Stimulas Money Transparency

Funding for education, as we all know is greatly needed. But, the great controversy is, the transparency on how it is spent and who decides how it is spent!

I applaud President Obama for trying to fund Education. But, I worry that his stimulas money will not be monitored as to where it is going, or that the great majority will not reach our kids. This is because, here in the CNMI, decisions are being made, but again, none of the stakeholders are involved in the decisions on how to spend it, except administration. Why, are parents, teachers, and students not being included in the process? Have we not learned from our past, that to include all would help make everything run more smoothly? OBVIOUSLY NOT!

All stakeholders should be involved with this large influx of cash into out system. Who knows best, what is needed in our classrooms, but our Teachers and our Students! They are the ones in the trenches where these funds would have the greatest impact.

Because the economy is what it is today, we need to look at were this money can have the greatest long term impact in Student Education. Teachers and students should be the primary contact for that information.

It would be nice if the BOE had an advisory board of Parents, Students, Teachers and concerned public citizens(maybe some who actually employ our youth). This group could assist the BOE with ideas that are out there from the various groups. This would insure true Stakeholder involvement in the process. It would also assist the BOE in becomming more transparent with its funds.

ACT Officer Anyone?

We of ACT are again endevoring to hold an election for the offices of President and Treasurer. Each office will be held for two years and will have some duties per the appropriate office. If any PSS teacher, retired teacher, teacher's assistant(aide), or anyone else out there that has signed up with us is interested in running for one of the two offices, please contact Betty Miller (San Vicente Elementary), Sam Joyner (Kagman Elementary), Ellen Rayphand (San Vicente Elementary), Angie Wheat (Kagman Elementary), or Hilda Joyner (Cha Cha Oceanview Junior High School). Any of the officers would also be glad to take your nominee(s) for an office.

There are a lot of important issues on the table, for now and the near future. As we all know, things around here can and do happen very quickly, when they happen! So we need committed people, who are willing to speak up for us all! Please contact one of the above ASAP, if interested!

TEACHER REP NOW!

OK, Teachers. We are back to school, here on Saipan, and up to our eye balls in meetings, papers to grade and parents to talk to, but we need to band together to get the Governor, the Legislature and the School Board to recognize us as much needed contributors to PSS. Until now I have not commented on the topic of the Teacher REP. position, but I cannot stand it any longer.

Ambrose wrote in the paper that ACT has not done anything in the last two years, but, boy is he wrong! A number of teachers have and still are contacting ACT Officers. Topics are being taken to the school board and individual principals. Those topics are (for the most part) being addressed. Yes, there are still issues that everyone seems to want to ignore when we present ideas, but the response has gotten a lot better than before, when Ambrose was our supposed REP. Unlike Ambrose, this board does not run to the media every time we are doing something, because media coverage is not what we are after. It is about bringing positive change for the students, the teachers, the schools, and for PSS, that will effect teachers!

Ambrose continues to say that he wants to speak for all teachers. Well I, like some, used to believe that in the beginning. But when was the last time that Ambrose attended a whole ACT meeting? Not one, that I know of, since I started attending them three years ago!

Ambrose continues to run to the media every time he wants to make a point, saying he is talking for all teachers, but many teachers that I know of, have been offended by a great number of his statements in the media. How can he say that he speaks for us? When was the last time that he polled us about any topic? Maybe once three years ago! But, definitely not recently!

Last, but not least, I am personally offended everytime he brings up holding an election for a Teacher Rep.. Why, you ask? Because I have been in charge of two, yes two, elections in the last three years to elect ACT officers and did participate in the polling of teachers about the topic of an ACT Teacher Rep.. Teachers want a REP., just not you, Ambrose! Sorry! Get over it and allow us to get on with things. Why don't you stop trying to keep things stirred up and just support the one that most teachers picked?!

We also need the Govoner, the Legislature, and the PSS School BOE to acknowledge us and right the wrongs of the past. Appoint the ACT Teacher Rep. NOW!!

Teachers, what do you think? Please I welcome your responses!!

To New School Year! Or NOT?

I was all set out to write a wonderful "welcome back" blog, until I saw the front page of the Saipan Tribune today.

Sorry, Welcome back Teachers, Staff and Administrators!! I trust that all have had a somewhat relaxing summer.

Like you, I'm ready to try to get into my room and start setting up the classroom for another fun year. When I went to school this week, I was reminded, I could stay and work, but could NOT turn on anything. This outage included and was NOT limited to lights, water machine, fan(s), computer, etc...). Nothing, absolutely nothing could be turned on. I was reminded that they were monitoring the power. Has this happened to you? What is going on in your school?

Questions that came to mind, for the powers that be, are;

1) How do you set up a classroom, office, or school without any power?

2) What public official went into office, and set up his/her office without a lick of power?

3) Why/how do they really think that starting school late will really help our/their children?
Teachers? Accreditation? Continuity of Federal Funds?

4) Why do you continue to take away from the Children of this island, which will be the future
leaders of tomorrow.

5) Will delaying school really help you? At what cost to these future leaders of tomorrow?

I have come to understand that some on this island do not seem to care if we get any (US) federal funds for this Island or not. But, who are they really hurting? Themselves? Or the future leaders of tomorrow? If you truely believe in change or even things to stay the same, we(PSS Teachers) must be allowed to teach these future leaders to handle not just the island, but their place in the world and it's economy as well. Technology and all that goes with it(power included), are part of the future! Like it or not!!

Hope to see you all at the first state-wide PD, soon! Again, WELCOME BACK!

Count Down to What

We are getting ready to begin "Teacher Appreciation Week" at the end of another school year here in the CNMI. We have all worked extremely hard this year, with very, very few acknowledgements for that work, by the administration, the board, parents, students or the public (not that any are really expected-but would be nice).

Most people (not teachers) do not understand how much time really goes into teaching outside of the 7:30 to 3:30 time frame. We, as highly qualified teachers (HQT), must put in anywhere from two to ten hours for any one lesson. For each lesson, we must find resources (to supplement the cirriculum); put together a lesson plan; make copies or activities for students (individually or for groups); we must make charts (as reminders for students); and/or we must cooridinate field trips or guest speakers with the principal, other staff members, the cafeteria or caterer, bus transportation, the parents and students (again to supplement the cirriculum), just to name a few. All of this must be accomplished on top of the teaching day and, also, on top of any additional duties that are assigned by the respective principal. Usually, there are a number of theses!

We, as HQT educators, put in all this time and effort, for what? We are continually losing - pay, time, funding, supplies, and support in all ways, from all directions such as, the board, principals, parents, students and the public. It would be helpful if more teachers felt that all their hard work is needed and appreciated. Then, we as HQT educators could continue to endure low pay; lack of airconditioning in poorly constructed or poorly sealed rooms; no supplies and rooms over-filled with students and moldy termite infested books and other inconviences.

We HQT educators go through all these things for our students. We realize that they are the future and we are continuing to try to "stick it out" for them. It's just that acknowledgement of enduring would be appreciated.

Last Presentation Before the Elections

I'm sorry it has taken a few days to get around to this, but as teachers know we are busy people. We did hold the last forum before the elections and I was drafted to respond. I was/am torn in writing this, but I'll get into that later.

We had three from the Casino Initative show up to inform us of their position. They did give a good presentation, and did answer questions given to them. Several sides of the topic was discussed. In my opinion of what they said, their reasoning for starting this and trying to see it through was as follows;

1) They want the indigenous people to be employed,
2) Keep the control of Casino's/gambling in the hands of the indigenous people,
3) To try to give something back to the community, by putting money into education, and other things,
4) To make a profit!!
That is the short and sweet version of what they said.

My opinion on the topic differed from theirs, because of my experiences with casinos and promises of money for education, in my home town. I do not condone or promote the idea of casino's on Saipan. I personally do NOT want to see anything else that will take anything away from our kids! Many of our students do not come to school with lunch money, or proper supplies for school. I also do NOT want anyone else breaking their promises to schools saying they will support us or the kids with more funding and it NEVER show up!

I hope that all who are registered to vote will get out and VOTE!!! No matter which side you are on, PLEASE VOTE THIS ELECTION DAY!!!!

Teachers / Victims ?

After a month of meetings, moving classrooms, setting up a new classroom and more than a month of problems with CUC, I'm finally able to set down and write for just me.

In a Letter to the Editor, last week, Richard A. Pierce stated that "Victims are entitled to our compassion, but not if they have chosen their own misfortune." In teaching, both on this island and off, teachers do not set themselves up to be the victims, but are becoming the victims.

The Legislature and PSS(Public School System) continue to take advantage of teachers. They take whatever teachers are willing to give to this island and to their children, without consideration of what it costs to the teacher. Teachers have to buy everything for their classroom. This year, even trash bags! What's next? Toilet Tissue? Well guess what, we are almost there!

Teachers did not go to four years of college, sometimes much more for their masters and beyond, and keep up with the latest and best practices in education, just to be taken advantage of! No! No teacher ever went into education because of the money. They go into it for the joy of sharing information with their students and seeing those "lights" go on when a student "gets it". But, enough is enough!

How can the legislature give themselves a raise, keep public access from their records, etc...? How can CUC continue to waste electricity-by putting in not one, but four cameras in customer service, by having the third floor so cold that they need to wear long sleeves to work, hire more employees-even though there is supposed to be a hiring freeze on, etc...?

But, teachers keep getting told there is NO money to hire more teachers, there is NO money to buy supplies, they have NO right to complain or question, etc...! How much more do teachers have to contribute before they are accepted as a part of the community and are treated equally?

I hope and pray that teachers here will wake up and assist ACT NOW CNMI to make working conditions better for all of us! This is as close to the forbidden word of "Union" as we will ever get. So, all teachers ACT NOW !