Hafa adai ,

As the school year begins, I would like to thank and reflect on how many people who are represented by our union have a direct effect on actually starting the year. From the paraprofessionals and custodians working in the hot sun to prepare for the opening of the school all summer long, to the port workers getting school supplies and new equipment off the ship. Equipment is purchased by the people in the procurement office and imputed by administrative assistants and clerks at school and in the central office. The nurses issue shots and boosters to children and teachers, and school nurses go over shot recorders to make every child safe and healthy. The police officers patrolling bus stops and controlling the speeding on the streets, that our bus drivers use to bring students to school. And the firefighters and ambulance drivers are there at the most trying of times. The people at GPA and GWA keep the lights on and the water following and safe to drink. The teachers are working together to create the best learning environment and have a healthy start to the new year. The counselors ensure the mental well-being of children attending school for the first time or ease the worried seniors wondering what they will do at the end of this school year. The GFT staff are already fielding calls to start grievances for broken A/Cs, keeping the bills paid, and coordinating TB shots.

We know together we make our home much better every year we start this journey we know it takes everyone to raise a child. So, thanks to all our sisters and brothers who are in the union in these shops who make the working environment safer, better, and fair for all workers to better our community through unity.

Have a safe and healthy new school year,

Tim Fedenko

President

GFT, AFT Local 1581

TB Skin Test August 6, 2022 10 AM - 2 PM

Date: August 6, 2022

Time: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Place: GFT Office, Mangilao

Update: 87 seats remain available for this event.

The TB Skin Test event is for GFT members and their immediate family only. Non-members may sign up to become GFT members to qualify. Please bring a valid ID at least 15 minutes before your scheduled time. Notify the front desk if your immediate family members will need assistance. Wearing a mask for this event is optional but recommended for your safety and the safety of the volunteers.

Register at https://eventsframe.com/e/ua6NtbTdC/gft-annual-tb-skin-test-10-00-am-2-00-pm/

For further assistance, please call (671)735-4390.

Remembering Saigon: From Vietnam to Guam

The exhibit will run from July 15 to September 15, 2022.

Location: TUMON SANDS PLAZA

Tuesdays to Sundays

12:00pm to 6:00pm

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR12pDx_Rq0

What does it mean to remember Saigon from the perspective of Guam? How have the fates of Vietnam and Guam been entangled during different time periods in history? This exhibit examines connections across cultures, colonization, and the Cold War. It opens with Vietnam’s origin story—the tale of Âu Cơ, the mountain fairy, and Lạc Long Quân, the sea dragon king—and its resonances with Guam’s own creation story—the tale of Puntan and Fu'una. We then detail how Vietnam’s history of French colonialism and US intervention parallels Guam’s history of Spanish colonialism and its current status as a US unincorporated territory. The majority of the exhibit examines Guam’s participation during the Vietnam War and its important role in processing Vietnamese refugees after the Fall of Saigon. Between April and November 1975, over 112,000 refugees were housed in Guam during Operation New Life. This exhibit highlights the stories of CHamoru Vietnam War veterans, Vietnamese refugees, and their Guamanian helpers. We feature historical artifacts, archival footage, important documents, and oral histories from the Micronesia Area Research Center at the University of Guam, local news agencies, the Memoirs Pasifika podcast, the National Archives and Records Administration, and collections from California. This exhibit ends with reflections on how the stories of Vietnam and Guam continue to be intertwined in the present as well as an invitation to visit Saigon, now renamed Ho Chi Minh City.

Miss Saigon

Miss Saigon is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency, Government of Guam, and the Office of the Governor and is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.

For more information: https://www.guamphilharmonic.org/miss-saigon-2022.html

To purchase tickets: https://wtpguam.ticketleap.com/

CONTACT:

Mr. Mervin Tamayo, Producer | e-mail | phone (toll free): 1-844-487-4364, extension 2

Qualifying for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer.

For more information:

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

PSLF Waiver Offers Way to Get Closer to Loan Forgiveness

Qualifying for PSLF

To qualify for PSLF, you must:

1. be employed by a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government or not-for-profit organization (federal service includes U.S. military service);
2. work full-time for that agency or organization;
3. have Direct Loans (or consolidate other federal student loans into a Direct Loan);
4. repay your loans under an income-driven repayment plan*; and
5. make 120 qualifying payments.

How to Fill Out and Submit the PSLF Form

You can fill out the PSLF form in one of two ways:

• You can use the PSLF Help Tool to assist you in starting the PSLF form. Once you enter your information, you’ll be able to print the partially completed form for you and your employer to sign.
• Or, you can download the PSLF form and complete all sections on your own before submitting it.