THIS is a special message for school students, their parents and teachers. Welcome back to school!

Principals, teachers and school staff have been preparing for this new school year throughout the summer. Alongside them were hundreds of volunteers from the government, the private sector, community organizations and the military. They helped to make your schools look better over the past few weeks. They did a lot of scraping, painting, water blasting, yard work and cleaning so you could have a better environment.

A lot of construction is starting as well. The Guam Department of Education is making repairs to leaking roofs. There’s also the renovation of classrooms at GW and Untalan to turn them into facilities for science, technology, engineering and math. And for you Dolphins at Southern High School, your fine arts theater will soon be open to you again!

You’re also starting this school year with a new superintendent, Jon Fernandez, who has your best interests at heart. There to care for you as you arrive at school are your principal, assistant principals, teachers and staff.

All of these improvements to education are good and nice. You need better facilities and you need strong and caring leadership. You deserve classrooms with technology and laptops that you can take home. The air-cons need to work well. The restrooms need to stay clean and stocked.

While these are important parts about the education system – components that rise to the top of the 6 o'clock news – there is something much more important that I’m going to ask from students, parents and teachers as the school year starts.

Students, this is a fresh new start. It’s a fresh new opportunity to do better for yourselves than the year before. I know how school can be sometimes. I was a student once. Sometimes the lesson isn’t interesting. Many times you’d rather be spending time with friends. Your classmates or your teachers can make you mad. Sometimes there’s something scary lurking around a corner. There’s always someone telling you what to do, when all you want to do is be yourself and have some fun. Each of you is different. Each of you has to confront your own problems and work your way through unique circumstances. Don’t ever think that what you’re feeling or thinking is of little consequence or value. If you see something that can be better for you, speak up to your teachers and principal. Let the adults know if you’re not being challenged enough. If you have a problem with someone or something, let your teacher know. If you want to learn to play guitar, or if you feel your hidden artistic talents aren’t being developed in school, say something. People have to know what your interests are.

Your opinion matters more than anyone else’s. You are the student. The entire education system exists because of you.

To the teachers and principals, first of all, thank you so much for your commitment to the students. I know this commitment enters new challenges as you unpack the new Common Core State Standards. This speaks volumes to your belief that your students – all students – will rise to higher standards that will help them succeed in life. More importantly I want to commend those of you who’ve been reforming your classrooms already ... and those of you who are adopting more progressive methods of teaching. The culture of collaboration you are creating in your classrooms is fostering a new generation that will be prepared for a new economy and a new Guam. Your understanding of diversity among your students is giving each of them the individual attention and care they need to meet the standards.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank educators for the passion and selfless sacrifice they are making for the love of their students. These are the people who buy paper, toilet tissue and school supplies for their students. They call parents when kids don’t show up to school. They look out for signs of developmental disability. They stay long after school with children who haven’t been picked up. They go outside their normal scope of work in the classroom to address a wide range of issues some students go through. And sometimes, for some of these students, the love and caring they feel from their teacher is the only love and care they will feel all day.

We have a long way to go to improve education on Guam. I believe most elements of the Guam Department of Education are on the right track. I believe we’re headed in the right direction with a renewed focus on curriculum and standards. This is going to be a breakthrough school year, and I’m so excited to start it with you today!

Thank you, and God bless.