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MEMORANDUM OF

UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN

THE VIRGIN ISLANDS PUBLIC BROADCASTING SYSTEM

&

THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THROUGH

THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DEPARTMENT OF PROPERTY AND

PROCUREMENT



THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (“MOU") is made this \ | day



of INV , 2020, in the Territory of the Virgin Islands, by and between the Government

of the Virgin ees Public Broadcasting System (“WTJX”) and Virgin Islands Department of

Fducation, each a “Party” or collectively “Parties,” through the Department of Property and

Procurement.



WITNESSETH:



WHEREAS the Virgin Islands Department of Education is responsible to promote

the cause of education and achieve a high level of general education throughout the Virgin

Islands pursuant to Title 3, Chapter 7, Section 96(a)(1) of the Virgin Islands Code; and



WHEREAS the Virgin Islands Public Broadcasting System is responsible for advancing

the general welfare, education, cultural development and awareness of public affairs of all the

population of the Virgin Islands pursuant to Title 30,Section 151(b) of the Virgin Islands Code; and



WHEREAS, COVID-19 has become a global pandemic resulting in the forced closure of

public and non-public schools and activity centers, disrupting daily educational instruction of

Pre-Kindesgarten to Twelfth (PreK-12) grade students in the Termtory of the Virgin Islands, and



WHEREAS, the VIDE has implemented the eTcacher Network, un initiative focused on

providing remote leaming through mediums of mass communication such as radio and television

broadcasting; and



WHEREAS, the agencies desire to combine efforts by offering local educational

programming on WTJX, by entering into this MOU.



NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, and

intending to be legally bound by this written instrument, the parties hereto do covenant and

aprec as follows:



1. TERM AND EFFECTIVE DATE



This MOU shail be effective upon the date of execution of this MOU by the Commissioner of

the Department of Property and Procurement and shall terminate on June 4, 2020,.



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2, COSTS



There shall be no exchange of funds between the Parties for the performance of tasks under this

MOU. Each Party shall bear all costs associated with the fulfillment of its responsibilities under

this MOU,



3. RESPONSIBILITIES/TASKS



Appropriate educational programming by grade-level is broadcasted simultancously as pre-

recorded videos of up to eighteen (18) hours per week. Instruction will be by prade-span: PreK-

2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 during the hours of 10:00 AM and2:00 PM Monday through Wednesday

and 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM on Thursday. Also included are Mental Health and trauma-

informed counscling messages/tips through Public Service Announcements (PSAs). The PSAs

are aligned with weekly mental health wellness messages focused on coping, decreasing stress,

decreasing anxicty, and increasing the overall mental health of students and families. The goal

is for one cohesive mental health wellness message to be promoted each week via VIDF’s

multiple media platforms.



3.1 Virgin Islands Public Broadcasting System (“WTJX”) shall be responsible for:



A. Filming of local teachers providing 30-minute to one-hour lessons on a subject area, up to

18 hours of local content per week



B. Broadcast and curate educational programming from its local archive



3.2 Virgin Islands Department of Education shall be responsible for:

A. Recruiting retired educators, current teachers, school/district administrators (optional) to

provide/submit prerecorded, 30-minute lessons in studio (classroom), by Zoom/MS Teams o1



any other online educational platforms.



B. Conducting a jury review of submissions with WTJX technical staff.

C. Developing the weekly programming schedule in conjunction with WTJX.



D. Promote/publicize the eTeacher Network program internally and externally vin the

Department of Educations’ social media platforms.



4, DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE

Each Party shall designate a representative to oversee its responsibilities under this MOU.



Department of Education designates:



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Victor Somme



Assistant Commissioner of Education

2133 Hospital Street



St. Thomas, U.S, Virgin Islands 00820

Cynthia.grahami@vide.vi



Virgin Islands Broadcasting System (“WTJX”) designates



Tanya-Marie Singh



Chief Executive Officer



36 & 37 Estate Richmond



Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands 00820

isingh@wijx.org



§. LIABILITY OF OTHERS



Nothing in this MOU shall be construed to impose any tiability upon the Government to persons.

firmns, associations, or corporations engaged by WTJX as servants, agents, or independent

contractors, or in any other capacity whatsoever, or make Government liable to any such

persons, firms associations, or corporations for the acts, omissions, liabilities, obligations and

taxes of WTJX of whatsoever nature, including but not limited to unemployment insurance and

social security taxes for WTJX its servants, agents or independent contractors.



6. ASSIGNMENT



Neither Party shall subcontract or assign any part of the services or responsibilities under this

MOU.



7. GOVERNING LAW



This MOU shall be governed by the laws of the United States Virgin Islands and jurisdiction

shall remain in the United States Virgin Islands,



8. WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS



No waiver, modification or amendment of any term condition or proviston of this MOU shall be

valid or of any force or effect unless made in writing, signed by the parties hereto or their duly

authorized representatives, and specifying with particularity the nature and extent of such

waiver, modification or amendment. Any such waiver, modification or amendment in any

instance or instances shall in no event be construed to be a general waiver, modification or

amendment of any of the terms, conditions or provisions of this MOU, but the same shall be

Strictly limited and restricted to the extent and occasion specified in such signed writing or

writings.



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9. ENTIRE AGREEMENT



This MOU constitutes the entire agreement of the parties relating to the subject matter addressed

in this agreement. This MOU supersedes all prior communications, MOUs, or agreements

between the parties with respect to the subject matter addressed in this Agreement, whether

written or oral,



10. CONDITION PRECEDENT



This MOU shall be subject to the availability and appropriation of funds and to the approval of

the Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement.



1. TERMINATION



Either party will have the right to terminate this MOU with or without cause on thirty (30) days

written notice to the other party specifying the date of termination.



12, NON-DISCRIMINATION



No person shall be excluded from participating in, be denied the proceeds of or be subject to

discrimination in the performance of this MOU on account of race, creed, color, sex, religion,

disability or national origin



13. CONFLICT OF INTEREST



Both Parties covenant that it has no terest and will not acquire any interest direct or indirect,

which would conflict in any manner or degree with the performance of services required to be

performed under this MOU



14, NOTICE



Any notice required to be given by the Terms of this MOU shall be deemed to have been given

when the same is sent by certified mail, postage prepaid or personally delivered, addressed to

the parties as follows:



ANTHONY D. THOMAS

Commissioner



Department of Property and Procurement

8201 Sub Base, Suite 4



St. Thomas Virgin Islands 00802



Racque! Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner

Department of Education



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2133 Hospital Strect



St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 00820



Tamrya Marie Singh



Virgin Islands Public



Broadcasting System



36 & 37 Estate Richmond



Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands



00820



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IN WITNESS WITEREOF, the partics have hereunto sct their hands on the day and year first



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APPROVED AS TO LEGAL SUF



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CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL



! hereby certify that this is a true and exact copy of MOU No.



entered into



between the Department of Property and Procurement and Virgin Islands Public Broadcasting



System.



Anthony D. Thomas, Commissioner



Department of Property and Procurement



General Contract No. _



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