Kimo Rosario leaves PSS

Kimo Rosario, the Public School System’s acting Finance director and associate commissioner of Administration, is bidding farewell to PSS after five years of service.

During a special Board of Education meeting last Tuesday, BOE members and PSS staff thanked Rosario for his five years of service.

Rosario officially left PSS last July 31 and will start working for the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. as its Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program manager starting today.

BOE and PSS commended Rosario for leaving a legacy of personal empowerment, altruism, and equitable opportunities for all students.

“Rosario dedicated five years and eight months of passion, commitment, and leadership through various capacities he has held in pursuit of public service to over 10,000 students, school leadership and central staff of the CNMI PSS and the Commonwealth as a whole,” said PSS and BOE.

Rosario said he was touched and moved by this recognition but said he felt that he did not do anything extraordinary during his tenure at PSS. “In fact, it was the wonderful PSS staff, many of whom work in the background and with whom I had the honor and privilege to work with that really helped me succeed. They are the true movers and shakers. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the PSS family. I will truly miss working, learning, and growing with this fine group of highly educated, seasoned, and knowledgeable individuals,” he said.

Rosario started working for PSS as program manager of its Office of Pupil Transportation on Sept. 22, 2014. He became chief officer for Procurement and Supply of PSS on Feb. 28, 2017, and its interim director for finance from Nov. 25, 2019, to June 3, 2020. He served as interim associate commissioner for Administrative Services from June 6, 2020, to June 15, 2020. From June 16, 2020, to July 31, 2020, he was the associate commissioner of Administration.

BOE member Andrew Orsini thanked Rosario for his service to PSS and his collaboration with education leaders.

BOE member MaryLou Ada said thanks on behalf of more than 1,000 PSS employees and more than 10,000 students,. “Thank you for your perseverance and tenacity and for hanging in there with us to work with us,” she said.

BOE member Philip Mendiola-Long said he will miss Rosario’s “real talk” and no-holds barred approach in putting the students’ welfare first. “He doesn’t really have soft words when our kids are at risk. He is always setting the board straight in what we need to do.”

BOE teacher representative Paul Miura expressed appreciation to Rosario for working with the board, especially amid a financial crisis.

BOE chair Janice Tenorio thanked Rosario for doing an outstanding job.