by Krystal Paco

Guam - New Department of Education superintendent Jon Fernandez rounded out his first week of school tours, this time at George Washington High School and both the Untalan Middle School interim campus in Tiyan and the old Barrigada campus. Fernandez is learning firsthand that every one of the 40 public schools he oversees is fighting its own battle.

For GW, that battle has been with overcrowded facilities for the last decade. The Mangilao school caters to most of the island's central villages. Last year there were 2,700 students enrolled. Fernandez says it'll take more than providing GW with more resources and staff and although redistricting remains an option, Fernandez hates the thought of breaking up the close-knit school communities he's observed his first week on the job.

He told KUAM News, "Is that the right way to deliver instruction to so many kids? To keep the same structure? Or should we be looking at innovative ways to structure that campus, maybe two mini-campuses? There are just so many examples that other districts have used to deal with this situation, and I'm thinking it's going to take a little more thought not just simply adding equipment, adding supplies, or adding staff."

Fernandez then met with the Wildcats at their temporary home in Tiyan. There he heard students and teachers rave about the newer school facilities. On the flipside, there are too few school aides. According to Untalan Middle School assistant principal Valerie Kaipat, there are only two aides to supervise over 1,100 students. Fernandez hopes to look further into the numbers to ensure schools are equipped with support staff.

"Right now, with austerity measures I understand that when you have a vacancy you're subject to lose that vacancy due to budgetary constraints," the superintendent continued. "But the issue is for me looking at what the right number of staff ought to be what the roles of the teachers are, what the roles of the aides are and having all those things work together to facilitate instruction."

In contrast, he closed out his first week of school visits at the now-abandoned UMS campus in Barrigada. Sodexo Services Guam, Inc. senior project manager Tracy Higuera says the facelift will cost $3.2 million, which was included in Bill 437 and passed into law by Lieutenant Governor Ray Tenorio last month.

The Wildcats are expected to make their homecoming School Year 2013-2014. Fernandez is unsure of what will happen to the Tiyan facility once UMS has made the move back to Barrigada.

His school tours will continue next week.