|
Need for public school teachers greater than ever
While Guam is anticipating an increase in military personnel and their families, there's a possibility of an increase in educators relocating to the island. Every year around this time the Guam Public School System takes a serious look at their supply/demand for teachers (or lack thereof).
This time the need for teachers is even more critical as the Every Child Is Entitled to An Adequate Public Education Act will go into effect October 2007, and there is portion of that public law that opens the doors for parents and students to sue the GPSS. The law also requires that every classroom must have a certified teacher. The System is taking a more conventional approach than they have in the past, and traveling across North America to recruit certified teachers.
The agency has about a year and a half to be in full compliance with the fourteen points filled with improvements and changes under the Act. For months, GPSS has been working aggressively to meet all those needs, and continues to do so. Still they face many obstacles that are a result of lack of funding.
Now more than ever, the task by the System to fill classrooms with teachers is even greater, and they all have to be certified. GPSS spokesperson Gerry Cruz told KUAM News, "Because come October 1, 2007, we're going to be under the gun as far as sanctions and if there's any litigation because we didn't have a certified teacher in the classroom."
The sense of urgency has GPSS forming recruitment teams to travel across the U.S. mainland looking for teachers. "We're gong to a lot of conventions, teacher recruitment, job fairs, colleges, everywhere where they're advertising for teachers and universities that have a school of education where they have job fairs. We're going to be there. The GPSS is going to set up shop. We've got about five recruiters per team going out and we're going to really aggressively try to get those teachers to come out to Guam and teacher in the Guam Public School System," said Cruz.
One of the five teams departed Guam today, followed by the remaining four making stops in Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Colorado, Montana, and Michigan. But if the Guam Public School System had a difficult time in retaining teachers in the first place, what makes them think this recruitment strategy will work now? We asked Cruz what the attraction would be?
Surprisingly, the hook isn't the pay.
"The strategy is we can't go out there and offer them money because we're not authorized," Cruz responded. "It's up to the Legislature, if they decide to intro legislation to change the salary structure for teachers, but until that happens we have to sell Guam as a destination where you're going to enjoy yourself while you're out here teaching. It's a different cultural setting, near Asia the Far East, you'll be able to travel at your leisure in the summer or during breaks."
|