HEAD START SITES ON ST. CROIX WILL RE-OPEN TOMORROW, DHS SAYS

KINGSHILL — The Virgin Islands Department of Human Services (DHS, said that in-person classroom activities on St. Croix will resume tomorrow. The Head Start Program had experienced COVID positives, as well as exposures at several Head Start sites and notification of confirmed COVID positives in the homes of program participants. DHS opted to close all classrooms for a one-week period to allow for COVID testing and to curtail on-the-job exposures. “We believe that we have acted responsibly and always with the safety of our staff and students as the primary concern in our minds,” Department of Human Services Commissioner Kimberley Causey Gomez said. “While in-person instruction was paused on St Croix, staff was working diligently to ensure that if this pandemic environment is going to require us to toggle back and forth between in-person and virtual, when necessary, we will be able to do so with undue interruption to our provision of services to our children and families.” DHS opted to close all classrooms for a one-week period to allow for COVID testing and to diminish the risk of on-the-job exposures. “We are going to keep our eyes and ears open,” Assistant Commissioner Carla Benjamin said. “We are going to try our best to improve communication with staff, the union, our Head Start parents, our sister agencies and the community, so that we all understand our assignments. We don’t necessarily have to agree but doing this safely is DHS’ responsibility.” For information, contact the VIDHS Head Start Program at telephone number (340) 773-1972 in the St. Croix district or (340) 774-0930 extension 4200 in the St. Thomas/St. John district, email headstartvi@dhs.vi.gov or visit http://www.dhs.gov.vi/preschool/index.html

To enroll your child in the Head Start program, use the online application portal:

Go to https://vihs.mycopa.com/familyPortal/childCare.epl
Select preferred language (English or Spanish) by clicking on English or Espanol in the top right corner
Click on “Register”
Give consent
Create a family and child profile

Please continue to maintain CDC best practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Wear your mask (covering your nose and mouth while in the workplace).

• Maintain social distance.

• Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds, often.

• Wear appropriate other PPE while in contact with other staff or clients.

• Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol when you cannot your wash hands.

• Routinely clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces.

• Share FACTS, not rumors.

For general information, please visit the Department of Human Services website, www.dhs.gov.vi or on

Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/usvidhs) at US Virgin Islands Department of Human Services.