Teacher coming to island

Go ahead and apply for the teaching position using the info on teachusvi.com There are many people retiring every year, and there are several positions filled by foreigners so you would have preference under federal law. Schools that are public are determined by residence and private and parochial schools are your choice.

I personally know two teachers who are being laid off from private schools come the end of this school year, and there are probably more. Sorry, but with Hovensa closing there are cutbacks in the private schools, and more teachers looking for work. You may want to consider home-schooling your children at first as an alternative to working. Get to know the island, schools, etc. first. Meet some folks and then make a more informed decision. Good luck with your move and welcome to STX.

I think that teaching positions, both public and private, will be hard to find on STX. They've been laying off public teachers, and with Hovensa closing, private schools will have reduced enrollment.

Public schools are not great here, so you may want private or home schooling for your boys.

: http://www.homeschoolingintheusvi.blogspot.com

This is good blog if interested in homeschooling. Our group is getting bigger and bigger. We hope to be starting some co ops in the fall to enrich our childrens learning activities. Our group welcomes all cultures, races and religions.

If you decide that private school is the way to go, the two largest schools on island are quite expensive. The monthly tuition for my one elementary and one middle school age child was $2,690. That's for ten months every year, so $26,900 per year to send your kids to private school on St. Croix. I pulled mine out and began homeschooling them several weeks ago, due to problems within one of those two, large, private schools. I could go on for hours about the issues, but I'll just say that you need to be extremely careful when choosing the best way to educate your children!

Education on the island, my number one challenge living here. The public schools are about as bad as you can imagine. Much of it has to do with the culture. Education not exactly a priority for many, yelling and hitting by teachers acceptable. And to top it off, the schools are over crowded and under funded.

If you want info on the public schools message me, my kids have been in public school system since we moved here over 4 years and they are just fine! However I won't reccomend the majority of the public schools....My children have been in all 3 (Elementary, Jr. High and High) with no problems.

You can also PM meowruff on this message board. Both her and her husband are public school teachers here on St. Croix. There are also many other private schools here on St. Croix that may be hiring. You could also tutor children who need extra help. Our homeschool group is looking for a music teacher. Some of our middle or high school students would love an advanced science teacher.

If you want info on the public schools message me, my kids have been in public school system since we moved here over 4 years and they are just fine! However I won't reccomend the majority of the public schools....My children have been in all 3 (Elementary, Jr. High and High) with no problems.

I am an employee for the Dept. Of Ed.I visit 3-5 different schools from headstarts to highschool everyday. Two of my own children attend what is considered to be the "better" of the schools. My kids are not "fine" and from what I witness everyday in the public schools is not "fine"...teachers slapping children on the face, cracking knuckles with a ruler, shouting "SHUT UP" at all age groups, children unattended for agood part of the day as usually no supervision during lunch and recess, lots of fighting...I can go on and on...and most importantly very low academic standards. I have had days leaving schools crying.

If you don't mind me asking- what is the better public schools?

The one thing parents have to consider before moving to the USVI is their children's education.

Unless you absolutely have to accept the job or are being tranferred without your control then I would stay in the states, unless you can afford private schools or are willing to homeschool, if you do not want to put your children in public schools.

Your children's education is more important than your dream of moving to the islands full-time.

Rent or buy a vacation apt./condo before making the big step of moving here with children, so you get the lay of the land.

The one thing parents have to consider before moving to the USVI is their children's education.

Unless you absolutely have to accept the job or are being tranferred without your control then I would stay in the states, unless you can afford private schools or are willing to homeschool, if you do not want to put your children in public schools.

Your children's education is more important than your dream of moving to the islands full-time.

Rent or buy a vacation apt./condo before making the big step of moving here with children, so you get the lay of the land.

When I said rent or buy, I meant for vacations on the islands several times a year with your children. Much better than putting your children's stateside education in jeopardy, which they are used to.

Have you been here for a PMV (pre-move visit) yet? Come here for a couple weeks. Check out the prices at the grocery stores, tour a couple of the schools. Really try to behave like you live here and are not just on vacation. You may honestly find that this is not the place for you. For many, it's paradise. For many others, the whimsy wears off rather quickly. Many statesiders last 6 months or less. The cost of living can be astronomical, and the crime is sometimes a little too close to home. And with children, the decisions that you make are that much more important. Please do visit and try to ask as many questions as you can. We've been here 2 1/2 years and glad for the experience but ready to leave. I hope this helps!