Progress on the refurbishment of F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School has hit an unexpected snag with the discovery of damage from Typhoon Mawar and the theft of copper wiring.  

“[Someone] stole the wire out of the walls—that was early on in the project,” said Guam Department of Education Superintendent, Dr. Kenneth Swanson. 

These unforeseen setbacks prompted a change order, but Swanson reassures that funding has already been identified to address the issues.

Despite this, some Guam Education Board members are wary that these problems could ultimately delay the project's completion.

“We can’t just say, ‘Oh, they stole the wires, so the price goes up.’ It’s our responsibility to pay, and it extends the contract another 2–3 months,” said GEB Chair, Angel Sablan. 

“With all these things that you put in, do you still perceive and believe that by July, FBLG will open,” asked GEB member Peter Alexcis Ada. 

Swanson replied, “At this time, yes. Unless something else happens.”

The theft also revived a long-standing call from Sablan to implement stronger security measures across GDOE campuses.

“This brings me back to my forever and ever and ever request for you to put out a security contract for our schools,” added Sablan. 

Sablan pointed to a $1.5 million allocation that GDOE had to use for a security contract.

“It’s just open sesame to all our schools. Maybe the only one that really has good security is JFK. But other than that, we’ve got fences that are not up and gates that are not secured. I don’t know what it takes to put that contract for security in place,” said Sablan. 

Meantime, Swanson maintains that the F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School project will be completed by July 1st, while GDOE’s broader refurbishment project, spanning 12 campuses, now faces an $8.3 million change order.