Van Gils leaving Kagman High

Kagman High School teacher Gerard Van Gils, the Public School System’s Teacher of the Year in 2017, is leaving the islands for the U.S. mainland.

He cited personal reasons for the move. “My family and I are moving to the mainland so that we can be near family. Many of my wife’s family members are in great need right now. …It is difficult for my wife to be away from them right now and we also have lots of nieces and nephews born and we want to meet and spend time with them,” he said.

Van Gil’s wife is Amanda Van Gils, a physician assistant at Medical Associates of the Pacific.

He described as being “very torn” by the decision, adding that Amanda Van Gils has many “wonderful patients” that she has worked with in the last seven years and he has many students he has worked with in the last six years at Kagman High School, as well as his role as executive director of Marianas Young Professionals. “We are very sad to be leaving but we have to be there for our family right now.”

Gerard Van Gils

The Van Gils moved to island seven years ago, with a plan to stay for just two years. “We just came here for two years and… I accidentally became a teacher and accidentally helped create the Million Dollar Scholars,” he said.

He initiated the college preparation program in 2016 with KHS principal Leila Staffler. He promises to continue working with MyPros and support the Million Dollar Scholars.

“I will keep…supporting the scholars even while I work in the mainland. …My job has been to work with universities to receive our scholars—give them tuition reduction, housing, food, and academic support. …I will continue to help our students stay in college, stay successful and return to their islands,” he added.

Van Gils said that he will also continue to work with teachers and educators in the CNMI.

With seven years of helping the growth and development of education in the CNMI under his belt, Van Gils is also proud of his volunteer work during typhoons Soudelor, Mangkhut, and Yutu.

“I was ready, along with MyPros, to respond to the storm and I am most proud that…My Pros stepped up and delivered 70,000 meals after Soudelor. I am proud of our community. We have documented more than 26,000 volunteer hours after typhoon Yutu and we cleaned roads from Pau Pau Beach to Obyan Beach,” he added.

Van Gils said that he and his family agree that Saipan is the first place outside the U.S. mainland where they felt loved and at home. “It’s the first place I’ve felt like my neighbors were my family, first place that I’ve loved my neighbor as myself and that is how my wife feels too. It’s really been our privilege to serve, love, and and live with the people of the NMI.”

“… I will miss Kagman High, I miss them already and it has been a privilege to be a teacher there,” he added.