THE Public School System on Tuesday announced the five finalists for the 2024 Teacher of the Year Award:
Roque Castro Indalecio of Marianas High School, Francis Mendiola of Koblerville Elementary School, Maria Pobeda of Sinapalo Elementary School, Maria Victoria Nishida of Hopwood Middle School, and Sonya-Jane Olopai of Da’ok Academy.
Interim Commissioner of Education Donna M. Flores said this year’s finalists represent a highly competitive and experienced group who excel in their respective classrooms.
“As we all know, every year our school district conducts the Teacher of the Year selection through a very competitive process. We are as excited as our PSS community because this goes to show that we have hardworking, committed, and excellent classroom teachers who continue to give their best to our students, our parents and families,” Flores said.
The CNMI’s 20 public elementary, middle, and high schools on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota each sent their nominees to the Commonwealth-level competition.
The CNMI-wide winner will qualify for the national competition, which is held every December in the nation’s capital.
This will be the second year when the CNMI winner is announced early — no later than the first week of October. This will allow the CNMI winner to submit timely the requirements for the 2024 National Teacher of the Year competition.
This year’s five finalists were chosen by a panel whose members represent various sectors in the community.
Roque Castro Indalecio
MHS classroom teacher Dr. Roque Castro Indalecio is an educator “who imparts his expertise across all high school grade levels (9th-12th), specializing in the subjects of Chemistry and Environmental Science.”
Roque’s passion for teaching is highlighted by a rich educational background.
He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Northern Marianas College.
Building upon this foundation, he obtained a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University, which expanded his repertoire of effective teaching methodologies.
Demonstrating his dedication to educational advancement, Indalecio earned his Doctor of Education in Educational Technology from Walden University — “a testament to his commitment to integrating innovative technology into the learning experience of his students,” PSS said.
Throughout his career, Dr. Indalecio has earned recognition for his outstanding contributions to education. He was honored as a 21st Century Teacher at the high school level for his forward-thinking approach to education. In 2015, he was named Teacher of the Year.
Dr. Indalecio’s “pedagogical philosophy is firmly rooted in the principles of student-centered education.”
“He passionately believes in fostering an inclusive environment where learners of diverse backgrounds and abilities collaborate, think critically, and unleash their creative potential. This approach allows students to take ownership of their educational journey, nurturing a lifelong love for learning. Roque is also a supporter of integrating technology purposefully, leveraging its capabilities to enhance engagement and cater to varied learning modalities. By blending interactive tools with traditional teaching methods, he cultivates a dynamic partnership between students and educators, equipping students with essential digital skills for the modern world,” PSS said
Francis Mendiola
Koblerville Elementary School’s Francis Mendiola is a fifth grade classroom teacher who handles the core subjects: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education and Health.
An educator for over 18 years, his leadership skills and capabilities have made him an active contributor to the school, district and community as a KoES Student Council advisor, KoES Gardening Club advisor, Eland Environmental Youth Alliance advisor, Youth Advisory Panel advisor, KoES Interscholastic Sports coach, CNMI STEM Logistics Committee coordinator, the board president for the 670 Sonics Basketball Organization, and a water safety instructor.
Last year, he was among the PSS Teacher of the Year award finalists.
“Aside from teaching 5th graders, he also devotes his time teaching fellow PSS colleagues a variety of strategies and techniques that involve the integration of technology into the classroom curriculum under the Instructional Technology program,” PSS said.
Born in the Philippines but raised in Saipan, Mendiola has fully embraced the island’s culture and people. After graduating from Marianas High School in 1999, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Upon his return to Saipan in 2004, he taught at KoES as a computer teacher. Over time, he decided to further his education and graduated with a Master’s Degree in International Education from Framingham State University in 2011.
“He is a very sociable and innovative man who is known to many. Francis continues to demonstrate passion and commitment in helping our students reach their fullest potential in the classroom and beyond,” PSS said.
Maria Lourdes Pobeda
Maria Lourdes Pobeda is a second grade classroom teacher at Sinapalo Elementary School on Rota.
She considers teaching as “work of heart.”
“With eight years of expertise in this field, she has dedicated herself to fostering young brains and educating them to be optimistic world changers. She also serves an active role for individuals of all ages and backgrounds in her community and throughout the CNMI as an AmeriCorps site supervisor,” PSS said.
Pobeda is an educational content creator of engaging learning activities and other educational materials for educators and students. She aims to work with other educators to exchange knowledge and support one another in bringing about the significant changes the education system needs.
Pobeda graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics at Southern New Hampshire in 2018. She continues to serve leadership roles in a professional learning community and an accreditation team. She has been acknowledged as a Nearpod Certified Educator, Class Dojo Mentor, Infinite Campus (Kindergarten to 3rd Grade Cluster) Mentor, and Digital Literacy trainer. Her technical abilities earned her the 21st Century Educator Award in 2022.
“With her interest to continue improving her technological skills and helping more individuals keep up with technological advancement, she is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Education in Curriculum & Instruction with a concentration in Technology Integration,” PSS said.
Maria Victoria Nishida
Maria Victoria Nishida is an accomplished educator who teaches 8th grade Social Studies at Hopwood Middle School.
Nishida started teaching at Hopwood in 2011. She taught 7th and 8th grade Science and Mathematics as well as General Mathematics and Algebra at Northern Marianas College.
Nishida graduated from Framingham State University with a Master of Education specializing in International Teaching. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Economics from the College of the Holy Spirit. Recently, Nishida was selected to participate in the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Landmarks of American History and Culture Program, Saipan’s Land and Sea: Battle Scars and Sites of Resilience.
“Nishida’s commitment to educational equality and empowering students led her to join the Western Pacific Region National Speech and Debate Association and International Thespian Society where she was elected board member and became national coach. With her hard work and dedication, she was able to inspire and motivate students from public schools to participate, compete and win in the national tournaments that brought honor and glory to the CNMI,” PSS said.
An advocate for students, Nishida volunteers as an advisor for the National Junior Honor Society, the Student Council, the Model United Nations, to name a few.
“Nishida is a powerful force in the classroom and uses a positive attitude and dedication to encourage her students to work hard and succeed. She enjoys using her skills through mentorship and leadership to contribute to the exciting educational advances that happen every day at Hopwood,” PSS said.
Sonya-Jane Olopai
Sonya Jane Olopai has over 30 years of classroom teaching experience with the Public School System.
She is a classroom teacher for Da’ok Academy.
She started her public education career as a 22-year-old when she was hired as a teacher aide with no experience in teaching but with an AA degree in Liberal Arts.
With determination and perseverance, she took advantage of the professional development opportunities provided by PSS and took classes to pursue a degree in Elementary Education. She received her Associate of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts from Northern Marianas College in 1988. Through the extension program between NMC and the University of Guam, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from UOG in 1997.
In 2000, Olopai obtained a Master of Education degree with a Concentration in International Teaching at NMC through Framingham State University.
In the previous school year, Olopai was hailed as Da’ok Academy Teacher of the Year based on consistency of Achieve 3000 program usage and outstanding average student Lexile growth.
In the same year, she was the 21st Century Educator awardee for her school, and received 30 laptops for her students.
“She has taken the journey alongside PSS in the countless changes in educational policies and reforms to ensure that public education in our islands perpetually keeps abreast with societal changes and continues to educate not only students but all major stakeholders,” PSS said.
