On the heels of an unsuccessful meeting Friday night between union leaders and the administration, two more schools had to be closed Monday due to apparent job actions.
Parents of students at Kirwan Terrace Elementary and New Horizons School were notified over the radio stations that students were being sent home due to the absence of staff at the schools.
According to Eric Blake Jr., principal at New Horizons School in Sub Base, each of the teachers at the school called in sick individually, and said they would be in "tomorrow."
Blake notified the superintendent, who ordered the school closed and sent for the buses to take students home.
The school has 51 students, nine teachers and two paraprofessionals.
The two custodial staff members did report for work, according to Blake.
Kirwan Terrace Elementary School was also closed when 95 percent of the teachers failed to show up for school, sources told St. Thomas Source.
The school employs 30 teachers and has just under 500 students.
The principal, Aloma Blake, could not be reached for comment.
A release from the Education Department issued at midday Monday quoted Rosalia Payne, superintendent of schools for the St. Thomas-St. John district, as saying, "The intermittent disorder caused by these continuing sickouts is detrimental to our students. First and foremost the continuous disruption to the instructional process will cause serious harm to the academic performance of our students. We certainly hope that the teachers and support staff will consider the lasting impact their actions have on our community."