3 new Pacific educators in residence welcomed

For more than 20 years, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) has invited Pacific educators to participate in its year-long Pacific Educator in Residence (PEIR) program, either in PREL’s Honolulu office or in one of PREL’s Service Centers located throughout the Pacific region. Eligibility for this program is open to any teacher, school administrator, counselor, education specialist, or faculty member at an educational institution within American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM; Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap), Guam, Hawai‘i, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau.

During their year at PREL, PEIRs work within their scope of educational interest and expertise. They collaborate with educators in their respective fields and receive mentoring and feedback on their work. Many obtain continuing education credits—some apply their experience to earning educational degrees, including master’s and doctoral degrees in education. Upon completing their year with PREL, PEIRs return to their respective communities to share the knowledge and expertise they acquired with their departments and ministries of education. Most have returned to play major roles in education in their home entities

This year, the 2008–2009 PEIR program welcomes educators Monroe David of Pohnpei, Martha Kintol from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Salavao Savea-Lopez of American Samoa

Monroe David’s interests are with information technology. Among his many other responsibilities, most recently he has been the leader of the Pohnpei State Government Department of Education’s central office and school Internet access. He has also been in charge of the maintenance of all education computers, including those in the five outer islands of Pohnpei, and the Wave email system, which was obtained with PREL’s assistance through the U.S. Department of Education (U.S. ED). When asked to describe how his proposed PEIR experience will benefit his community upon his return, David responded, “The benefits will be enormous.” Continuing to build capacity for the existing information technology infrastructure and connecting classrooms to the information highway for effective classroom activities are but two of David’s major goals.

Martha Kintol of the CNMI Public School System (PSS) is most interested in English language arts and English language learners (ELLs) for grades 4–5. As Vice Principal for Curriculum and Instruction at Dandan Elementary School, Kintol has worked extensively with PREL on early literacy, writers’ workshop, ELL leadership training, and assessment. She has organized and facilitated professional development addressing the needs of students and teachers. Kintol wishes to return to the CNMI PSS to share the knowledge gained at PREL—adding another member to the CNMI PSS staff who has received extensive professional development in addressing the needs of ELLs.

From American Samoa, Salavao Savea-Lopez’s interests focus on ELLs and English language arts in grades 4–5. Savea-Lopez “believe[s] an effective teacher never ceases to learn and seeks opportunities that will allow him or her to develop and grow professionally in education.” She hopes the opportunities offered by PREL and the PEIR program will equip her with the “experience, knowledge, and skills necessary to perpetuate her commitment to providing quality education, thus ensuring the students of American Samoa are literate and productive members of the local as well as the global community.”

PREL welcomes these accomplished educators to the PEIR program and looks forward to their success in the interests of Pacific children. For more information about the PEIR program visit http://www.prel.org/opportunities/pacific-educators-in-residence-program.aspx.

PREL is an independent, nonprofit 501 (c)(3) corporation that works in partnership with the Pacific educational community to provide quality programs and products developed to promote educational excellence, including professional development and educational materials. In addition, PREL administers the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Pacific, 1 of 10 Regional Educational Laboratories funded through the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education. With a commitment to ensuring that all students have an equal opportunity to develop a strong academic foundation, regardless of circumstances or geographic location, PREL serves the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM; Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap), Guam, Hawai‘i, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI).

For additional information about this media release or PREL and its work please contact Jackie Burniske, Director of Communications by telephone at (808) 441-1300 or by email at burniskj@prel.org.[B][I] (PREL)[/I][/B]