{"id":406168,"date":"2024-02-09T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=406168"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"FEMA-chief-tours-Hopwood-ruins-vows-help-for-speedy-reconstruction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/FEMA-chief-tours-Hopwood-ruins-vows-help-for-speedy-reconstruction\/","title":{"rendered":"FEMA chief tours Hopwood ruins; vows help for speedy reconstruction"},"content":{"rendered":"

Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell was on Saipan last Monday and saw in person the state of disrepair and damage caused by Super Typhoon Yutu to Hopwood Middle School, the largest middle school in the CNMI.<\/p>\n

The visit of the FEMA administrator comes as the U.S. Department of Education approved last Friday the request of the Public School System, through the Federal Programs Office, to reprogram a portion of its American Rescue Plan Act grant money for the procurement of modular and portable prefabricated classrooms for Hopwood Middle School.<\/p>\n

Accompanied by a team of FEMA delegation, Criswell flew in from the nation\u2019s capital and met with acting Education commissioner Donna M. Flores, who, along with Hopwood Middle School principal Victorino Borja, among others, toured the condemned school buildings.<\/p>\n

It has been six years since the extremely powerful typhoon devastated Saipan and caused severe damage to the school\u2019s infrastructure. Six of the nine buildings were totally destroyed. These school buildings have been cordoned off to the public since 2018.<\/p>\n

During her walkabout with Flores in the ruins of the sprawling campus, Criswell vowed to help expedite the reconstruction and repair of the school campus.<\/p>\n

Flores took the visit as an opportunity to plead for Hopwood\u2019s case.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of memories here. Most of the graduates here, being one of the oldest schools in the CNMI, are now parents and stakeholders of our community, and their children are also attending school here,\u201d Flores told FEMA Criswell. \u201cNow that you are here, we hope that we will finally see the realization of a new Hopwood Middle School campus. It gives us reassurance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Criswell acknowledged Flores\u2019 plea. \u201cYou had me pushing now [for the expeditious reconstruction],\u201d Criswell told Flores. \u201cThis is really, really a beautiful property [that needs immediate support].\u201d<\/p>\n

Saipan was part of Criswell\u2019s regional visit to all FEMA-funded projects. She flew in from the nation\u2019s capital to Saipan on Monday. She and her FEMA team flew to Guam yesterday for a separate inspection-visit before flying to Maui, Hawaii for a post-wildfire inspection.<\/p>\n

Criswell is the highest-ranking Biden administration official to visit Saipan in recent years. She was appointed by Biden in 2021.<\/p>\n

During their tour, Flores told Criswell of the keen interest of the U.S. Department of Education in the school\u2019s reconstruction, mentioning the September 2023 visit of the department\u2019s senior risk consultant, Christine Jackson, who flew in to inspect the campus and \u201cpledged to bring to the attention\u201d of Secretary Miguel Cardona the progress of the rebuilding work.<\/p>\n

Criswell held a private pull aside talk with Flores before wrapping her walkabout at Hopwood Middle School.<\/p>\n

USDOE approval<\/p>\n

The U.S. Department of Education approved last Friday PSS\u2019 use of its ARPA share to fund 20 modular classrooms that will ease and decongest the crowding of Hopwood Middle School. Flores shared this good news with Criswell last Monday.<\/p>\n

In 2020, FEMA announced that it had awarded $25.112 million for the repairs and replacement of buildings for Hopwood Middle School due to the damage sustained from Super Typhoon Yutu.<\/p>\n

Of the $25.112 million for PSS, a portion was set aside for modular classrooms. However, unforeseen factors delayed the procurement of the prefabricated modular classrooms.<\/p>\n

In 2020, PSS acted quickly and sought the use of its ARPA money for the modular classrooms. Then-PSS Federal Programs officer Tim Thornburgh made the initial effort to seek the USDOE\u2019s approval.<\/p>\n

Hopwood Middle School at that time was temporarily relocated to the FEMA-built temporary classrooms at the Koblerville Elementary School soccer field. It transitioned back to its old campus in the same year after 19 classrooms were renovated. The Koblerville temporary tent classrooms were closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

This year, Thornburgh\u2019s successor, Jacqueline Che, pressed on and followed up on the request for a waiver for the use of the ARPA money for modular classrooms.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for your request to procure modular, portable prefabricated classroom for Hopwood Middle School. The request is approved,\u201d said Iztali Ortiz, the U.S. Department of Education\u2019s Program Officer for the ARP-Outlying Areas in an email notification to Che.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that the PSS-ARP grant will be funding the modulars, the full amount [of $25.1 million] will go toward the repairs and building construction,\u201d Che explained.<\/p>\n

Flores said PSS is now working with various local and federal agencies, including the Office of the Governor\u2019s Public Assistance Office and FEMA in permitting work as they schedule the demolition of all six condemned buildings in Hopwood, to pave the way for the construction of modular classrooms.<\/p>\n

The demolition work is scheduled this month. (PSS)<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Acting Education commissioner Donna M. Flores, center, explains to Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell, left, and her team how the 2018 Super Typhoon Yutu damaged six of the nine schools buildings of the largest middle school in the Northern Marianas.<\/p>\n

-PSS
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