By Naina Rao
As of last week, more than 25 of Guam’s 41 public schools have reopened after passing safety inspections or successfully renewing their sanitary permits. However, the future of the remaining schools remains uncertain. While some are on track to pass inspection, others are possibly going online.
At a news briefing on Aug. 22, Erik Swanson, superintendent of the Guam Department of Education, acknowledged that alternate scheduling, double sessions and online classes are not ideal. Nevertheless, he said he was “absolutely satisfied” with the collaborative work among administrators, staff, volunteers, campuses and local leaders to help prepare the schools for a successful inspection and reopening.
“It’s an excellent example of the model that I’m trying to get everybody to understand, and that is, we’re one crew. No passengers,” Swanson said. “And this crew is really, really working well together.”
But the crew took a convoluted journey of political bickering and blame games that went on for weeks. Students and parents bore the consequences.
“It’s really hard because it affects my work schedule. It affects our normal routines. It’s tough,” said Laticia Santos, a mother from Dededo whose sons are all in double-session schools.
Santos added that the time change in double-session schools can take a toll on students. Her children are used to starting school in the morning.
“They start in the afternoon now, and their sleeping habits have changed a lot,” she said.
Santos can’t help but feel like history keeps repeating itself. “The public schools, it doesn’t seem that it’s changed. It seems like we’re still stuck in 30 years ago,” she said.
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The department is unable to offer accommodations to parents working full-time jobs.
Joe Sanchez, deputy superintendent of curriculum and instructional development, said the department can’t watch the kids for the parents.
“We can strongly encourage them to attend the classes as much as they can, but our approach has not been to be punitive,” Sanchez said in a press briefing. “We're not referring them to the attendance officers, but at the same time, it is their responsibility to attend class, or, again, encouraging them to attend class as much as they can.”
If parents have to pick up a hard copy packet, Sanchez said that’s “incredibly flexible” because that option is available every week.
“A lot of it is just trying to work with the families and understand their current situation. But again, we don't want to give people the impression that attendance is not important, or that they don't have to show up. They can show up whenever they want. That flexibility is definitely there,” Sanchez said.
Last week, Okkodo High School passed the safety inspection, following work undertaken by the School Opening Readiness Team or SORT.
Okkodo High School shares its campus with F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School.
According to the governor's office, SORT installed partitions in Okkodo's bathrooms, changed light fixtures and lightbulbs, cleaned ponding basins, provided ground maintenance and repaired roadways campuswide pouring in 15 truckloads of milled asphalt to make sports fields and parking accessible.
“We welcome news of another school passing its Public Health inspection and opening its doors for in-person learning,” acting Gov. Josh Tenorio said, following his campus visit.
According to the governor’s office, SORT work will continue fixing schools that have yet to open.
“Based on agency reports to the Department of Education supplies are insufficient,” the governor’s office said in a press release. “While paint and painting supplies are readily available, more materials are required for electrical, structural, and plumbing repairs.”
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At last week's budget hearing, senators approved Sen. Will Parkinson’s amendment to the 2025 appropriations bill, directing 50 percent of the newly established cannabis excise tax revenue to the education department for facilities maintenance and repair.
The amendment comes in the wake of Public Law 37-116, which authorized the sale of cannabis on Guam without the need for lab tests starting Oct. 20, 2024.
The Guam Cannabis Industry Act imposes a 15 excise tax on the sale or transfer of cannabis from cultivation facilities to retail stores or manufacturing facilities.
"With the legalization of cannabis, we have a new opportunity to invest directly in our education system, ensuring it benefits our priorities, our students," Parkinson said. "This amendment turns new revenue into real improvements for our schools—because our kids deserve safe, well-maintained places to learn."
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