Ada retained for another year

Four of the five-person Board of Education voted yesterday to retain Education Commissioner Dr. Alfred B. Ada at the helm of the Public School System for another year.

During yesterday’s virtual meeting of the 16th BOE, board chair Janice A. Tenorio, BOE vice chair Herman Atalig, and board members Andrew L. Orsini and Antonio L. Borja all voted to retain Ada for another year until his next evaluation in December 2021. Marylou Ada abstained from voting as she was not present at the closed-door meeting last Dec. 9 to evaluate the PSS chief.

“As PSS continues to navigate these unprecedented times, it is necessary to have an effective and dedicated commissioner. Dr. Alfred Ada has been a leader throughout this pandemic, economic recession, and significant budget shortfall,” said Atalig, adding that the BOE has noted that Ada continues to work weekends and late nights to find solutions that will give PSS students the best education. “…The board is confident in your leadership ability and the direction you have taken the PSS. Consequently, as the leader of such a large organization, which requires your full-time attention and having us evaluate you very positively, I, therefore, move that you will continue to be our commissioner of education in our great PSS.”

The term of the education commissioner usually lasts four years but it is a standard procedure for the commissioner to be evaluated every year.

Saipan Tribune was unable as of press time to obtain comments from Ada.

In related news, two teachers have been placed on the ballot for the runoff election for teacher representative on the BOE. The two candidates are Phyllis Ain of William S. Reyes Elementary School (literacy coach) and Frank Lee Borja of Saipan Southern High School.

Prior to the runoff election, Ada named Ain, Borja, Lizabeth Hofschneider of Tinian Junior High School, and Kyle Munn of Kagman High School as the top four candidates for teacher rep. They all met the eligibility requirements for the teacher representative election, Ada said, adding that the electronic voting started on Dec. 2 and ended on Dec. 8. Under BOE policy, a teacher representative will be selected through primary, general, and runoff elections.

The last teacher rep was Paul Miura, who was appointed to the post, after nine years of the seat being vacant. Miura’s last day as teacher rep. was last Nov. 30. Miura, a teacher at Saipan Southern High School, was the CNMI Teacher of the Year for 2014.
The teacher rep is a non-voting member of the BOE.