by Krystal Paco

Guam - New Department of Education superintendent Jon Fernandez may have been successful in convincing the Guam Education Board to delay the implementation of the controversial 4-AB bell schedule by one year, but questions still remain. Stakeholders at last night's roundtable had an opportunity to voice their concerns.

For George Washington High School teacher Christie Blas, it was disappointing to see only three members of the Guam Education Board present at last night's roundtable. "I think the only thing that I'd like to say is that the people we actually want answers from are not here Barry Mead and Francis Santos and this seems to be something that happens all the time. I'd like to ask a lot of these questions and I don't understand why they're not here," she said.

Southern High School teacher Jennifer Berry was most concerned that the board failed to hear from the most important stakeholders - the students. "If we're just talking about them and we're saying we care about you so much but we're not consulting you at all we're making decisions that impact your life in a significant way in your family life your working life and your future success. There's a dichotomy in that," she said.

The board may have failed to listen to stakeholders, but new DOE superintendent Jon Fernandez has been doing his homework. "Really, I'm open minded and I want to hear what people have to say on both sides of the issues and I've heard both sides. I've heard students say this is more homework and how am I going to focus on all these classes and how am I going to get all the work done and keep up so that I'm successful in all of my courses. I've heard students say that I'm so disappointed that we don't have the new schedule because I was looking forward to graduating early or graduate on time," he said.

Ultimately, no bell schedule changes can be made without proper bussing. According to Department of Public Works director Joanne Brown, DOE needs a reality check. Her agency can't handle any schedule changes for the upcoming school year with their present fleet. DPW was also consulted about a possible change in George Washington High School's bell schedule for next school year in order for 17 classroom renovations to occur.

"110 busses and you factor in 39,000 and I reemphasize that 39,000 children that include both public and private schools here on Guam," Brown said. "Divide that should give you an idea further with 60-capacity students per bus - how many routes a single bus and bus driver has to execute every morning and every afternoon and do it safely to get the children to and from. Any additional expectation that we can accommodate changes in the schedule. I will tell you here and now we will not be able to do it."

GEB member Dr. Jose Cruz dared to ask, "How should we handle the responsibility of private schools? And I know that's a Pandora's Box, but I think that needs to be sorted out because we have a responsibility for our public schools."

Private schools account for 7,000 of the students who use DPW bussing. According to Speaker Judi Won Pat, accommodating private school students is not a board policy, but an executive order from a previous governor. In the meantime, Won Pat says conversations are ongoing on whether Mass Transit may be able to support DPW by picking up and dropping off students along the main roads.