Private school rep’s term on BOE ends

Education Commissioner Cynthia Deleon Guerrero, fifth right, and her management team composed of associate commissioners Yvonne R. Pangelinan, Lynette Villagomez, Glenn Muna, Federal Programs officer Tim Thornburgh, Human Resources officer Lucretia Borja, legal counsel Adam Hardwicke, and financial consultant Edward S. Tenorio join Board of Education certification and licensure officer Valerie K. Malwelbug and Robert L Coldeen III, coordinator for the School Attendance Review Committee, and other BOE officials as they gather together to honor Galvin Deleon Guerrero. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI State Board of Education threw a surprise send-off yesterday for Galvin Deleon Guerrero, the representative of private schools on the board, whose four-year term on the panel is ending this month.

Deleon Guerrero’s term will end on March 27, 2017. It is not certain if he will be re-appointed to the board or if there will be a new private school representative.

Deleon Guerrero is currently president of Mount Carmel School and has been the Private School Coalition representative on the board since 2013.

In a recognition ceremony held at the office of Education Commissioner Cynthia Deleon Guerrero yesterday morning, education officials led by the Board of Education and the Public School System described Deleon Guerrero as “a respected advocate.”

“We are here to show our respect and to honor Galvin as a member of the BOE, and to show how much we appreciate you,” BOE chair MaryLou S. Ada told a surprised Deleon Guerrero, who thought he was to attend a BOE/PSS-led ceremony to honor a group of students.

“Your contributions to the Public School System has been very tremendous,” added Ada. She described Deleon Guerrero as the “quiet one who pushed the envelope” that raising the level of education advocacy.

“You are a negotiator…a peaceful negotiator. Thank you for your compassion [to the students of our Commonwealth],” Ada added. “He paved the way for PSS to achieve higher education”

Deleon Guerrero has served on the board for 12 years. He was first elected as a board member in 2008. He served from 2008 until 2012. In 2013, then-governor Eloy S. Inos appointed Deleon Guerrero as the Coalition of Private Schools representative.

Besides Ada and Deleon Guerrero, others present yesterday were BOE vice chair Janice Marie Tenorio, board member Herman T. Guerrero, and the PSS management.

Deleon Guerrero, who was visibly surprised by being surrounded by his peers and by district’s education leaders, said the honor meant a lot to him.

“Thank you so much, chairwoman. I do not do well with surprises like this—and this means a lot to me,” he said. “And to the board members and commissioner, and everyone at PSS, thank you so much.”

“You’re right, I do push the envelope but I try to bring people together. And I think that what I always appreciate about the board and PSS family is that I know there are some rancor, debates and very strong opinions, but it is a genuine reflection of what [we] try to do,” Deleon Guerrero noted.

Education Commissioner Deleon Guerrero acknowledged the importance of the partnership between PSS and private schools in the CNMI. She hailed Deleon Guerrero for fostering that growth in relationship.

“Thank you so much for your contributions and support over the years. You brought a lot of ideas and sustainable discussions in regards to the education of our children,” she said. “The partnership between private schools and public schools is really important. And I hope that whoever will sit on the table will continue to advocate strongly this relationship.” (Kimberly A. Bautista)