By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE Board of Education will help the Public School System select the individuals to fill two key PSS positions.
BOE Chairman Roman C. Benavente yesterday said this will be the first time for them to join the PSS committee in conducting the final interviews with the applicants for associate commissioner for administrative services and finance director, which have been vacant since last year.
“These two positions are just below the education commissioner,” he said. “Because of the critical issues now facing PSS, we are concerned about who will be named to these two important posts,” Benavente told Variety in a telephone interview yesterday.
He added, “We feel there will be no impact if we participate in the final interviews for these two PSS positions.”
Commissioner of Education David M. Borja said the PSS leadership welcomes the board’s move saying it would help the committee select the best qualified persons.
“I think they need to be part of the process because the board has to know also the applicants’ qualifications. I believe it’s a positive act because these two positions will be critical to the leadership of PSS,” Borjasaid.
The associate commissioner for administrative services and the finance director positions each offer a salary of from $50,000 to $65,000 depending on qualifications.
There are six applicants for the associate commissioner’s position: CNMI teacher representative Ambrose Bennett, school principals Alfred Ada, Vincent Dela Cruz, Eric Evangelista, teacher Richard Puahalla and former Guam Sen. Carmen Fernandez who has also applied for the presidency of Northern Marianas College.
PSS is requiring applicants to have a master’s degree in educational administration or related areas and at least five years of progressively responsible teaching or educational administration experience.
For the finance director’s position, three applicants are scheduled to be interviewed by PSS.
“The members of the interview committee for both positions are not yet available, so there will be delay in the final interviews” Borja said. “But it is on schedule and hopefully we can soon select the best persons for these positions.”