Speak up on education reform!

by Krystal Paco

Guam - The Governor's Office is coming to a village near you! The Educational Learning Task Force is giving school stakeholders one last chance to voice their thoughts, ideas, complaints, and frustrations in order to improve the quality of public education.

The Department of Education's vision may be to prepare students for life, but numbers indicate otherwise. According to chairman Vince Leon Guerrero, only 2% of high school graduates are prepared for college or careers, and even more alarming - this has been the norm for decades.

"We can't continue to do the same thing," Leon Guerrero said. "We need to really think about how we're going to restructure."

Inline with Governor Eddie Calvo's education reform, stakeholders have one last chance to voice their concerns related to the public school system at village meets throughout the summer break. These summer months are ideal. Teachers and students are off from classes and DOE superintendent Jon Fernandez is en route to Guam, ready to start his duties.

Leon Guerrero assures stakeholders that he or reform committee chairman, Troy Torres, will be present at the village meets to listen to all input. "We would not be accomplishing our goals if we were not open to all this type of input. The worst thing we could do is develop recommendations in isolation without touching base and we don't want to do that," he explained.

Benavente Middle School principal Dexter Fullo is encouraging all educators and their families to attend the village meets in order to reach the common goal: improve student achievement. "The classroom teachers, number one, have the biggest affect on student achievement. Therefore, their opinions and their output is crucial to making this reform work. If we don't get them to buy in and hear their voices out in the issues, this reform program will fail, that's why I'm really glad the governor's task force is taking an active step and hearing this out now," he said.

 

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Saturday, June 16

UMATAC - Umatac Mayor's Office – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

MERIZO - Merizo Senior Center – 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

 

Monday, June 18

INARAJAN - Inarajan Mayor's Office – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 

Tuesday, June 19

SANTA RITA - Santa Rita Community Center – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 

Wednesday, June 20

TALOFOFO – Jeromy Newby Youth Center – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 

Thursday, June 21

AGAT - Agat Senior Center – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 

 

Saturday, June 23

YONA - Yona Senior Center (Baza Gardens) – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

ORDOT-CHALAN PAGO - Ordot-Chalan Pago Elementary School – 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

 

Monday, June 25

PITI - Piti Social Hall – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 

Tuesday, June 26

SINAJANA – Sinajana Senior Center – 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

 

Wednesday, June 27

ASAN-MAINA - Asan Community Center – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 

Thursday, June 28

HAGATNA & AGANA HEIGHTS - Agana Heights Senior Center – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 

 

Saturday, June 30

BARRIGADA - Untalan Middle School – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

MANGILAO - Mangilao Senior Center – 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

 

Monday, July 2

MONGMONG-TOTO-MAITE - MTM Community Center – 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

 

Tuesday, July 3

TAMUNING-TUMON-HARMON - Tamuning Senior Center – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 

Saturday, July 7

DEDEDO – Dededo Senior Center – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

YIGO - Yigo Senior Center – 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.