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Student Spotlight
Sixth grader Ricardo Garcia-Sanchez joined the GHS community in first grade. He said he noticed that “a lot of people were nice, especially the teachers.” Sixth grade advisor Ms. Mikayla says Ricardo is a “lovely student.”
“He’s goofy and funny, but he also takes his education very seriously,” she says. “He works to better himself whenever he has the opportunity.”
During Ricardo’s first year at the Upper Campus, he says he’s connected well with Ms. V.
“Math was really hard for me at first, but I got the hang of it because she kept working with me,” says Ricardo.
Ms. V. says Ricardo is a quick-witted individual with an innate ability to understand math concepts.
“He has a superior ability to translate math concepts between English and the language of math,” says Ms. V. “He has a really strong number sense. He’s always really eager to stand up in front of the class and help his peers understand different concepts. He’s a great leader.”
Head of School Ms. Liz notes that Ricardo's math fluency is no surprise, as he's also an accomplished musician.
Ricardo plans to join the GHS soccer team this spring, and he says PE is his favorite elective “because you get to run and play.” He’s considering joining our basketball team next year but says he wants to be sure he can keep his grades up while participating in athletics.
When he’s not in school, Ricardo enjoys playing piano, basketball, and pickleball in his spare time.
Upcoming Events
MARCH BIRTHDAY ASSEMBLY MARCH 20
We'll celebrate March birthdays at our monthly birthday assembly Wednesday morning, March 20 in the Lower Campus Great Room. Please note the time of this event has changed from 8:30 to 8:45 a.m. to allow us to finish drop-off. Those attending the assembly may not park until after 8:30 a.m. Parents and guardians of first grade students, who will present at the assembly, are welcome to attend in person, as are parents of students with March birthdays.
JOIN THE GHS LIGHT UP THE NIGHT TEAM MARCH 30
GHS Facilities Manager John McBarron's wife, Julie, has generously agreed to lead a Gifft Hill School team for Light Up the Night following her own successful battle with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The team's entry fee has already been covered by our fourth grade class, which raised an incredible $4,600 for the St. John Cancer Fund. The team has a fundraising goal of $10,000. Here's how you can participate:
Click here to sign up for a time slot to walk the field.
Click here to sign up for a time slot to staff the GHS event table.
Click here to join the GHS team virtually and establish your own fundraising page to assist with the team's goal.
Click here to donate toward the GHS team's fundraising goal.
Those who will be participating in person at the event should wear green and white. If you're in need of some green and white GHS merch, we have plenty of tops and hats available for sale at the Upper Campus.
Since its inception in 2012, The St. John Cancer Fund has granted nearly $700,000 to St. John residents facing cancer. The fund exists thanks to generous businesses and individuals who have supported this mission and, in turn, members of our community fighting the battle with cancer. Light up the Night is SJCF's primary annual fundraiser. Residents and visitors of St. John gather in Cruz Bay to walk in honor of loved ones who are fighting a battle with cancer, warriors who were lost to cancer, and survivors who won the difficult battle.
Thank you for helping GHS support this important community fundraiser!
GHS Highlights
DENIS SULLIVAN
Our eighth graders returned today from the trip of a lifetime aboard the Denis Sullivan. They learned how to operate the boat and sailed from St. John to St. Thomas, Vieques, and Culebra. During their five days on board, students got to experience climbing the ship's mast, kayaking in Bioluminescent Bay, fishing off the boat, and playing on the beach in Culebra, among many other life-changing adventures. Many of our students count their eighth grade week at sea among their all-time favorite memories, and we're so grateful to be able to offer this opportunity to our students! If you'd like a more detailed account, click here to read the World Ocean School ship's log.
VIPD ASSISTING WITH TRAFFIC FLOW AT LOWER CAMPUS
We are happy to share that the VIPD, in collaboration with the St. John Administrator's Office and the Department of Public Works, will be supporting Gifft Hill School as we fine-tune our drop-off and pick-up systems to maximize student and faculty safety and minimize the impact on through traffic on Gifft Hill Road.
Starting tomorrow, we will have a dedicated officer and crossing guard stationed at GHS from 7:30-8:30 am and 2:20-3:30 p.m. They will assist us in keeping the flow of traffic moving smoothly and safely in an uphill direction. Please follow all directions and watch for signals to pull forward, stop, and pull back out into moving traffic.
Here is what you can do to help:
Have your child(ren) exit the car from the driver's side unless you drive a two-door car.
Remain in your car and allow GHS staff to help your child exit the car safely.
Prepare your child to exit by reminding him/her to unbuckle, find shoes, and have backpack prepared. Our staff will assist with unbuckling children in 5-point restraint car seats
Proceed uphill to the Upper Campus gravel lot to turn around. Please DO NOT turn around in front of the school, in neighboring driveways, or pull into faculty parking spaces to turn around.
Please do not park across the street or in faculty parking and walk your children over, unless you have an appointment to meet with a school staff member.
Thanks so much to everyone for your cooperation!
RE-ENROLLMENT OPEN; FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION DUE THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY
The TADS re-enrollment portal opened March 1. You can now re-enroll your child and apply for financial aid. We are thrilled to share that tuition will remain the same next year. Your tuition payments for this school year must be up to date in order to re-enroll. The financial aid application must be completed by April 5, and you will have until April 12 to pay your deposit and sign your tuition agreement. Our first priority is to families who already have their children at GHS, so you have a full month to re-enroll and complete the financial aid application. After the April 12 deadline, applicants who are re-enrolling will be given consideration alongside new applicants. Please note that several classes are full or have waitlists, so meeting the April 12 deadline is critical to ensuring your child’s continued education at GHS. All current GHS families should have received an email from TADS inviting you to re-enroll, or you can click here to log in to your account and begin the process today.
Sports Central
SOCCER PRACTICE SCHEDULES ANNOUNCED
Second and third grade will practice Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Upper Campus field. The GHS van will transport students to the Upper Campus for practice. Sign-ups are open. Practices begin and sign-ups end on April 2. This team is for practice only; there will be no games with other teams.
The elementary team (grades 4-5) practices on Mondays and Fridays from 3:30 to 4:30 at the Upper Campus field. The GHS van will transport students to the Upper Campus for practice. Sign-up forms have been distributed and sign-ups ended today. Please contact Ms. Francis immediately if you did not turn in or are missing your form. Any student without a form will be held in the office and their guardian will be contacted to pick them up or turn in their forms until received. Practices have begun and will be optional during spring break. Parents should monitor Class Dojo for updates.
The middle school and varsity teams practice on Mondays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. (middle school) and 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. (varsity) at the Upper Campus field. Sign-up forms have been distributed and sign-ups ended today. Please contact Ms. Francis immediately if you did not turn in or are missing your form. Any student without a form will be held in the office and their guardian will be contacted to pick them up or turn in their forms until received. Practices have begun and will be optional during minimester week and spring break. Parents should monitor Class Dojo for updates.
SOFTBALL GRADES 6-12
Athletic Director Ms. Francis is collecting names of anyone in grades 6 through 12 interested in playing softball. Please contact her at francinefrancis@giffthillschool.org or 340-776-1730 to let her know you're interested.
CHEERLEADING PRESENTATIONS MARCH 20, APRIL 5
To celebrate the end of their season, our cheerleaders will have a presentation and pep rally on Wednesday, March 20, at 8:45 a.m. at the Lower Campus birthday assembly, and on Friday, April 5, at 8:30 a.m. at the Upper Campus atrium.
COMMUNITY PICKLEBALL
Donna Smith and Jeannie Herrema have offered to teach pickleball lessons to any St. John children in grades 4 through 12. Lessons will take place every Friday starting April 5 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Cruz Bay tennis courts. These lessons are offered for free. Players must wear sneakers and bring a water bottle.
DATES TO REMEMBER
See below for important dates to remember over the next two months. View the full school year calendar by clicking here.
Community Corner: News You Can Use
LIME OUT ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION TO BENEFIT GHS MARCH 17
Lime Out will celebrate its fifth anniversary with a harbor jam featuring live music on March 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All proceeds raised will benefit Gifft Hill School's financial aid program.
UVI SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE TO HOST VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSION
The University of the Virgin Islands School of Agriculture invites high school students, parents, teachers, counselors, and the public to a Zoom information session on Tuesday, March 19, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. with Zoom ID 953 3281 0095. Attendees will meet School of Agriculture faculty and learn about opportunities available to UVI's School of Agriculture students. For more information, contact Denise Lake at 340-692-4059 or email dlake@uvi.edu.
VINP TO HOST RESUME WRITING FOR FEDERAL JOBS PUBLIC SESSION ON MARCH 20
The National Park Service will host a Public Session on Resume Writing for Federal Jobs on Wednesday, March 20, at the Virgin Islands National Park Visitor Center in Cruz Bay from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Human Resource Specialists from the Southeast Regional Office will lead the session. The session topics shall include: Writing Your Federal Resume, Writing An Effective Resume, and What Not To Do On Your Resume.
“We anticipate hiring positions later this year, and we want Virgin Islanders to have these resume skills so that they can be competitive in the hiring process,” said Scott Simmons, Acting Superintendent of Virgin Islands National Park and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. “A session like this gives future applicants the opportunity to ask questions and understand the federal application process. This workshop will facilitate Virgin Islands National Park’s duty to employ and train residents of the Virgin Islands to preserve and protect their island home.”
TIPHANIE YANIQUE TO HOST WRITING LECTURE AT GHS GREAT ROOM
St. Thomas native and accomplished author Tiphanie Yanique will host a writing lecture at the Gifft Hill School Great Room on Saturday, March 23, from 3 to 5 p.m. There is a $10 registration fee and refreshments will be served. Click here to register for this workshop.
UVI OPEN HOUSE MARCH 26
The University of the Virgin Islands will host a spring open house for high school juniors and seniors March 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the university's Elridge W. Blake Sports and Fitness Center.
Prospective students will have the opportunity to tour the campus, learn about UVI's academic programs, connect with the academic deans, and learn about new opportunities.
Please click here to register. For more information, contact Tiyana Walters at tiyana.walters@uvi.edu or 340-693-1097.
AEROSPACE CAREER EDUCATION ACADEMY TO RETURN TO THE V.I. THIS SUMMER
We are very excited to announce that GHS alum Makeda Dawson will once again bring the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals’ Aerospace Career Education Academy to the Virgin Islands this summer. The ACE Academy will take place Sunday, June 23 to Friday, June 28 on St. Thomas and the cost is $150. The program is open to students ages 13 to 18. If there is enough interest from St. John students, Makeda will help coordinate transportation.
While pursuing her career as a commercial pilot at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Makeda says she realized that GHS faculty helped set her up for success by encouraging her to take high-level courses in subjects like physics and math during high school.
“I always wanted to give back to students and help someone else become a pilot,” says Makeda. “It’s difficult for students on St. John to envision themselves in an aviation role because there is no airport. Now, I feel like kids can look at me and say, ‘Okay, if she can do it, I can do it too.’”
Ninth grader Bannon Beaty, who participated in the ACE Academy last summer, says he really enjoyed the experience.
“We learned a lot about how planes fly and what lift and drag are,” says Bannon. “I was surprised when we got into a plane and started flying and they said, ‘Here, take the controls.’ I would recommend ACE Academy to others because it’s a really cool experience. I can now say that I’ve flown a plane and not a lot of people get to do that.”
Click here to learn more about the program or to apply. Registration ends June 11 but may end sooner if the program is full.