Three Church Education System administrators over Latter-day Saint primary and secondary schools in the South Pacific met on August 15 in the School of Education Building with a group of BYU-Hawaii students hoping to eventually secure teaching and other positions.
Steve Iba, CES Area Director for the Church's 16 primary and secondary schools as well as Seminary and Institute programs in the New Zealand Pacific Islands Area, is in Laie to hold meetings with BYU-Hawaii officials and meet interested students. His assistants — Brett Macdonald, Director of Schools, and David Smith, Director of Administrative Services — also attended the meetings.
The CES currently operates schools in Tonga for approximately 2,600 students, in Samoa for about 1,500, for around 1,000 in New Zealand, about 700 in Fiji and approximately 300 in Kiribati."We have had as many as 60 or 70 Church schools in the Pacific at one time," Iba said, noting that over the years some "chapel schools" have been consolidated and others have been discontinued in Indonesia, American Samoa, Tahiti and New Zealand (the Maori Agricultural College).
"There's a real strong line drawn. We're not increasing the size of what we've got, but the schools we've got are getting better," Iba continued, stressing that the CES has no plans to open any new schools in the area, and that others might be discontinued in the future. For example, Church and CES leaders recently announced the Church College of New Zealand in Temple View near Hamilton will discontinue in 2009.
"What is the job market like in the existing [Pacific] schools? There is always room for an excellent teacher," Iba said, explaining that turnover in the islands, "is unpredictable. We know that often times the reason for leaving positions in the islands can come up immediately with family needs…in some other part of the world. It's hard for us to say we have a need for the school year 2007…[because] we don't always know until they come to the principal."
"But we always have room for an excellent teacher," he repeated, recounting that President Shumway has asked him "to try to get more and more BYU-Hawaii graduates out there."
"We are grateful you have some interest," he said to those who came to the meeting, and expressed a willingness "to answer your questions and provide encouragement, if we can. Your services are needed. The impact that good teaching can have on the lives of our youth out there is tremendous."
"Most of our schools, in most of the countries, have openings every year," Smith added. "During the year, openings occasionally come up due to certain circumstances — illnesses, etc. — [though] obviously those are less than at the beginning of the school year."
Smith also explained that salaries for teaching in CES Pacific schools, "in general, are based on Church salaries. The Church does a complete survey in each of the countries every three years to make sure we're competitive with — not equal to — companies and the government," he said, adding that factors such as degrees held and years of service also affect beginning salaries, "much like we've done in the United States."
"We look at whatever [experience] you've had. Generally the Church is also at or slightly above in benefits than the majority of corporations or government in each country."
One BYU-Hawaii student, not in education, asked about the possibility of other majors working with CES in the islands. "We're in the process, and have been for the past three years, of going into what we call shared services," Smith said, noting all the schools now rely on regional Presiding Bishopric offices for many administrative functions.
"For example, we don't have business offices any more. Human resources is the last function we're sharing; and by the end of the year, the Church will be doing that, too. Any internships [in other areas] would come through the PBO offices," Smith continued, suggesting potential interns work with regional PBO offices through the Career Center.
Macdonald also encouraged students interested in teaching positions "to submit résumés about a semester before you're ready to come down — between four-and-six months," he said. "You can contact us through the Career Center."
An information systems student from New Zealand asked if there were opportunities for computer teachers. "There are," Macdonald replied, and added that even people who work for CES to support computer resources "are merging with the PBO, but we also have teachers who teach computing classes at the high school level. We have some exciting things happening in this area," he said, mentioning the CES plans to establish future broadband connections in even some of the more remote schools.
Macdonald urged the students "to feel hopeful and optimistic about the future. I just want to tell you that things do work out, and doors do open, not necessarily exactly the way you want them to," he said, recalling he "went to law school, then became a banana farmer on my may to work for Church schools."
"Great things will happen, but it's really important to prepare, because that first day on the job you need to know your stuff," he said. "Be hopeful, be faithful, and be ready for good things to happen."