Governor’s SORT Team Receives Punch List

Administration Stands Ready to Assist GDOE

Hagåtña, Guam - The Office of the Governor met with Guam Department of Education (GDOE) facilities personnel Monday morning and received a punch list of work required for schools to pass inspections. According to GDOE personnel, most schools need major work on restrooms and HVAC. Based on their assessments, GDOE needs more materials for restroom facilities, including toilets, urinals, faucets, and sinks. They are procuring these items and hope to have them by the end of the week.

To help open schools, the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Administration deployed the Department of Public Works (DPW) today to assess George Washington High School (GWHS). This campus remains closed until repairs are made to pass a public health inspection. GDOE deemed GWHS one of the schools needing the most work. Public Health has yet to inspect schools that GDOE has indicated are not ready for inspection. DPW observed issues ranging from outdated and non-compliant structures, such as restroom walls requiring height changes, missing stall handles, doors that needed to be lowered, a missing sink, and an exhaust fan that needed remounting. These updates are required to bring the campus into compliance with current Public Health standards. Additionally, DPW observed lights that required uniformed diffusers, damage to fencing, and the need for more fluorescent tubes and bulbs. CoreTech International has been contracted to perform most structural repairs and refurbishments at GWHS. However, their work and scheduled completion depend on the arrival of materials.

Meanwhile, school faculty and community volunteers continue to facilitate cosmetic improvements to campuses islandwide, such as painting classrooms and bush cutting. These fixes alone, however, will not be enough to prepare for inspections.

The repairs needed for many schools are extensive due to many years of deferred maintenance. Schools need to be maintained year-round, not once a year, before schools start. The Governor does not have control over GDOE's maintenance or procurement.

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Photo caption: Peter Concepcion, DPW Electrician Supervisor/Acting Building Maintenance Manager, meets with GWHS Principal Dexter Fullo on Monday morning to assess the Mangilao campus.