Isabella Morris Primary structure unsound so it will be demolished
The structure of the severely hurricane-damaged Isabella Morris Primary School in Carrot Bay has been deemed unsound and the school, according to government officials, has now been slated for demolition and rebuilding.
Currently, students who were at Isabella Morris Primary School, are being housed at the nearby Leonora Deville Primary School.
“It’s important for you to understand that the building was deemed structurally unsound and unsafe for our children and our teachers and administrators to be housed there,” Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatly said at a community meeting recently.
“Based on the destruction of hurricanes Irma and Maria, we determined we have to move the school a bit from where it is right there close to the sea a little closer inland and we have the space to be able to do that,” the minister added.
Dr Wheatley said once the school has been demolished, officials can move to the next phase of procurement for the design of the new structure.
This is expected to be done in conjunction with the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA).
School to be returned as first junior high school
Once the school has been rebuilt, it is expected to be returned as the first of several junior high schools the current administration has plans to open, the Education Minister revealed.
“We’ve spoken about [junior schools] for many years but this administration under the leadership of Honourable Andrew Fahie will make the junior schools into a reality and we’re starting with Isabella Morris Primary School,” Dr Wheatley disclosed.
He explained that the concept entails that some of the students from schools which neighbour Isabella Morris right now, including Ivan Dawson in Cane Garden Bay, Leonora Delville in Carrot Bay and students from the Jost Van Dyke Primary School can be accommodated at Isabella Morris.
Dr Wheatley said the plans should accommodate about two hundred students.
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Yes it must be rebuilt. Ms. Morris was an icon.
This is makes so much sense and is awesome!
The school does need to be rebuilt, however, Will there be a community meeting to discuss the plans for the primary school now being considered to be rebuilt as a junior high school? Carrot Bay is a small community and changing the school from a historically community based school and tripling its occupancy will have an affect on the community. what about the abandoned community center? adjusting the location of the school away from the sea puts it somewhere by the basketball court and that needs to be relocated. Its easy to say “do” but planning, forethought and practical application is imperative
Seriously, it took 4 years to find that out? This Government and the last have NEVER given education the priority that it needs. Our children have deserved better for years.
The hurricane was now just over 4 years ago and this only now being announced. Shows the priority this government has for education under this minister
It 4 years it has been unsound. This is not new it is 4 years late. We all weeo for the BVI.
Make public and let the community see;
1. The engineers reports that verified this building is unsafe.
Politicians keep saying it , but the people should be given the official document.)
2. The document that determined that carrot bay is the best location for a junior high school.
It seems that this location in such a small area of residence and know room for recreational sports is not the ideal place for a junior high.
1. As pointed out by others, how has this taken 4 years to work out? It was obvious within days of the storm.
2. Yes, agree that changing from primary to Junior High should have public consultation, although given close proximity of other primary schools, it does make sense.
3. But, the big point that no-one is mentioning: WHY rebuild this in the same location?
It is a state building that can be used as a shelter etc yet it is feet from the shoreline which means that it will, again, be easily overwhelemed by storm surge. THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
Sounds exactly like the NDP’s plan to me. I have heard this said before. They continue to coast off the plans of the previous government while still bad mouthing them. A set of no plan opportunist.
I appreciate all of the comments about how practical it is to make it a jr highschool and the need to move it away from the coastline but that also means moving it closer to residential homes. what zoning laws do we have in place to govern where buildings (schools) are in proximity to homes?
Actually, there are reports that state from a Disaster Management perspective, NO school should be rebuilt there. Its in a flood prone area, susceptible to storm surges etc.
As a Jr. High, its an extremely poor location. The logistics of transporting a number of kids from school systems and villages far away to attend JR high is non sensical. The first JR high needs to be in better proximity to the primary school population and the populace districts.
The concept of Jr. High need to be better thought out, weighed up against what the most pressing priorities education are, and as well as balanced against the competing priorities for scarce Gov’t funds.
Before the government spends any money on studies and consultants, please consider the following…
What is the capacity for this proposed jr high? Consider sports and the need for maybe a track/phys ed area.Parking for faculty and staff. Will this school have a cafeteria if not what options will be made available for lunches? If food vans are an option, where will they park? There is a major pond a few yards from the school, drainage will be a major issue from Windy Hill.The school should be rebuilt but the Leonora Delville school has better potential for being used as a jr high than the carrot bay location. There is already a field and a basketball court in place. Building a multi-level facility there seems to be a better option
A lot are saying that the location isn’t ideal for a junior high, but the school is supposed to serve CB, CGB and JVD students so I think that it is… remember there will be two other junior high locations which I’m assuming will be central (town) and serve central students and east for east and maybe VG students…
So the way I’m envisioning it, CB does make sense for the location if they do have the space as they’re saying they do. CB is a tad bit easier to get to from West and CGB compared to going to CGB from West and CB. I’m not sure if it will be executed properly but with the hypotheticals I can see the vision.