For some teachers, island life is a new adventure

As the new school year approaches, students aren’t the only ones beginning a new journey as they enter the next grade level. Some of the teachers are also beginning a new career and a new life on island.

Because the CNMI continues to struggle to hire teachers from within the community, the Public Schools System, as well as private schools, are recruiting off island, usually from the mainland.

Jackie Van Dam, a recent graduate from an Iowa college, moved to Saipan with her husband a few weeks ago to begin a new teaching job at Saipan Community School. She is one of five teachers that moved to the island to teach at the school this year.

“My husband and I took the jobs because we have always wanted to go overseas and teach and this was just an answer to prayers. We thought it would be an adventure and a really great opportunity that we can experience together while we are still younger,” she said.

Van Dam said she discovered the job through an education job Web site.

“They sent out email alerts once new jobs were posted and I saw one for the Marianas Island, which sounded really exciting,” she added. “I had never heard about Saipan before. I didn’t even know where it was or that it was an island or it’s own territory.”

As SCS increases in size, it has become harder to find teachers for the small Christian school, Bobby Winkfield, principal of Saipan Community School, said.

The school began recruiting teachers by sending out fliers, posting job notices on the Internet and notifying churches in the United States about their need, Winkfield said.

The Public Schools System uses some of the same methods in recruiting teachers from outside the island, Ramon Diaz, acting director for PSS Human Resources, said.

PSS uses the Web site teacherstoteachers.com to post job announcements, Diaz said. PSS also travels to the mainland to recruit in person.

“That’s been very successful,” he said.

Recruiters only travel to states that require teachers to be Praxis certified, such as Oregon, Washington, Montana and Minnesota, because that is a requirement for teachers in the CNMI, Diaz said.

During the 2006-2007 school year, PSS recruited 30 off-island teachers, the following year, 35 teachers were recruited, Diaz said. He could not give numbers for the upcoming schools year because they are still in negotiations.

With current teacher shortages across the United States, Diaz said PSS must work hard to attract teachers.

“We do have to be able to offer a competitive total compensation package,” he added.

In addition to the normal salary and benefits, PSS pays for the airfare to the island, three nights in a hotel and three days of meals while the teacher gets settled on island. The benefits are for the employee and three eligible dependents, he said.

But the hardest part of the job for some might be the distance from the mainland.

Van Dam said it is difficult living so far away from friends and family in the States.

“[My husband and I] both have an amazing family and friends back home and leaving them was difficult,” she said. “It’s also hard not knowing anyone here really. We’ve met some awesome people but don’t have good friends or family we can see or visit when we need to get away from school.”

But Van Dam said island life is making the transition easier.

“The scenery is beautiful with the mountains, ocean and reef,” she said. “I love the fact that my backyard is the ocean. The people on the island are wonderful. They are friendly and inviting and very helpful.”