Doing the Work on an ITEP Mission

I thought you might like to know what we have been doing to keep busy on our mission. What exactly do ITEP Coordinators do? ITEP stands for International Teacher Education Program. Elder Jacobsen and I are involved in coordinating, and in some cases providing, professional development for teachers, counselors and administrators in the 15 Church Schools in the South Pacific (in Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati, and Fiji). As ITEP coordinators we collaborate with the College of Human Development and Dean John Bailey at BYU Hawaii. Courses taught by ITEP missionaries are the same courses provided on campus from the School of Education. All ITEP couples are considered adjunct faculty at BYUH. The past two months Elder Jacobsen and I have been busy preparing for the Principals/ITEP conference held in Auckland in March. I start this blog post with a picture of the entire group of us at the conference, which took place at the Pacific Area Office for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The Pacific Area Church Schools 

Principals/ITEP Conference - March 4-8, 2013

Front Row: Elders Johnson, Osborne, Szoka. Jacobsen, Spencer, Whitehead, Budgett, Rasmussen

Second Row: Sisters Johnson, Osborne, Szoka, Jacobsen, Scott Wilde, Wayne Maurer, Sisters Spencer, Whitehead, Budgett, Rasmussen

Third Row: Jarod Hester, Debbie Brunton, Ora Ngakuru, LaveniaTaufalele, Harvalene Sekona, Etta Taumalolo, Fahi Fifita, Aloine Havea, Luti Fusikaunanga, Lita Iabeta, Sinua Fotu , Steve Mauigoa

Fourth Row: Michael Carthew, Mika Lolo, Tipo Solomone, Ngatai Smith, Vito QaQa, Folau Kioa, Bruce Yerman, Brent Chowen, Jack Taleni, Leo Leauanae, John Bailey

Before I tell you more about the conference I will backtrack a little in order to review some of the work we did in February... 

Being an ITEP Missionary at the Pacific Area Office

 Elder Jacobsen in our ITEP office which is located at the Pacific Area office for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Takapuna, on the North Shore of Auckland (city of 1.4 million people). 

ITEP = International Teacher Education Program

As ITEP Coordinators we are privileged to work with 10 outstanding ITEP missionary couples who live by the schools in each country and work directly with the teachers, counselors, and administrators. Listed on the bulletin board in our office are each of the couples by name and assignment.We love working with these former educators who are giving 18 months of their lives in service to the educators and students in the Pacific church schools.

Elder and Sister Rasmussen from Ogden, Utah are just beginning their mission with ITEP training at the Pacific Area Office. Bruce Yerman is on the left, Elder and Sister Rasmussen are next with Elder Jacobsen on the right of the picture.The Rasmussen's are serving in Kiribati at Moroni High School for 18 months. Sister Rasmussen is a retired elementary principal and special education teacher. Elder Rasmussen is a retired airplane mechanic. Bruce Yerman is the Director of the Church Schools in the Pacific. His role is similar to that of a  superintendent in the public schools. 

After training there was time for a trip to Hamilton, New Zealand and a session at the New Zealand  Temple.

When an ITEP Missionary couple flies into New Zealand for their training before reporting to their school site, we like to show off a little bit of New Zealand to them. One of the places we take the couples is to  Murawai Beach to see the black sand. It was gorgeous the day we took the Rasmussen's for a look. Sadly, a man died of a shark attack here a few days after we visited. Fortunately, shark attacks deaths are very rare in New Zealand.

We caught this man sailing over Murawai Beach. It looked like fun.

All the baby Gannets we saw in December are flying. This is an older Gannet as it flew in front of us. I can't believe I actually caught a picture of it.

New Zealand is known for it's sheep farming. We caught a few sheep in the fields here, but because of the drought this summer the grass is almost the same color as the sheep.

Now...back to the Principals Conference

The Pacific Area Literacy Team 

Left to right: ITEP missionaries Sister and Elder Budgett, Sister Spencer, Assistant Director of Church Schools Folau Kioa, ITEP Missionaries Elder Spencer, Elder Jacobsen, and Sister and Elder Johnson. A few days before the Principals Conference the Literacy team met together in Auckland. They were involved in the development of the 2013 Literacy Initiative for the Church Schools. The initiative was presented to the principals at the Principals Conference.

As the conference started the ITEP Missionaries met several times in breakout sessions. Elder Jacobsen coordinated these sessions.

Meet some of the ITEP Missionaries! From left to right: Elder and Sister Osborne (traveling couple over Technical,Vocational Programs), and Sister and Elder Johnsons (Tonga Middle Schools).

Elder and Sister Szoka (Liahona High School, Tonga), Sister and Elder Budgett (Vaiola College and Primary, Savaii, Samoa).

Dr. Brent Chowen, BYUH Dept. Chair, School of Education
 Dr. John Bailey, BYUH, Dean of the College of Human Development

Sister and Elder Whitehead, LDS Church College of Fiji and Primary School

The theme of the conference was..."for it is required of the Lord, at the hand of every steward, to render and account of his
 stewardship, both in time and in eternity." D&C 72:3
During the conference, the "court" judged each of the principals according to the great things they had done in their schools in the past year. Each principal was then declared "guilty" of helping students and given the sentence of having to eat one large Cadbury Chocolate Bar in one sitting. In this picture Etta Taumalolo, principal at Saineha High School in Tonga was rendering her account. This was a fun way to highlight the many successes happening in each school.

Principal Nia from Tonga was being judged by Hangin' Hestor and on the judging panel were Principals Steve Mauigo (Samoa) and 
Lita Iobeta (Kiribati)

Folau Kioa, Assistant  Director of Church Schools, introduces the principals to the Literacy Initiative being highlighted at the conference. Elder Jacobsen and I enjoy the sense of humor, warmth, and kind-hearted spirit of these school administrators.

Elder Spencer introduces the Literacy Initiative and what the principals will take back to their schools from the presentations.

This made me laugh...As Elder Spencer began his presentation to the principals this was one of the first slides, "I hope to die during an inservice, because the transition from life to death would be so subtle."
 Elder Spencer's approach to teaching is always filled with humor!  

A room-full of engaged learners. The principals were around the table and the ITEP missionaries were in the chairs behind.

Hanging Hestor is at it again. Principal Harvelene Sekona is being questioned by Judges Brent Chowen (BYUH) and 
Elder Szoka (Liahona High School).

Sister Johnson (retired State Reading Specialist in Arizona) begins her part of the Literacy training with a presentation about Student Engagement.  

Sister Budgett (retired Reading Specialist) discusses the Building Blocks of Reading in order to help improve student reading comprehension. 

Scott Wilde, from Church Headquarters in Salt Lake is the Administrative Assistant for all Seminaries and Institutes. He was an honored guest at the conference. 

Elder Budgett (retired middle school principal) is teaching the strategy of having student's retell what they have read in their own words thereby increasing comprehension. It is important to remember that the students in the church schools are learning in a second language (English). This makes improving comprehension even more challenging.

Lita Iobeta, Principal at Moroni High School in Kiribati is honored by Wayne Maurer (left) for completing her ITEP Administrative  Certificate.

The ITEP Missionary couples took time to enjoy dinner together on the last night of the conference. It was great to be together for a week and share ideas and collaborate with the principals and each other.

Sister Whitehead took this picture so I could join the group for the photo.

"Hair is HOT"! exclaimed Elder  Jacobsen when it was his turn to don a wig and be a justice for the "court". The judge was Michael Carthew and Principal Jack Taleni (Vaiola College, Samoa) was on trial. 

Bruce Yerman spoke towards the end of the conference and wrapped up all that was learned in the four days of meetings and presentations. Bruce does an excellent job and is a great leader. Working with Bruce and all of the Seminaries and Institute employees is a great experience for Elder Jacobsen and me. 

Elder Pearson is a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and is currently assigned to the Pacific Area. His interest and support of the Church Schools is incredible and very much appreciated.

Elder Pearson and his wife take a moment to pose for a picture with five of the principals from Tonga. 

The ITEP Missionaries do GREAT WORK! Thanks to them for their sacrifice and for their love for the people they serve.

Sister Whitehead and I share the exact same birthday (both day and year) so we are "birthday sisters". Our birthday happened to fall at the end of the conference so we were honored with a birthday cake and Happy Birthday song from the principals and ITEP Missionaries.

Jarod Hester (Assistant to the Area Director) is the man who controls the sacred tithing money that partially funds the Church Schools.The church's funds are well-managed and wisely spent.

Wayne Maurer, from Australia, is the Area Director of Seminaries and Institutes. Wayne closed the conference with some inspirational remarks and thanked the principals and ITEP missionaries for their work and dedication.

Love and prayers 'til our next post!