by Krystal Paco

Guam - In February, Governor Eddie Calvo created the Educational Learning Task Force, an 18-member dream team to bring solutions to the pressing issues in our public school system.

"For clarification, the first task of the task force was to determine the status of Untalan Middle School," noted chairman Vince Leon Guerrero. Untalan Middle School stakeholders have spoken and they want to return to their Barrigada campus on the condition that more classrooms are built, temporary classrooms are replaced with concrete ones, and student drop-off/pickup traffic redirected to keep students off the busy highway.

Leon Guerrero says this may all be possible through Bill 437, which awaits Governor Calvo's signature, as the legislation requests for $3 million dollars to do so. If all goes well, the UMS Wildcats can be back at their Barrigada home as early as School Year 2013-2014.

Bill 437 also requests $139 million to finance school repairs and renovations islandwide, but what good would the improved classrooms be without equipment to put inside? The Department of Education will use the summer months to do a complete inventory of equipment and refurbish thousands of student desks. "Student desks are very costly we could save some money by doing some repairs all they need to do is replace the top and we found some very suitable materials, and we think that could cut down some of the costs," said Leon Guerrero.

The task force hasn't forgotten DOE's $11.5 million power bill. Today's meeting addressed the need to use Bill 437 as a companion bill to a draft bill proposed by Vice Speaker B.J. Cruz. Earlier this month Cruz said he would write legislation to address the disparities in energy costs to send a student to school by allowing doe to partner with a private company to retrofit all schools, and pay the vendor through the energy savings. The Green Technology Committee also addressed the need to paint school roofs and work with the Department of Agriculture to plant native trees near schools for shade.

But how about getting students to and from school? According to the Department of Public Works, the summer months are ideal for getting the fleet numbers up as well as the number of bus drivers. Leon Guerrero adds that the U.S. Department of the Interior has committed $1.28 million, which will be used to purchase an estimated eight 80 passenger busses to alleviate the number of trips. Additional federal money may also be available for purchase of new and used busses.

The Governor' Educational Learning Task Force invites stakeholders for one last chance to voice their concerns relative to education reform. The series of village meetings kickoff tomorrow at the Umatac Mayor's Office from 9-11am followed by the Merizo Seniors Center from 4-6pm.

The schedule of these meetings in the villages follows:

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.