San Nicolas wins 2014 NMI’s Support Staff of the Year

A long-time employee of San Vicente Elementary School was presented yesterday with the 2014 CNMI-PSS Support Staff of the Year award, besting other contenders from public schools on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
Donald M. San Nicolas was bestowed the overall honor during yesterday’s celebration of the PSS Administrative Professional Day at Pacific Islands Club Saipan.

San Nicolas, who has been with the system for 14 years, is SVES’ school registrar and administrative assistant. Prior to joining SVES, he was at Saipan Southern High School for seven years and was recognized twice as the school’s support staff of the year in 2004 and 2007.

San Nicolas joined SVES in 2009 and was bestowed the same recognition three years in a row. This year marks the first time San Nicolas won the overall title.

In an interview with Saipan Tribune after the awarding rites yesterday, San Nicolas expressed appreciation for the continued trust and confidence of his colleagues. He said the fulfillment he gets everyday from serving the school staff and students is incomparable.

“My job is both fulfilling and rewarding. I guess it’s my calling to be of service to our schoolchildren. I am happy that I am part of the PSS family,” he said.

Despite the many challenges in his work, this five-time awardee is committed to doing his task efficiently and properly to meet expectations.

SVES principal Yvonne R. Pangelinan said the honor bestowed on San Nicolas is no big surprise. She described him as someone who is on top of his game and is deserving of the recognition.

In the same celebration yesterday, Education Commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan and Board of Education chair Herman T. Guerrero named Delfin Lubao and Hilario Guiao as co-winners of this year’s overall Trades and Maintenance of the Year award.

Lubao is the trade maintenance staff at William S. Reyes Elementary School and has been serving the school for 21 years now. This is his fifth time to be selected as the school’s trade and maintenance awardee and his first to get the overall honor.

Guiao is the building maintenance staff at Saipan Southern High School for 13 years now. He is the school’s awardee for the same category in 2004, 2011, and 2014, and his first time to get the overall award.

Backbone of PSS
Sablan and Guerrero lauded the contributions of the system’s support staff, who they said are the “real backbone” of the school district.

“PSS and the board can’t thank you enough for all the work you’ve done and continue doing for the system. Sometimes we overlook the admin staff, but really, we depend on you and PSS can’t function without you guys,” Guerrero told the crowd yesterday.

Each year, PSS brings together its administrative professional support team in one occasion to build collegiality and update them on issues affecting them as the system’s frontliners.

For this year’s awardees, Sablan had nothing but good words to describe San Nicolas, Lubao, and Guiao who are all dedicated and committed to serving the system.

Yesterday’s celebration was also highlighted by discussions about legal issues in the workforce given by PSS legal counsels Adam Hardwicke and Tiberius Mocanu. Accreditation updates were also tackled, as presented by accreditation committee chair and WSR principal Naomi Nishimura.