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Barracuda Bulletin: Week of March 21
- andreamilam
- Apr 3
- 6 min read
Teacher Spotlight
Fifth grade teacher Ms. Christina has been part of the GHS community since 2017, and she’s been an educator for 21 years. She says she enjoys having the freedom to teach in a way that best suits our students.
“I like that I can create what is needed for my students to learn and be successful,” says Ms. Christina.
She also likes how close-knit the GHS community is, and says these relationships helped her and her three children through the sudden passing of her husband, Mac, in 2019.
“I don’t know how else we would’ve gotten through it,” says Ms. Christina. “Everyone rallied behind us, especially the kids, and it really helped. We look at that in hindsight and talk about it a lot.”
Ms. Christina earned a Master of Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and an administrative license from John Carroll University. She and her family moved from Las Vegas to St. Thomas in 2016, and she taught sixth grade at Joseph Sibilly Elementary School for a year before they moved to St. John, where Ms. Christina was hired as the GHS fourth and fifth grade math and science teacher.
Lower Campus Principal Ms. Rachael says she appreciates that Ms. Christina is always trying to better herself by learning new teaching skills and techniques.
“She has a dedication to learning the craft and always improving on the craft,” says Ms. Rachael. “She tries to make learning exciting and fun with projects and develops the students’ independence while still being there to support him.”
Ms. Christina is a tech leader at the Lower Campus, where other teachers benefit from her knowledge, Ms. Rachael adds.
“Teaching here is a blessing,” says Ms. Christina. “This is a great place for kids to grow up and I love how unique our school is.”
In her free time, Ms. Christina enjoys hiking, spending time with family, and going to the beach. She and her family enjoy traveling and going on road trips together.
Upcoming Events
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM PRESENTATIONS FRIDAY, SATURDAY
Students who signed up for our New England Youth Theater STEAM Week offering will present scenes from A Midsummer Night's Dream on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday at 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. at the GHS Upper Campus. Everyone is welcome to attend. Suggested donation is $5 to $10.
SPRING BREAK MARCH 24-31
School will be closed March 24-31 for spring break. School resumes Tuesday, April 1. We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable spring break!
BARRACUDA BOOSTERS PARENT ASSOCIATION MEETING APRIL 1
All interested Gifft Hill School parents are invited to attend the next Barracuda Boosters Parent Association meeting, Tuesday, April 1, at 8:30 a.m. at the Upper Campus.
MARCH ACADEMIC AWARDS APRIL 2
The next Lower Campus academic awards assembly of the year is set for Wednesday, April 2, at 8:45 a.m., when we'll award our Lower Campus students who met their March academic goals at the Lower Campus great room. Parents and guardians of third grade students, who will present at the assembly, are welcome to attend in person, as are parents and guardians of students who will be receiving reading and math awards. Please note that those attending the assembly may not park until after 8:30 a.m. Please do not park across the street by the yellow house and along that stretch of road, as it is private property.
SECOND TRIMESTER HONOR ROLL/CHARACTER AWARDS ASSEMBLY APRIL 3
We will celebrate our Upper Campus students who earned a place on the honor roll or high honor roll and students who earned character awards for the second trimester on Thursday, April 3, at 8:20 a.m. in the Upper Campus atrium. Parents of students who will be recognized will be emailed directly.
GHS Highlights
LOWER CAMPUS STEAM WEEK
Lower Campus students engaged in various science, technology, engineering, art, and math projects this week for STEAM Week. From exploring the island's plants and animals to experiencing the scientific process and engineering an invention from start to finish, all students from toddler through fifth grade enjoyed deepening their STEAM knowledge.
UPPER CAMPUS STEAM WEEK
Our Upper Campus students have enjoyed an engaging week of cross-grade collaboration in their various STEAM Week activities. Middle and high school students were fully immersed in their chosen topics, from producing a play and hosting a dinner for 60 to learning about outdoor cooking, sailing, and personal finance. They also explored subjects like their relationship to St. John, Black representation in the media, and a five-day sailing adventure on the Denis Sullivan. It's been an incredibly lively and fun week at the Upper Campus!
RE-ENROLLMENT AND FINANCIAL AID DEADLINE APRIL 4
Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is now open. We value your family and we are grateful for the trust you place in us to educate your children. If your child is already enrolled at Gifft Hill School, you should have received an email on March 1 with the link to complete your re-enrollment. If you are applying for financial aid, please complete that at the same time. We give current students one month to re-enroll before we begin filling open seats in each grade level, so be sure you complete re-enrollment and submit your financial aid application by April 4! To hold your spot, your tuition deposit must be paid and your agreement signed by April 11. Families that miss this deadline will be given consideration for remaining seats in the class alongside new applicants. Please keep in mind that current GHS families must be in good standing in order to re-enroll. Please contact businessoffice@giffthillschool.org with any questions.
Sports Central
NO PRACTICES DURING SPRING BREAK
There will be no sports practices during spring break, March 24-31.
CHEER CLINICS IN APRIL AND MAY
Coach Banen will host cheerleading clinics in April and May on Mondays from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. for students in grades 6 through 12. There will be an interest meeting on April 1 and the first practice is April 7. Students will learn cheer basics and stunts, and will put on performances to promote school pride. Contact francinefrancis@giffthillschool.org for more information.
BASKETBALL FUN DAY APRIL 3
All students in grades 2 through 8 are invited to a basketball fun day on Thursday, April 3, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Lower Campus green top. This event will culminate the varsity boys basketball team and will serve as a farewell to our senior players. Students are invited to learn basketball basics and skills, play games, and talk with a player.
SOCCER GAMES TO BEGIN IN APRIL
Soccer games will begin for the middle school team in the first week of April, and for varsity in the second week of April. A schedule will be announced soon.
RUNNING CLUB TRAILBLAZERS RACE MAY 17
Running club will host a trailblazers race on Saturday, May 17 at 7:00 a.m. Registration is at 6:45 a.m. with a post-race party from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. The route will follow the Lind Point loop starting and finishing at the VINP visitors center, with runners going around the hill rather than up the stairs. Runners will sign waivers and St. John Rescue will be on call.
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
ST. JOHN GREAT MANGROVE CLEANUP MARCH 22
UVI and DPNR will host the St. John Great Mangrove Cleanup on March 22 from 9:00 a.m. to noon in Coral Bay. Students will earn volunteer hours for joining this cleanup. Please click here to register to volunteer.
KIDS PLAY EXPO MARCH 29 AT TUTU PARK MALL
There will be a Kids Play Expo on Saturday, March 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Tutu Park Mall. Enjoy games, fun, and food while learning about sports, clubs, groups, teams, and resources for children in the Virgin Islands.
WORLD OCEAN SCHOOL OFFERING SUMMER PROGRAMS
World Ocean School, which runs the Denis Sullivan program that all GHS eighth graders are fortunate to take part in, offers summer programs for students ages 12-19.
There will be an informational session on April 1 at 6:00 p.m. for anyone who's interested.
Program at a Glance:
Summer Ambassador Program (Ages 12-15) August 1-8, 2025
Advanced Summer Ambassador Program (Ages 16-19) August 17-26, 2025
No sailing experience required – just curiosity and a willingness to grow!
See flyer below for more details.
AUTISM CONFERENCE APRIL 8 IN ST. THOMAS
The V.I. University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities will host the 15th Autism Conference on April 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Victor's New Hideout in St. Thomas. The theme will be "Beyond the spectrum: Understanding autism and celebrating differences" with the goal of bringing awareness to research and best practices that highlight stories of empowerment, challenges faced, and victories achieved for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. See event flyer for more details including how to register for this conference.
V.I. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES
The Virgin Islands Department of Labor's Summer Youth Employment Program and Career Exploration Program are now accepting applications. The Career Exploration Program is a four-week experience open to those age 14-15 and the Summer Youth Employment Program is a five-week experience open to those age 16-25. The application deadline for both programs is April 11. Please see attached flyer or click here for more information.
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