IT WAS refreshing to see Jon Fernandez, the new superintendent of the Guam Department of Education, taking his 7-year-old daughter Gabriella to her 3rd-grade class at Tamuning Elementary School Monday morning. Fernandez and his wife Melissa have enrolled Gabriella in one of the public schools for which her father has responsibility. That was nice to see.

It set the tone for what was, by all accounts, a successful first day of school for GDOE. “It was exciting to be out with the kids and parents on the first day of school,” Fernandez told Variety. “There was a lot of energy and I think we are off to a great start.”

For the most part, the new super said things are going very smoothly during this first week of school. He detailed some 40 of his central office deputies out to cover all of the public schools, and they were reporting back that the campuses and buildings looked nice and that the teachers were prepared and excited to be seeing their students – many for the first time – and were anxious to get the year underway.

One possible trouble spot, George Washington High School, was busy but able to efficiently handle the double session it has been required to implement. Because of work being done on a number of the big school’s classrooms, the students were divided into two groups based on their grade, with incoming freshmen coming in at noon for an afternoon double session. The rest of GWHS students are in session in the morning.

The choke point for the two sessions came at noon, as the incoming freshmen had to be delivered and then many of the same buses were needed to take the sophomores, juniors and seniors back home. Couple that with parents delivering their students and some older students driving their own cars, and you had quite a traffic jam. But given the obvious logistical challenges, the transitions went as planned.

One reason the campuses looked pretty good was the work done by hundreds of government agency and private volunteers in a school adoption program organized by the Calvo administration. “There was a very noticeable difference in terms of the facilities,” Fernandez said, “and a very positive feeling in the air.” He expressed thanks for the support shown for the schools and said he hopes that continues throughout the year.

We congratulate Superintendent Fernandez and all of Guam’s professional educators as they begin what we think is the most important work of our government, the education of our future generation. Well done! Class is in session.