Meet our St. Croix Deputy Superintendent

Carla A. Bastian, Ed.D.
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Dr. Carla A. Bastian was born and raised in the United States Virgin Islands. She is in her 14th year of service with the Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE). She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, a Master’s in Education Leadership and Administration. Driven by her passion for growth, she later continued her education, earning an Educational Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a Doctorate of Education in Higher Educational Leadership. Her commitment to life-long learning remains of high interest, and she takes pride in mastering her educational practice and personal growth. She began her career in the Virgin Islands Department of Education as a Language Arts Instructor and Department Chair. Most recently, she served on the district level as the Coordinator of Language Arts. She presently serves as the Deputy Superintendent of Academic Services, Curriculum and Instruction and Secondary Schools for the St. Croix District.

As Deputy Superintendent, she will have the opportunity to work with great schools, students, and educators. Driven by the belief that every student can achieve, she remains passionate about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child receives an excellent education that supports life, college, and career readiness. She is fueled by students being nurtured, eager to learn, and challenged. Thus, engaging teachers to effectively utilize data to deliver instruction remains of high importance. As part of the Superintendent’s leadership, Dr. Bastian is responsible for providing resources for academic programs and helping the department develop great teachers who will continue to meet the standards and needs of every child that enters the districts’ schools. She knows the importance of making sure all students’ and teachers’ needs are met. Her mission as a leader is to ensure that everyone can grow and can learn.

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Meet our St. Thomas-St. John Deputy Superintendent

Desha Powell
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Desha S. Powell has been a member of the Virgin Islands Department of Education for the past twenty-two years.  She began her career as a Speech Therapist in the department.  After seven years, and a renewed interest in differentiated learning, educational leadership and a Master’s Degree in Education, she pursued much-needed classroom experience and a teaching career in Special Education.  Her tenure as a Special Education teacher in the inclusion and resource setting in the Virgin Islands and in Georgia allowed her to provide valuable and varied learning experiences for children with and without disabilities and other special populations. She believes that all children possess special and unique gifts for learning and can achieve successful outcomes in different ways.  While teaching and making connections between data and decisions that to better support students’ needs she pursued a second Masters Degree in Educational Research. After teaching a cadre of remarkable students, Ms. Powell embarked on her first full-time leadership position at the University of the Virgin Islands for the Virgin Islands Center for Excellence in Development Disabilities (VIUCEDD). As the Program Coordinator, she developed, planned and organized a wealth of programs and activities to inform and assist persons with disabilities. During this time her desire to lead education programs only increased. She then returned to the Virgin Islands Department of Education as a Federal Grants Manager where she was able to work in a leadership capacity in the area of grants management for more than six years. During that time she also served as the Acting Director and Assistant Director. This position allowed her to gain knowledge in financial management, and increase her ability to manage and monitor complex projects and gain a deeper understanding of the alignment of resources needed to support desired student outcomes.

She has always believed that service should be about others and not oneself and that it is better to give than to receive. Her most recent role has been serving as the assistant principal of Ninth Grade Success Academy at the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School (IEKHS) where she has worked to organize a learning environment that supports ninth grade success and includes service opportunities for ninth graders. She believed that teaching students about service helps them to develop a sense of community as well as characteristics that will assist them in their future endeavors. She has also served as the Assistant Principal at the Lockhart Elementary School and as the Principal of the Adult Continuing Education (ACE) Night School Diploma Program. Ms. Powell was as also the Assistant Principal of the Summer Bridge Program at IEKHS, Director of the  Lutheran Church of the Reformation Summer Program and the Assistant Director of the Dolphin 21st Century Community Learning Center Program.  Holding various leadership positions have led to a wealth of additional experiences, skills, and life lessons.  Her role as Deputy Superintendent will be to facilitate and enhance programming that supports achievement opportunities, guidance and support for ALL learners allowing for a successful transition to college and careers.

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