GOV. Eddie Calvo has directed the Guam Economic Development Authority to move forward in working with the Education Board to expand Okkodo High School in order to alleviate overcrowding.
“It will allow them to house an additional 500 to 600 students which they desperately need in those northern areas and allow the superintendent to assign a task force to possibly look at attendance areas and provide for the other schools as well,” explained Rob Malay, acting deputy superintendent.
The expansion will cost $21.8 million, which will be acquired from a longterm lease-back agreement with the Guam Educational Facilities Foundation and Iron Bridge Development International II LLC.
Financing will be made available once the Guam Department of Education has issued a board resolution to support the project and issue an intent to hold the lease and fund the lease payments through the annual appropriation. Financing may be secured within 90 days.
“I’m asking the board to convene quickly to consider this so we can get this project started,” the governor said.
Other Guam schools will not be left out. A master plan to renovate other schools is also in the works, which was made possible through Public Law 31-299 authored by Sens. Judi Guthertz, Aline Yamashita and Rory Respicio.
“We need to look at it in total, across the island, to make sure that we address one issue and not create other issues. What I think we need to do next is to look at a master plan in how to deal with the population in our schools,” GDOE Superintendent Jon Fernandez commented.
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Make the schools accessible to our children who want to "walk" or "bike" to school
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