ITEP Program in 1999 :
On January 1, 1999, Elder LeFevre reported that a cyclone struck Tonga. Although there was much damage no lives were lost. Some of the Church properties received some water damage but because they are well maintained they received little damage.
On January 5, 1999, Elder and Sister Rodgers returned to Fiji. It will be great to have them back and working again. Elder and Sister LeFevre continue their work in Tonga. They chose not to go home for the Christmas holidays so that they could accomplish more, which they have done. They have continued to carry out the ITEP program with success in Tonga. Word was also received from Elder Farnsworth in Salt Lake City that Darrell and Margaret Loosle from Meridian, Idaho, had been called to replace Elder and Sister Walton as the ITEP coordinator at BYU-Hawaii. Elder Loosle has served as Chief Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction in the State of Idaho. He has also served as Associate State Superintendent of Schools in Idaho, supervisor of Teacher Education and Certification and Administrator of the Professional Standards Commission, a school district superintendent, an elementary principal and a teacher. He served also in the CES system as a principal and teacher. Elder Loosle has also served in many positions in the Church, including first counselor in a stake presidency, Bishop, and High Councilor. Sister Loosle has served as an elementary school teacher and as a teacher of remedial reading. She has served in many positions in the Church including being a Relief Society President.
Elder Walton was asked by John Jeffrey to develop an outline for approving courses and instructors for courses in the ITEP program. He also asked Elder Walton to develop certificates that could be presented to each CES teacher on completion of one of the CES certification tracks. ( See appendix # 8 of the Memorandum of Agreement and Understanding document found in appendix # 15 of this history for the outline of instructions and copies of the certificates to be awarded for each track level in the ITEP program.)
On Friday, February 19, 1999, Elder Darrell and Sister Margaret Loosle arrived in Hawaii to begin their mission by replacing Elder and Sister Walton as coordinator of the ITEP program in the Pacific and assigned also as educational missionaries in the School of Education at BYU-Hawaii. Before they were to be released Elder Walton compiled this history of the ITEP program as a final project to conclude his mission and at this point in the history turned the project over to Elder Darrell Loosle who compiled the history from this point forward. On March 4, 1999 Elder Wilbur T. and Sister Wilma T. Walton left for Provo, Utah, after completing a two year mission as coordinator of the ITEP program in the Pacific and as educational missionaries in the School of Education at BYU-Hawaii. Their contributions during the pioneer years of ITEP will forever stand as a legacy for all that follow.
