Reported by: Cianna Yanger
The Guam Department of Education launched Operation Guardian, a short-term measure launched on Jan.13 to assist schools dealing with staffing shortages caused by COVID-19 and the recent surge of the Omicron variant.
According to GDOE’s Weekly Covid Dashboard, as of Wednesday, February 9, 2022, there are 309 new cases and 328 active cases across GDOE’s schools. About 13.7 percent of these cases are GDOE employees.
Every morning, schools in need of assistance request for help, after which staff from GDOE’s central office are placed in response.
Many of the staff sent to assist do not have backgrounds in education, teaching, and classroom management experience.
Jane Doe, a GDOE educator, explains how Operation Guardian helps from a teacher’s perspective.
“I think it’s a better solution than having teachers absorb the classes – but I do think that it’s a double-edged sword because you do have some people that aren’t trained to be teachers in the classroom,” Doe comments.
Another big challenge and concern is to make sure protocols are followed for both students and staff. According to GDOE’s Weekly Covid Dashboard, key mitigation measures that have been put in place include mandatory mask requirements, physical distancing, seating charts, promoting vaccination, and facilitating vaccination clinics for students through the ages of five to 11.
As of Wednesday, February 9, 2022, only 27.5 percent of those within the five to 11 age group are fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, the vaccination rate of those within the 12-17 age group is 80.9 percent.
Parents like Celia Dydasco understand that while it cannot be helped, she disagrees with the idea of placing untrained staff in the classroom. Schools should stay open – but staff and students alike must stick to protocols.
“I have nothing to worry about except for the fact that – you know – people are sending their kids to school sick,” Dydasco states. “That’s my main concern. If your child is sick, keep your kid home.”
While one of the main benefits of staying home is safety, students lose out on the important social interaction a classroom setting provides. In-person classes allow them to work with and learn alongside their peers as well as allow teachers to assist them should they be struggling.
For students like Aiden Dydasco, being back in person has been a welcome change.
“Pros are I get to see my friends, and I’m not as distracted,” Dydasco says. Aside from being required to wear a mask, the fact he can interact with his friends far outweighs his experience of attending school online.
As of Tuesday, February 1, 2022, GDOE has reported a lower number of central staff being deployed for Operation Guardian. While Operation Guardian keeps schools open, Doe believes this should be kept as a contingency plan and not a regular response to staffing shortages during emergencies.
“I honestly think it should be kept as a last resort,” Doe says. “Not only you’re having a high turnover of different subs – but you’re disrupting those people’s original jobs. But I think it’s a better idea than having to have teachers absorb classes in an already full class.”