Renovation of Fajardo vocational school gets underway

Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez

By The Star Staff

Speaker of the House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez announced Tuesday the beginning of renovation work at Ana Delia Flores Santana Vocational High School in the Quebrada Vueltas neighborhood of Fajardo, with the goal of having it ready for the start of the new academic year in August.

Starting Tuesday morning, Public Buildings Authority (PBA) personnel set about cleaning air conditioning units, improving the electrical system, weeding and pruning green areas, repairing bathrooms, replacing lighting in hallways and classrooms, refurbishing acoustic panels in ceilings, and replacing window latches and door locks, among other work.

“This school has been very important in the development of generations of students,” said the House speaker, who also represents District 36 (Río Grande, Luquillo, Fajardo, Ceiba, Vieques and Culebra). “Today, it continues to be one of the most important educational centers in the eastern part of the island. That’s why, for several months now, we’ve been working hand in hand with the Department of Education, Fajardo Mayor José Anibal ‘Joey’ Meléndez, and PBA Director Félix Lassalle, with the goal of expediting the impact of summer renovations. We didn’t want to wait until July to act. We started in May. Today, we were working on the renovation of the school, and if necessary, the PBA team will come on Thursday as well.”

The PBA launched the “Back to School 2025” program on March 18, the earliest that the agency has begun the school maintenance process.

Ana Delia Flores Vocational School, with an enrollment of around 700 students, was one of the first schools in Puerto Rico to offer in-person classes in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This school represents a school community committed to the academic development of its students,” Méndez Nuñez added. “Recently, the House of Representatives approved Bill 31, at the request of Ana Delia Flores students, which implements history courses, including U.S. history, in our schools.”