Guam DOE gears up for the first day of classes

It’s been a turbulent few months for the Guam Department of Education, from dealing with the aftermath of further damage to its facilities from Typhoon Mawar, a looming lawsuit, and complying with changes in public law.  But what remains steady throughout the chaos is the dedication from GDOE teachers, faculty, and staff as they prepare to welcome students back to school tomorrow.

It’s a similar scene across Guam Department of Education's schools today – agency personnel bustling through the halls of their campuses,  moving equipment, applying fresh coats of paint to areas it had withered, and making the finishing touches for Wednesday’s school reopenings. GDOE is under a glaring spotlight as the community keeps a watchful eye on education and government officials, holding them accountable for fixing years of neglect that led to decrepit schools. 

But behind the static lies unsung heroes-teachers, faculty, and staff, all working hard to meet a better standard.  Heroes like Tass Rivera, a carpenter under GDOE’s Maintenance Division, striving to create a healthy and safe learning environment for students. 

 “Coming from the guys– the Maintenance Division’s heart, we do our best, and we try our hardest to finish this school," said Rivera. He and his crew members working on Wettengel Elementary School today, their dedication evident after countless hours of labor as their team remains short of staff. 

 “I’m hoping that after all this stressful things that we’re doing, I can’t wait to have this school done, and I’m wishing forward to completing the schools where all the kids can go back again," he shared.

That hope reverberated throughout the department, from school aides to cafeteria staff and administrative assistants at Okkodo High and Juan M. Guerrero Elementary Schools. 

It’s all hands on deck as they give their best, even moving molded tiles out of the way of students. 

School aide Jesse Martin at Okkodo said, “We’ve been painting, we’ve been placing molded toles with new ones, and then we’ve been setting up these tents for the students that would stay back after school.” 

Several women with Sodexo we saw ensuring a sanitary area for students to access hot meals, as Francisa Carlos said, “We’re painting a little bit of stuff, wiping down the warmer on the bottom.”

And colleague Katherine Palad added, “Every day, we’re still cleaning.” 

And admin assistant staff at Adacao Elementary were making the best out of two school populations sharing one campus. Komekha Cadag said, “We want to make sure that our students are coming onto the campus and they feel welcomed and confident. We don’t want them to see or feel that it's chaotic. With all the challenges that we’re having, we wanna make sure that they are comfortable and they are happy when they’re coming on to campus.” 

Okkodo High will double-session with F.B. Leon Guerrero, as Juan M. Guerrero Elementary serves as the host campus for an alternating school schedule with Adacao Elementary. 

In the meantime, the Legislative Committee on Education is slated for an oversight hearing with GDOE next Tuesday, August 29, to discuss how the first week back went, the status of DLAN tickets, and more.