like an impossible dream is becoming a reality. And as we celebrate this important milestone, we are reminded that when we work together, remain committed and trust in God\u2019s plan, He shows us that He has so much more in store for the people of the Virgin Islands. I am proud of what we are building here today and excited about the future we are building for our children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ceremony also provided an opportunity to recognize the Lockhart family, whose members attended and were acknowledged for their family\u2019s historic contribution to the school and the St. Thomas community. The family donated the parcel of land upon which Lockhart K-8 School was built, making their contribution an important part of the school\u2019s history and legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n