Benavente retains post as BOE chair

By MARCONI CALINDAS
Reporter

Roman C. Benavente has retained his seat as chair of the CNMI State Board of Education during an election held Thursday at the board’s first meeting for the year. This is Benavente’s third term as chair.

The election of officers, moderated by Public School System legal counsel Heather Kennedy, also resulted in the election of Dino Jones as vice chair and Marja Lee Taitano retaining her seat as secretary/treasurer.

Benavente expressed his gratitude to the board for their trust and support and predicted that this year “is not going to be an easy year.”

Although his background is somewhat dissimilar to the other members’ as he was never a professional educator or teacher, he said, “I am more or less a community based person,” and said he would work harder this year and do his very best to make a better future for the CNMI.

Board member Herman T. Guerrero reminded Benavente, though, of his responsibility toward PSS. “I would just like to stress on your responsibility to defend PSS,” said Guerrero.

He said that, as chair, Benavente has to avoid being shortsighted on issues that affect PSS that could cause morale problems across the board. “I hope that we have learned from the year that passed. Your job is to secure and defend PSS.”

Guerrero also said that Benavente, together with the board, should support the office of the commissioner in defending the rights of children to quality education. Guerrero was the board of education chair for four years before Benavente assumed the post in 2003.

Benavente warmly accepted Guerrero’s comments and said that, although he is not perfect, with the board members’ support he believes that this will prod him to do a better job despite the crisis the PSS is going through at this time.

Frances H. Diaz remained as board member, together with Guerrero, private schools representative Scott Norman, and Teacher representative Ambrose Bennett,.

Benavente also appointed the chairs for the board’s standing committees. Taitano heads the Committee on Fiscal and Administration; Diaz for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Guerrero for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and Head Start Policy Council, Jones for Capital Improvement and PSS property, and Norman for School Reform and Parental Involvement and Student Relations.

The next board meeting will be on Feb. 3, 2005, 9am at the Board of Education office, Retirement Building, Capitol Hill.