Governor’s School Opening Readiness Team Supports More School Openings, GW High School Passes Public Health Inspection

Hagåtña, Guam - One more school makes a passing grade to return to in-person learning. This week, the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) completed inspections at George Washington High School. The Mangilao campus was supported by the Governor's School Opening Readiness Team (SORT), which provided the labor and expertise to the Guam Department of Education (GDOE) to address campuswide repairs.

At GW High School, Governor's SORT eliminated public health demerits resulting from chipped tiles, exhaust fans, missing shower curtains, and broken water fountains, among other needed repairs and debris removal. This work was completed by the Guam Department of Labor, which provided 12 laborers through the Dislocated Worker Grant; the University of Guam, which provided skilled labor, including HVAC technicians, electricians, carpenters, and plumbers; and PBS Guam, which provided various materials and resources. The long-term roofing refurbishment of the Mangilao campus will be addressed by Core Tech International, which GDOE awarded the contract.

"Every step we take in repairing our schools brings us closer to returning all our students to in-person learning-the best and most effective way to teach our students," said Acting Governor Josh Tenorio. "Through the Governor's SORT, we remain committed to making progress, providing help when and where we can. We extend our deepest gratitude to the teams from GovGuam who have worked tirelessly through weekends and have pledged to continue working until students return to campus. We also thank the school faculty and the various community and military volunteers. This has truly been a labor of love, and we remain steadfast in our goal to get students back to school in the safest and fastest way possible."

Also making a passing grade, Machanaonao Elementary School passed its public health inspection late last week. The Dededo campus services some of Guam's most vulnerable-families without running water or power and children who depend on school meals. Machanaonao Elementary was supported by the Governor's SORT, which was comprised of the Office of Homelessness Assistance and Poverty Prevention (OHAPP), the Serve Guam Commission, the Bureau of Women's Affairs, the Office of Technology, the Community Defense Liaison Office, and the Guam Memorial Hospital. Governor's SORT provided general plumbing repairs, cleaned bathrooms and ceiling vents, scraped rust, and restored water fountains.

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