THE Guam Department of Education has released a listing of schedules and bus sub-stations for George Washington High School students for school year 2012-2013 after the department closed bids for the bus leases and initiated the process of issuing the vendor purchase order.
“Once they accept the purchase order, we are good to go,” GDOE acting Deputy Superintendent Robert Malay said in an interview yesterday.
GWHS will be implementing double sessions this coming school year, which has caused bus-scheduling problems. The new schedule will allow work to continue on 17 state-of-the-art science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) classrooms at the school. Double sessions will be implemented within the next two months, up to early October, with incoming freshmen set to attend classes in the afternoon.
In order to address the situation, GDOE worked with the Department of Public Works to provide a transportation solution for the school. Earlier, GDOE Superintendent Jon Fernandez said his department has committed to procuring between 12 to 15 private buses and an estimated $150,000 to cover fuel and overtime costs.
Click here for the complete school bus schedule for GWHS.
School readiness
In terms of school readiness, Malay reported that 25 out of 40 public schools have declared they are ready to open on Aug. 20.
Although 15 schools have yet to certify completion of all requirements in the school readiness checklist, Malay said the principals of these schools are “just making sure that all items have been addressed before turning in their certification.” These items include filling up their teacher and substitute teacher vacancies, among other concerns.
“The principals have been very busy making sure their schools are ready for the opening of classes. I expect that number to jump up to the 30s by tomorrow and hopefully, by Saturday, we’ll have all 40 schools declared ready, at the latest,” he assured during the interview.
GDOE has designated Saturday, Aug. 18 as “Team Up to Clean Up Day 2012” for the island’s public school system. On Saturday, volunteers from the community will be sprucing up the schools in preparation for the opening of classes.
“Some of the schools have already completed their cleanups and will not be doing any cleaning this Saturday. Machananao Elementary School will be having their cleanup on Saturday. Tamuning Elementary will be putting new lines in their parking lot. The principals have been taking the lead on it,” Malay said.
“All of our central office divisions have been pitching a hand, as well as volunteer organizations, parents, teachers and students. Everyone has been pitching a hand,” he concluded.
