Macduff, a kindergarten teacher, has been with the Public School System for 12 years and with SVES for six.
She said having her job is an “honor” and a source of “fulfillment.”
Prior to becoming a teacher, Macduff was a school secretary.
“It’s a good feeling and I’m honored to be chosen as the teacher of the year,” she told Variety. “This is the first time I was nominated [for the CNMI teacher of the year award]…and I am proud because we always strive for the best not only for myself but mostly especially for my students.”
Macduff obtained her degree at Northern Marianas College while working as a secretary at PSS.
SVES principal Joaquina Salas described Macduff as a teacher with “unwavering patience, dedication, and commitment” for the education of children.
“She is really an asset to our school,” Salas said. “She is an enthusiastic teacher. Students look forward to coming to her class because of the hands-on-activities, cooperative grouping, demonstrations, problem solving, teamwork and higher thinking skills she provides them.”
Macduff maintains a well-organized, well-supervised class, Salas added.
An advocate of “constructivist instruction,” Macduff offers a flexible and positive student-centered environment that allows students to “create their own meaning by acting and doing, rather than listening and repeating,” Salas said.
“A soft-spoken individual, her approach to student is firm, and geared toward the attainment of self-discipline, self-respect, and alleviating self-esteem,” the school principal added.
Prior to joining SVES, Rufina Seman, the school’s teacher aide of the year, worked at Mount Carmel School for 13 years as a fourth and fifth grade teacher. She also served the early childhood program for four years.
At SVES, she has served as an aide in several classrooms, from kindergarten to sixth grade.
She is one of the teacher aide volunteers for the school’s Saturday reading program.
Marsha Arriola, the school’s support staff of the year, is the counselor at SVES.
Her principal described Arriola as an enthusiastic individual who provides guidance counseling to students who need academic, social and emotional support.
Arriola is also responsible for coordinating and facilitating the child study team meetings and the character education program, Salas said.
Her commitment to students, Salas added, is also manifested in Arriola’s participation in child study team meetings, staff meetings, state level and school level learning activities, the after school program as well as school level and state level professional development sessions.
