|
Here's
my two cents about this:
Before
I even knew who Dr. J was, I met Mrs. Jenkins at the
tender age of 5. She was the teaching assistant in
my kindergarten class, and although I do not remember
much from that time, I know that my parents are very
fond of her to this day because she is a very kind
woman who took good care of their little girl.
Just last May, I attended the graduation at SJS and
I was able to see Mrs. Jenkins again, and just seeing
her again brought me so much joy because anyone who
knows this woman knows that she always has a smile
on her face. I think that she is a huge loss to the
SJS community because she is responsible for nurturing
and educating the young children who are probably
away from their parents for their first time.
As I entered middle school, Dr. J's reputation was
well known. Most people who had experiences with him
were usually the troublemakers. He was tough and,
in the eyes of a 12-year-old, scary. Later on, towards
the latter half of high school, I discovered that
this was just tough love. He is a man who personally
cares about each and every individual in the school
and that is why he sometimes had to get tough on us
students. It's just like how parents scold us and
punish us--they are doing it so that we can learn
from our mistakes and grow up to be good people rather
than to put us down. Dr. J cares for his students
as if we were all his children. I never personally
saw the tough side of Dr. J, but I always saw the
caring side, especially during my senior year when
there was so much going on, with college aps, IB exams,
and other challenges.
SJS is what it is today because of Dr. J. We are the
best school on Guam in more ways than just academically.
And, I think that whoever made the decision to force
retirement upon these Dr. and Mrs. J are making a
very bad mistake. Although I may not be a parent of
a student at SJS, I fear for the current students
because they will not have the support of someone
like Dr. J.
-Eun Ju Kim, Class of '98
This is crazy! dhy mentioned something about dr.j
retiring, but reading your story is something else!
include me on your protest! hope we get to the bottom
of this ordeal!
tomoka kondo
c/o 1997
3128 numana road
honolulu, hi 96819
moka@butigroove.com
Thanks
for taking the lead on this "battle" (what
a shame, this is what it has come to). All my personal
feelings/history/experience with SJS aside (which
are all positive ones), this treatment being shown
to a man by the very institution that bears his own
name on its gym in bold letters is just shameful.
Nicole Soriano
Thanks
for the email. I received some information about Dr.
J this morning from my sister Deborah. Please do continue
to keep us informed. I am outraged by this, and please
give my best to Dr. J if you see him. I will be sending
him a personal note as well. I am utterly disgusted
by the hypocracy at SJS - it's been only 10 yrs since
my graduation... how
things have changed for the worst. What a shame!!
Take Care,
Eveline
I have not heard about the decision to remove Dr.
J from his position. I will try my best to attend
the meeting, but I'm not too sure if I will be able
to make it. I agree that he has helped me get to where
I am today. Please keep us updated with the latest
news on this matter. I will also check the website
out.
Joaquin Cook
Just responding to confirm my address. I am on the
island, but unfortunately the PTA meeting is 12 hours
too late for me... I'm returning to the mainland.
I will however say that the SJS experience for me
definitely would not have been the same without Dr.
J as our principal. It should go without saying that
as things are now, the future classes of St. Johns
will not have the privilege of knowing such a great
man.
Erik Robertson
Class of '01
Thank you for informing me of this disturbing news.
I have read some of the information on your website,
and I am appalled by the actions of the Board of Trustees
and the new headmaster. As an active member of student
government while at St. John's as Class President,
Secretary/treasurer, and Student Council President,
I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with
Dr. Jenkins for a number of years throughout my upper
school career. I can say without doubt that Dr. Jenkins
is a man with strong character and morale. He is mentor,
teacher, and friend to me. If there is anything that
I can do, please feel free to contact me at anytime.
Kind Regards,
Walter Chan
+1 617-818-6941
SJS Alumni '99
Boston, MA.
Dear
Mr. Nelson,
I cannot express the level of my dissapointment as
well as confusion towards recent news of Dr. Jenkins'
and Mrs. Jenkins' retirement. I write this email today
to hopefully provide some insight as to what these
two individuals have contributed to St. John's, and
why this news would cause such frustration.
From the moment I stepped into Mrs. Jenkins' classroom
at the age of 4 to the day that I received my High
School diploma from Dr. Jenkins, I have never stopped
learning valuable life lessons. Throughout these 26
years that St. John's has existed, there have been
many changes. Headmasters, teachers, students have
come and gone. However, there are the precious few
that have remained constant through the years and
have served as our guides, our role models. Dr. Jenkins
and Mrs. Jenkins have become valuable figures in the
St. John's community. Beyond any titles, they are
who we associate with the school. They are who we
remember as "St. John's". They have come
to embody all that we love about this school. It is
what we take away with us when we leave to face new
challenges.
Starting Fall of 2001 I was enrolled in the undergraduate
program in the College of Letters and Sciences at
the University of California-Los Angeles, where I
am currently a junior, majoring in Neuroscience and
English and preparing for a career in Medicine. Class
sizes are enormous compared to that of St. John's
and it was extremely difficult adjusting to the competitiveness
of 200+ classmates and furthermore being labeled not
as an individual but as a number. However, in those
difficult times of adjustment, not a single day went
by where I felt as though I was not prepared.
I realize that there are many issues that have come
to concern the faculty, administration, student body
and their families. Parents are concerned that St.
John's academics have become too difficult, taking
away from chances of developing social skills. While
I find that the real world IS INDEED about balance,it
is MORE IMPORTANTLY about an INDIVIDUAL's ability
to create that balance for HIMSELF. The real world
isn't going to "cut you some slack", when
things become difficult. The real world will not slow
down for you so that you will have time to develop
social skills. The real world will continue regardless,
and tell you "tough luck". It will have
no tolerance or sympathy for people who do not have
the discipline to keep up. If you can't handle the
work, come back when you can and you have. If you
don't have social skills, come back when youve developed
them. If you don't have a life, come back when you've
made one for yourself. THIS is what the real world
is like.
At St. John's, we all experience something that is
rare. We are placed in a community where teachers
become our mentors, our friends and our family. It
is a community where the individual feels trust, love
and support. It is a MINDSET that prepares you for
challenges to come. We see that we will make mistakes,
and it is okay to make them, as long as we correct
them and learn from them. It is a FOUNDATION and it
is a BEGINNING. There are many challenges, and even
more mistakes. But most importantly, St. John's provides
you with the comfort and the support to survive these
difficulties on your own, so that one is ultimately
pushed to his utmost potential. We are taught that
hardship must be followed by recovery. THIS is what
prepares you for the real world.
Methods may change. Classroom sizes change, structure,
scheduling, academic programs... Many of the proposed
changes will in fact be for the better. There will
always be change. We will always find ourselves being
thrown into new situations. There are endless ways
to model a school so that it'll look like something
else to come. It will be difficult for everyone to
agree on certain issues. However, I ask you not to
focus on
these differences of opinions, but rather, what Dr.
Jenkins represents, and furthermore the reputation
and name he is building (and has worked so hard to
build) for the 26 years at our school. Dr. Jenkins
has come to represent strength and integrity.Some
may scoff at the close-knit intimacy of our private
school. People suggest goals of expansion and growth
and change. But how can you get anywhere by forgetting
where it all comes from? How can one grow without
strong roots and a real beginning?
As I moved out from my small sheltered bubble into
"the real word" not a day goes by where
I don't think about and appreciate all that I have
learned from the loving support as well as the difficult
challenges that this school has had to offer. What
I walk away with is a beginning. A foundation that
will always be there, that I can count on, that will
NOT change.
I hope that this can provide you with a little more
insight about how much Dr. Jenkins is a part of our
school, what he has done for our school, and what
he represents.
Sincerely,
Sehee Inn Kim
c/o 2001
I'm
writing because I just heard that Dr. J is retiring.
However, it seems from the email that I received that
this is something of a forced retirement. If this
is true, then I think it is outrageous. Dr. J and
St. John's School are synonymous. Guam cannot afford
to lose a great mentor such as him, moreover, St.
John's cannot afford to lose him. I didn't really
get to know the new "head" at SJS, but everyone
knows that Dr. J is the glue that held that school
together and the driving force behind it's excellence...
All of the alumni-at least my class '99- are outraged!
We may have done our grumbling about Dr.J and the
infamous 'slips', but we are all better for having
known him. Please let me know what is going on and
what, if anything I can do.
Drea
Thanks for bringing the attention of the SJS alumni
to Dr. Jenkins' premature (unethical?) departure from
SJS. I'm not on island but will be checking your website
reguarly, hopefully to read about how you are winning
the battle for Dr. J.
Thanks,
Jennifer (Romero) Monaco '93
My
name is XXXXXXX and I was a XXXX graduate
of SJS. I ended up going to school at UC Berkeley
and now I have a successful career as a biochemist
with a top 5 US biotech company in San Francisco.
I am very sad to hear of this news, and like everyone
else I would like to know what exactly happened that
led to this situation.
As your website stated, Dr. Jenkins was a kind and
gentle man, but he was stern when he had to be. Nobody
cared for the students more than Dr. Jenkins and he
is the one figure that every graduate remembers from
this great school. I commend you on your efforts to
support him.
Please keep me or the website up to date with any
new information. You may use any of my comments, but
please keep my name and year of graduation confidential
because I still have relatives that attend that school.
You may share my name with Dr. Jenkins as he will
remember me. Best of luck to you while we try to get
to the bottom of this injustice.
Sincerely,
ALUMNI - Class of 1994
Hello,
I am writing a letter in regards to the very known
issue revolving the Jenkins. It's clear to all that
every single student who has known the Jenkins are
deeply hurt and deeply confused about the situation.
I read everything in regards to the situation and
I have just one thing to say to Jorge Nelson: What's
the big secret?
All I can say to our new principal of St. John's is
that by commiting this underhanded act you are staining
the good and clean reputation of the SJS community.
I bet you are wondering why I'm being so harsh. Well
it's because I care about the school and what happens
to it; it has and will always be a large portion of
my life and I don't want to remember it as the school
with. from my understanding, a conspiracy behind the
BOT and the new principal. I like many others are
"lifers" at SJS. I've spent 13 years of
my life in that school and have loved every moment
of it. Dr. J and Mrs. Jenkins were two of those who
have touched and influenced my life in many ways.
I don't know about you, but if you suddenly see Dr.
J as a "problem" then I would seriously
re-evaluate your views on this man. He is one of the
most hard working personel within the SJS community.
He is there when problems arise and he is there to
listen to the student body as well as faculty when
situations beyond their authority arise. I feel so
bad for Dr. J because he (if the situation is unavoidable)
has to retire abruptly. No sincere goodbyes or final
(and wonderful I might add) speeches to the SJS community.
What's left are tears by those who are shocked by
this event.
I like all the other alumni have chatted online about
this situation. All of us are confused. So I ask again
to Jorge Nelson and the BOT, What is there to hide
that you refuse to let the alumni, the faculty, the
student body, and most of all the parents know about
this sudden removal of one of the most beloved members
of St. John's? We're all angry (at least my class
is). That much is clear. You are just very fortunate
to have had this removal done after the majority of
the alumni went off island back to their studies or
else you know there would have been riots. After all,
aren't most of us that graduated from St. John's in
college? I hope you take into consideration to at
least give Dr. J a proper farewell.
Sung Yul Kim
Class of 2003
To
Whom it may Concern:
More often than not, it is my tendency to want to
go with the flow and believe what others may want
me to believe - a flaw in my character or nature,
perhaps. It is easier to ignore the problem and hope
that someone else will deal with it. But sometimes
there are things that are so contrary to my own beliefs
and my own set of truths that I cannot simply "go
with the flow". This is one such case. There
are those who believe that Dr. Dale Jenkins is a man
who perhaps may have done great harm to the students
who passed through St. John's School. There are still
others who believe that he is a great man who has
been wronged in the most grievous of ways by those
who should have been his family. Because I do not
know the details of all that has transpired in the
past few years or even what may have been happening
during the years I attended St. John's, I can only
comment upon the things I do know. In this case, what
I know is my relationship with Dr. Jenkins - or Dr.
J.
Dr. J was headmaster of the Upper School for as long
as I could remember. I, simultaneously fearing him
as an authority figure and admiring him for the ways
in which he interacted with the students around him,
entered into the Upper School having no idea where
I wanted to go or what I wanted to do. St. John's
prides itself on the accessibility of its educators
and administrators and my experience has shown me
that this institution has followed through with at
least this promise, providing an environment that
allowed me to speak freely with my teachers and yes,
even my headmasters. Dr. J is a man who helped me
understand my place in the world - showing me both
compassion and wisdom, sharing with me the knowledge
he has gained in his life. I knew that I could approach
him with confidence, knowing that he would give me
the truth and an objective opinion - not unbiased
because all humans have a bias, but objective. He
always gave me the truth but never in a frightening
or sugar-coated way. I always appreciated and admired
that about him. When I was applying for colleges in
my senior year, I spoke with him often about what
colleges I should apply to and what I should study.
We would often joke about our college sports teams
when I returned to the island for a visit - he, a
Poet at Whittier College and I, a Sagehen at Pomona
College - and the non-existent rivalry between the
two. He always used to say "The pen is mightier
than the sword and a sword is much mightier than a
chicken!" He never made me feel as though I was
lacking, always encouraging me to do my best, helping
me to see that my best is always good enough.
I acknowledge that my experiences with Dr. J may differ
from the experiences of others, but I highly doubt
that they were unique. Dr. J had a way of relating
to students, speaking with them instead of speaking
to, or at, them. I am extremely disturbed that a school
that espouses the importance of family and Christian
values would treat one of its own so atrociously.
Dr. J has been a pillar at St. John's for much longer
than I've been alive and has helped countless students
reach their goals and move on to bigger and better
things. My anger stems not only from the fact that
I know many more students will miss out on knowing
a man such as Dr. J, but also from his abrupt departure.
I do not understand why he needed to leave immediately
- in the middle of the school year and without warning.
Were the needs of the students considered? What about
respecting the many years the Jenkins' spent at St.
John's and the many sacrifices they have made during
those years? I also do not understand why there is
a gag-order placed on all that has happened - given
a better understanding of the reasons and circumstances
surrounding his departure, we might then begin to
focus on the things that need to be changed and on
the needs of the students. An air of secrecy oftentimes
implies guilt or wrong-doing and, in this case, the
implied guilt lands on the school. I am ashamed to
say that I attended St. John's School because I feel
as though there are no longer any ties connecting
me to a school I was once proud to say was mine -
no ties of friendship, family, honor or loyalty. I'm
angry, embittered and, most of all, disappointed.
I hope that the future is brighter than it seems because
we've lost a great deal more than some seem to think
we've gained.
Sincerely,
Charlene Woo
(Posted
1/23/04)
I have just received an email from my brother regarding
Dr. Jenkins' departure and my day just went crashing
down. I cannot imagine that a day like this will ever
come because Dr. Jenkins is the history and foundation
of SJS. He is part of the "SJS Family".
All three of us in the Whang's family have attended
SJS and I can confidently say that we all enjoyed
our education at the school. My brothers and I have
all known Dr. Jenkins very well and he was our mentor.
I remembered the first time I went to take the entrance
test and I was at the borderline of passing, but Dr.
Jenkin's gave me the benefit of the doubt and allowed
me to enter. He told me that if I did not do well
in the first year then I was to leave the school.
I have not only successfully graduated from SJS, got
both a BS in Biology and a MS degree in Physiology,
but I am also currently enrolled in dental school.
I owe a part of my success today to Dr. Jenkins because
he has given me a chance to succeed and I did. I will
be forever grateful for his kindness.
I do not understand why the BOT has decided to let
Dr. Jenkins go, but the reason better be damn good.
I think everyone from the SJS community deserve to
know why and we need to hear it now! The more they
try to conceal it the more angry people are going
to get. You cannot fire someone for no reason so spill
it! I want to know why anyone would fire someone so
important to the SJS community. Dr. Jenkins is not
just ANYBODY, he is a part of a lot of people's past,
present, and future.
I am planning to go back to Guam this summer and hoping
to visit SJS, but since Dr. Jenkins is not there anymore
there is no meaning for that action. I do not want
to go back to a school that has lost such an important
person and in a way I am embarrassed to be a graduate
from a school that is full of deception. SJS will
never be the same without Dr. Jenkins and by stripping
him away, the BOT have just erased a huge part of
my SJS memories. I guess I have the BOT to thank for
that, so THANK YOU BOT!!!!!
Lastly, I will like to tell the lady "Sheila????"
to stop writing about someone that you obviously do
not know well because if you do you will not have
written those nasty things. Dr. Jenkins is a kind-hearted,
devoted, understanding person and above all he is
a man with guidelines.
If you are reading this Dr. Jenkins, I just want to
tell you thank you for those wonderful memories at
SJS and I am glad that you were a part of it. All
three of us (George, Frank and I) are supporting you.
It is too bad that those graduating later will not
have you there to guide them through the years because
they will sure miss alot. I have definitely shed some
tears for you. Take care and you have done enough
good for SJS in all those cherishable years. You are
the legend of SJS!!
Thank you for reading my comments and remember to
always think with your heart.
Lisa Whang (SJS Class of 1996)
(Posted
1/23/04)
To Kaz:
As a fellow alumna, I felt I should add mine to the
voices of the others whor are not only shocked but
upset with this sudden decision. All we want is to
have our requests heard, to have the BOT or Dr. Nelson
provide a reasonable explanation as to how they came
about this decision. I attended SJS for 10 years and
Dr. J has and still is a good friend of my family's,
as well as, I'm sure, each and every member of the
SJS community, faculty, students, and parents, alike.
However, he was also a fair disciplinarian, a constant
role model, and a great leader. It's going to take
more than a politician's charisma and ambiguity to
shut us up, to put it bluntly. I have never met Dr.
Nelson, but just because his first name starts with
a "J" doesn't mean he can fill the shoes
of Dr. J so easily. An explanation, sir, is all we
ask. Members of the BOT and Dr. Nelson, you have seen
and must know by now our side of this decision. Now
all we ask is to see your side of it.
I, as well as others from my class, really appreciate
what you are doing, Kaz. You provide those of us who
are not on the island a place to contribute our opinions
in this matter. Just because we're not there to attend
the meetings and to physically voice our concerns
does not mean that we are not also affected. And because
we are affected, we, like it or not, are part of this
fight. And fight we will. I'm right behind you, Kaz.
Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Diwang Gomowad
Alumna, Class of 2003 |
