John H. Woodson Junior High School opened its doors Friday for the 2025-2026 school year — its final year before a planned rebuild.
Education Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington announced that the campus will close at the end of this school year as part of the new school construction cycle. Students who would normally attend Woodson will be merged into Eulalie Rivera and Arthur Richards, depending on their district.
Parents and students were greeted at the school gates as they arrived for orientation, marking the end of weeks of delay caused by roof repairs, mold remediation, and air conditioning upgrades. The school, which did not open alongside others on Aug. 13, remained closed until critical summer repairs were complete.
Orientation was held in the now air-conditioned auditorium in two sessions: seventh graders at 9 a.m. and eighth graders at 1 p.m. Students and their parents were briefed on key topics, including school drop-offs, uniform policies, testing, and the school’s mission to improve its ranking.
Principal Barbara McGregor, beginning her first year at Woodson, opened the session with optimism. “It is a pleasure to be here with you and your children. It’s been a long time coming for us, and we have been waiting and waiting. I guarantee you that myself, my team, and our staff are all anxious to get started.”
McGregor shared her goal of moving John H. Woodson from a two-star to a three-star school by the end of the year. She reflected on its history as one of the top schools on the island. “We are going to get back there this year. We cannot do it alone. We need students to do their part, parents to do their part, and we will hold our faculty and staff accountable for doing their part.”
The Education Department also announced that a makeup schedule totaling 110 instructional hours will be provided and parents are to monitor the V.I. Education Department Facebook page for more updates.
Assistant managers Yauncy Milligan and Bobby Ferris from the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance also addressed the gathering. Milligan encouraged parents to “make some noise” if they see anything in need of attention. Ferris detailed the work completed, including classroom and bathroom upgrades, extensive roof repairs, and full mold remediation. “This school has been around for a long time, but it’s a very sturdy and strong school. We did some extensive work getting it prepared for you. We tested the school, and it is 100 percent mold free.” He noted that remaining minor repairs would be completed on weekends and holidays so as not to interrupt classes.
Parents and students also had the chance to tour classrooms and view the improvements.
Sen. Kurt Vialet, who was also present for the orientation, had previously responded to teachers’ complaints about mold and praised the progress. “We were able to get a number of those concerns addressed. I am very happy with the library. The library has not had an air conditioning unit for more than three years. Teachers have already said they can feel the noticeable change in the classroom and the improvement of air quality. The department did a good job in addressing the concerns.”
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