San Nicolas is OES Teacher of the Year; 2 others honored

 Melisha B. San Nicolas has been named Oleai Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year for school year 2011-2012.

San Nicolas, a first-time awardee, has been with the school for eight years now. She joined the Turtles family in 2003, first as a classroom teacher for five years before moving to the special education program’s deaf and hard of hearing program.

San Nicolas shared that teaching has always been her dream. In fact, when she was in high school, she participated in the teachers’ academy and also tutored students in the elementary grade.

“I come from a big family and being the second eldest, I always had younger siblings that I helped to take care of. Even when we were little, we always played school,” she said, adding that education plays a big role in their family, with three other sisters who are also public school teachers.

Every day, San Nicolas handles seven children with hearing and vision challenges. Despite the many challenges, she said that moments spent with them are truly rewarding. “Just being able to communicate with my students and having them communicate back to me is a challenge.but also a success once we reach a level of understanding. .Each kid learns in their own special way and all those little steps may not be as big as we expect them, but if you keep on working on it, little by little, they will reach their goal.”

To boost her skills and make her more effective, San Nicolas reads books, watches related DVDs, and secures training.

Saipan Tribune learned that San Nicolas was instrumental in bringing in off-island experts to her school to better serve students with special needs. Two summers ago, she also coordinated a special event that brought in parents, experts, and PSS personnel to better understand the American Sign Language.

The Teacher of the Year winner credits her colleagues for their support. “It feels good.and it’s nice to be recognized for all the hard work that you do. I know a lot of things that I do are a team effort, so I am happy for Oleai Elementary School because it has a lot of great teachers that I learned from and which helped me to become a good teacher.”

San Nicolas, along with other Teacher of the Year awardees in other public schools, will vie for the overall title next month. If selected, she will represent the CNMI in the national competition and will get the chance to personally meet U.S. President Barrack Obama.

Randy Pagapular, who is assigned to the school’s special education program, is OES’ Teacher Aide of the Year. This is his fourth year at PSS and the first time he was selected for the honor.

For Pagapular, just seeing the progress of students with special needs is the true reward for all his hard work. Pagapular remembers the story of his former second grade student who, after some years, came back with the knowledge and skills he helped instill.

“When I saw her writing, understanding the alphabet, knowing the meaning of letters, colors, and shapes.that made me feel proud because I know for a fact that I played a part in her life. A teacher can do so many wonderful things with the life of their students,” he said.

For Pagapular, the greatest lesson he has learned from special children is patience.

This year’s Support Staff of the Year award is Charlene Valle, the school’s librarian aide, who has been with OES for two years now.

She shared with Saipan Tribune that it was her mother who motivated her to pursue the profession. Valle is a daughter of a longtime school librarian, who continues to provide her guidance and assistance.

“Like my mother, I also enjoy dealing with children. Just helping them find books and other reading materials every day is truly fulfilling. I feel satisfaction every time I help them out,” she said. Valle is also the sister of the school’s Teacher Aide of the Year awardee, Pagapular.

Oleai principal Glenn Muña described this year’s awardees as truly deserving individuals. He commended the three for serving OES throughout the years and for their valuable contribution to student learning. OES is home to 23 teachers and 557 students.

Muña said that PSS celebrates Education Month every November by honoring people working behind the scenes. “We don’t praise them on a daily basis and it is proper that we recognize them for their hard work and sacrifices because they’re doing it for the love of students. They’ve been giving us 110 percent of their service,” he added.