A bittersweet farewell looms for the Chief Brodie Elementary School community as it prepares to close its doors at the end of the school year. KUAM walked the halls of the Tamuning campus with principal Darlene Castro, reflecting on its final chapter.

For more than six decades, Chief Brodie has been more than just a place of learning - it has been the heart of a community. Built in the 1960s, during a time when The Beatles ruled the airwaves and childhood favorites like Froot Loops and Lucky Charms made their debut, the school has been a cornerstone of Tamuning, shaping generations of island students. Now, as Chief Brodie prepares to close its doors at the end of the school year, the legacy of its halls, its teachers, and its students will live on.

Principal Darlene Castro shared, “Hearts were poured out to create this school.”  For her, the news of the school’s closure comes with a heavy heart. She has led Chief Brodie for the past eight years, walking its halls, knowing every child by name, and witnessing the joy, struggles, and triumphs of her students.

“I was sad. I still am sad," she said. "I went through some numbness for a little bit… but I also had to remember that we’re doing this for a better reason. For the greater good of the department, we make sure that all of our students can be in an environment where they have enough teachers and enough staff to keep them safe, and they get the things they need where we’re not all stretched.”

As we walk with her through the school, the sound of children’s laughter and lessons fills the air - a familiar melody that has echoed through these walls for decades. “Being part of this community, because it is small, every child here is known by our staff and all of our teachers. We feel when they're sad—memories are going through right now. And we just want to be what we can be for them," said Castro.

From CHamoru Month celebrations to everyday moments of learning, it’s these memories that make saying goodbye so difficult. “I hear the kids in there. They’re preparing for the CHamoru Month activities. It’s always with the activities that we think are just fun. But for them, it’s fun and about learning," she said.

This farewell comes after the Busy Bees returned home from a temporary relocation at Juan M. Guerrero Elementary. Their return was hard-earned, a chance to be back in a space that felt like theirs again.  “Being here has been comfortable. It put our minds at ease—it gave us some time to recover from the trauma that we had to endure while we were at another school. It wasn't that bad a place. It just wasn’t home," she said.

As for the future of Chief Brodie’s campus, Castro hopes that whatever comes next will continue to serve the children of Guam. And to the students who will be reassigned to Juan M. Guerrero, Tamuning, and Liguan elementary schools, she shares a heartfelt message, saying, “My hope for them is to continue to learn, to be part of a community, as we know, wherever we go in any community we’re going to have to learn the rules, the people, and how to communicate. And continue to do their best.”