‘Our home’: Talofofo Elementary School gets ‘A’ rating after sanitation inspection | News

The principal and staff of Talofofo Elementary School celebrated a glorious event early this week, giving next year’s returning students a near-guarantee that their small school will be ready to open on time.

The school was presented with its “A” grade from the Department of Public Health and Social Services on Monday, much to the delight of school administrative assistant Lou Chaco, who has led the charge to maintain the school’s rating.

It’s much easier to keep a school orderly and always be ready, rather than trying to rally the troops right before an inspection, she said.

The placard they received is supposed to be posted in a prominent place in the school office, and only Public Health can remove it.

But before doing that, Chaco, along with Acting Principal Emily Meno, office clerks and other school aides, paraded their rating from class to class to share the good news.

Every class cheered, she said, and it was a highly emotional event.

“This is our home,” said Chaco, who has worked at the school since 1996.

She added that her four adult children are also former students there.

“It’s a small school, and it’s very old, but it’s our school. We spend so much time here. Things are so good here, and we want to keep it that way,” she said.

Although the school received an “A” rating last year, Chaco wanted to attack an issue that cost the school six demerits last time.

The student restrooms and janitor area did not meet temperature and lighting standards.

Chaco worked through the Guam Department of Education to install air conditioners, as well as GDOE maintenance to switch out light fixtures.

She and her school crew of J.C. Manibusan, Irene Acfalle and school aides Charlene Crisostomo, Wayne Borja and Christin Chaco regularly walked through the campus and classrooms, identifying possible violations.

These they addressed as they saw. They were guided by the inspection reports and recommendations.

In the weeks before and after the school inspection scheduled for early May, Chaco, along with school staff and their spouses Jesse Chaco, Mark Crisostomo and Frank Concepcion, assisted her daily, staying as late as 11 p.m. to get things done.

They patched unsightly blemishes on ceilings and walls, and filled and painted holes in walkways. As much as she wanted to change the windows whose handles were frozen by rust and time, she said she could live with three demerits.

“We did not stop until it was done, and whatever we did, it was all we could do,” Chaco said.

Inspectors returned on May 6, and Meno and Chaco were only too happy to show results of the staff’s hard work.

Chaco credits Meno for her support, even as she split her principal duties between Talofofo and Inarajan Elementary.

She also thanked the staff, teachers and students. The sense of school pride was infectious, she said, and it was great to see ownership.

“The faculty and students really helped by taking care of their classrooms. They were inspired, like they were even crying like the kids when they saw the A card,” she said. “But it’s because we take it so seriously.”