ASCHUMAR Kodep Ogumoro-Uludong, who topped the Board of Education election on Saipan in November, was elected as BOE chair on Monday.
Prior to the BOE’s election of officers in an organizational meeting, Ogumoro-Uludong, Rota’s Anthony DLC Barcinas, also a first-time board member, and Saipan’s Maisie Bermudes Tenorio, who was reelected in November, were sworn in by CNMI Supreme Court Associate Justice John Manglona.
BOE regulations require an annual election of officers.
Ogumoro-Uludong received three votes while Tenorio garnered two. Barcinas and BOE board member Andrew L. Orsini of Saipan supported Ogumoro-Uludong while Tinian’s Antonio L. Borja backed Tenorio.
Prior to the November election, Tenorio was the acting BOE chair, serving the remaining term of the former chair, Herman A. Atalig of Rota, who stepped down in June for health reasons.
On Monday, BOE legal counsel Michael Ernest presided over the meeting as pro tem chair until the election of the new chair.
‘Continue to hold us accountable’
Tenorio, in her remarks, asked public education stakeholders “to continue to make us accountable.”
“The last four years of working with you all have been such a privilege and an honor. Being able to serve my community in this capacity has taught me so much. I learned every single day from our teachers, from our management. I learned every single day from you, from our teachers, and from our students, and I’m so honored. To continue in that journey of learning with you. Thank you so much for your patience with me for holding us accountable at the 18th BOE,” Tenorio said.
She commended Commissioner of Education Lawrence F. Camacho for working with the board and advancing the needs of public education stakeholders.
“I want to say thank you to Commissioner Camacho. Thank you to your staff. Thank you to your team management,” she added.
Tenorio also thanked her family. “I want to thank my family, my dad, Mariano Bermudes, and my mom, Lisa Camacho Cruz. Thank you so much for your unconditional love and support. My husband Mike and my kids thank you for never giving up on me, always believing in me, and never saying no when I have really crazy ideas, like I want to run for the Board of Education, but I thank you for always being in my corner. I couldn’t do anything in life without you, so I appreciate you so much. I love you.”
She added, “I love you, my coworkers at the Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. I love you guys so much. Thank you for always keeping me on a mission. Thank you for always reminding me what our students need and deserve.”
‘Education for all’
Barcinas said his role is to assist PSS meet its constitutional mandate of “education for all.”
“Education is the key to opportunity,” he added. “I have committed to working collaboratively with fellow board members to ensure every student has equal access to quality education,” Barcinas said.
“I am eager to contribute to the bright future of our educational systems and our community. Education for all and knowledge for life, thank you,” he added.
‘Collaboration is key’
Ogumoro-Uludong said collaboration and partnership with PSS management and public education stakeholders are “key to finding solutions and achieving goals.”
He also expressed his appreciation to the community for supporting him.
He said he has “engaged in many conversations with stakeholders.”
“We discussed challenges and successes and exchanged ideas about what’s working and where we can improve,” he added. “Many questions were posed to me. Some of them were, What resources do we currently have to fulfill our mandate? What additional resources are needed? How can we improve our cultural studies program? How can we further empower and support our teachers, instructors, administrators, and support staff? How do we expand instruction in our Covenant and Constitution? How can we better localize classroom instruction to include fishing, farming, traditional medicine and navigation, cultural preservation, and environmental protection? How do we cultivate more scientists, tech workers, and engineers that will support the future we envision? These conversations reinforce my belief that collaboration is key to finding solutions and achieving our shared goals.”
Ogumoro-Uludong also paid tribute to his late parents. “As the saying goes, none of us is as smart as all of us. I’m fortunate to have been raised by two phenomenal individuals who instilled in me a deep pride in our people and respect for the history that brought us to where we are today. My father, Francisco Uludong, was a passionate journalist and young activist during political status negotiations across Micronesia. My mother, Felicidad Ogumoro, a native Carolinian woman, played a pivotal role in shaping our education system. I pay my deepest respects to them and their legacy of public service,” he added.
CNMI Supreme Court Associate Justice John Manglona administers the oath of office to Board of Education members Maisie B. Tenorio of Saipan, Aschumar Kodep Ogumuro-Uludong of Saipan, and Anthony DLC Barcinas of Rota.
The 19th Board of Education, from left: Aschumar Kodep Ogumuro-Uludong, chair; Andrew L. Orsini, member; Maisie B. Tenorio, member; Anthony DLC Barcinas, vice chair; Antonio L. Borja, secretary-treasurer; Dr. Ron Snyder, non-public school representative; Dr. Dora B. Miura, teacher representative; and Vinnie Juan Q. Sablan, student representative.
PSS photo
