Five named as TOY finalists
The Public School System announced yesterday the Top 5 finalists for the 2024 Teacher of the Year.
The five finalists are 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 Education commissioner Donna M. Flores said this year’s finalists represent a highly competitive and experienced group of educators who excel in their respective classrooms.
“As we all know, every year our school district conducts the Teacher of the Year selection in 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 family,” Flores said in a statement.
The 20 public elementary, middle, and high schools on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota each sent their respective nominees to the state-level competition.
The CNMI-wide winner (state-level) will qualify for the national competition. This is held every December in the nation’s capital.
This is the second year that the winner is announced early—no later than the first week of October. This will allow for the CNMI winner to submit timely the requirements for the 2024 National Teacher of the Year competition.
The five finalists were chosen by a panel coming from 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 the Northern Marianas College.
Building upon this foundation, he pursued 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, which is “a testament to his commitment to integrating innovative technology into the learning experience of his students,” adds the PSS release.
Throughout his career, Indalecio has earned recognition for his outstanding contributions to education: He was honored as a 21st Century Teacher for the high school level, acknowledging his forward-thinking approach to education, and, for his remarkable he was named as Teacher of the Year during his time at the middle school level in 2015.
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 for 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,” the media release said.
Francis Mendiola
Koblerville Elementary School’s Francis Mendiola is a fifth grade classroom teacher that handles all core subjects including 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 KES Student Council advisor, KES Gardening Club advisor, Eland Environmental Youth Alliance advisor, Youth Advisory Panel advisor, KES Interscholastic Sports coach, CNMI STEM Logistics Committee coordinator, and the Board President for the 670 Sonics Basketball Organization, and Water Safety instructor.
He was also a finalist in last year’s edition of the state-level PSS Teacher of the Year.
“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,” the PSS media release said.
Born in the Philippines but raised most of his life on Saipan, Mendiola learned to adapt and embrace the island’s culture and people. After graduating from Marianas High School in 1999, he went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Hilo and graduated in May 2004. Upon his return to Saipan in 2004, he taught KES as a Computer teacher. Over time, he decided to further his education by graduating 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,” adds the release.
Maria Pobeda
Maria Lourdes Pobeda is a second grade classroom teacher from Sinapalo Elementary School in Rota.
She considers teachers her “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 her state as an AmeriCorps Site Supervisor,” PSS said.
Pobeda is an educational content creator who creates 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 was 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 recognition as 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 teaching 8th grade social studies in Hopwood Middle School.
Nishida started teaching at Hopwood Middle School in 2011 and soon developed a passion for teaching. Nishida taught 7th and 8th grade science and mathematics as well as general mathematics and algebra briefly at the 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 degree 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 to be advisor for National Junior Honor Society, Student Council, 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 HMS.
Sonya-Jane Olopai
Sonya Jane Olopai has over 30 years of classroom teaching experience with the Public School System.
She is currently a classroom teacher for Da’ok Academy.
She started her public education career as a 22-year-old at a local elementary school in Saipan in 1989. She was hired as a teacher aide with no experience in teaching backed by only an AA degree in Liberal Arts.
Olopai, however, with determination and perseverance, took advantage of the professional development opportunities provided by PSS and continued to take classes to pursue her degree in Elementary Education. She received her Associate of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts from the Northern Marianas College in 1988. With the collaboration and extension program between NMC and the University of Guam, she was able to receive her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 1997 from UOG.
In 2000, Olopai enrolled in the first cohort for the Master of Education degree with a Concentration in International Teaching offered at NMC through Framingham State University.
During the last school year, Olopai was hailed as Da’ok Academy Teacher of the Year awardee based on consistency of Achieve 3000 program usage and outstanding average student Lexile growth.
During the same year, she was awarded the 21st Century Educator Award 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 the societal changes and continues to educate not only students but all major stakeholders,” the media release said. (PR)
Teacher
Roque Castro Indalecio
Francis Mendiola
Maria Victoria Nishida
Sonya-Jane Olopai
Maria Pobeda
