A sudden resignation from acting Guam Department of Education Superintendent Francis Santos led to Guam Education Board members holding an emergency meeting Wednesday morning.

Santos was appointed last July at a $160,000 salary after longtime education leader Jon Fernandez resigned.
“Friday was his last day,” said Dr. Mary Okada, GEB chairperson.

Franklin Cooper-Nurse, who was the education system’s deputy of Finance and Administration, was nominated and approved to serve as acting superintendent for a 30-day period.

The temporary appointment comes as negotiations are ongoing for the board’s superintendent-select Dr. Kenneth Swanson to officially accept the job. The board picked him during a Dec. 27, 2022 meeting.

Swanson is a longtime educator who previously worked in Guam with the Department of Defense Education Activity.

“The Swansons are looking forward to returning to the island and once again contributing to the community and helping to continue to building on the powerful work already underway in the GDOE,” education board members stated in a news release.

GEB Vice Chairperson Maria Gutierrez nominated Cooper-Nurse to serve as acting until then.

“We are the transition period of the high risk and he has been there through the discussion, and we need him there to continue because he knows what’s been going on,” said Gutierrez, during the early morning emergency meeting.
Board member Peter Alexcis Ada was stunned to hear that Santos had quit.

“All of a sudden we hear he left the department Friday. Can somebody explain to me what happened? I thought he agreed to stay until the transition?” said Ada. “I’d just like to know what happened.”

“I don’t know,” said Dr. Okada.

“Ok. I just thought it would be good to bring up because it just left me in the clouds asking what happened,” Ada said.

Meantime, the holiday break comes to an end for all public school students set to return to classes on Thursday.