From the Philippines to Murrah High: Merry Delcano’s teaching journey
Delcano is one of dozens of Jackson Public Schools teachers who were recruited from abroad to fill vacancies, particularly in math and science.
By Asiah Knotts
When stepping into Merry Delcano’s first-period Botany class, you are met with the sight of a big handwritten welcome sign on the door and the sound of her greeting you with a warm “Good morning.” This invites a wave of comfort to wash over the classroom's atmosphere. Toward the front of the room is where her desk sits, a custom-made nameplate and yet-to-be-graded worksheets atop it. Behind the desk is a wall adorned with students' artwork and a board showing today's agenda. Above that is a “Believe in Yourself” sign, giving comforting advice to the students who sometimes need the reminder.
Delcano’s journey to this Murrah High School classroom was a long one — literally. She moved from the Philippines to take the job.
In recent years, Jackson Public Schools has recruited internationally to address teacher shortages, particularly in math and science. According to WLBT, JPS hired 37 international teachers to fill math and science teaching vacancies in 2023. Delcano, 36, was one of them.
“We were being told that Jackson schools were in need of science teachers,” Delcano said. “They offered us a bigger monthly salary compared to our salary in the Philippines.”
The opportunity excited her for other reasons, too.
“I am the kind of person who's a fan of learning new cultures and different traditions,” she said. “And I know that my profession as a teacher is one of my ways to move to different places, explore the culture, and share it with different people.”
“The best thing that we can do in our life,” she added, “is sharing our knowledge and culture, and be a blessing to others. I believe that people around the world are just the same.”
“The best thing we can do in our life is sharing our knowledge and culture, and be a blessing to others.” — Merry Delcano
While sitting down with her at her desk, she begins to recount her first day teaching at Murrah High School.
“My first day was November 23, 2023. I was assigned to be an observer at one of the classes here at Murrah,” she said. “I observed how Mrs. Visaya, the chemistry teacher here, was handling [Ida B. Wells] APAC students at that time. Then, the next day, the principal and head admin pulled me aside and told me that I would start teaching the next day.”
She said that her first day was tough.“It was my first time handling American students, but I just followed the JPS values, shared it with my students, then it was all good,” she said.
As a teacher in the Philippines, Delcano notes that the conditions and curriculum of JPS and Filipino schools are drastically different.
“Here in Jackson Public Schools, it's like everything is provided to the teacher, and also the students [have] their Chromebooks,” she said. “But in the Philippines, the problem is we have a lack of resources.We have like 60 students in one classroom so it's very different here, because the maximum number of students is just 36, almost half.”
Delcano also said that the curriculum at Murrah is more advanced compared to that of her previous schools in the Philippines. Still, she said she loved it there.
“Growing up in the Philippines was the most wonderful time of my life,” she said with a reminiscent smile. “During that time we didn't have gadgets or cell phones. We weren't using any devices, so what we usually did during our childhood was go to the beach and play with the other kids.”
When she was younger, Delcano said she always had an affinity for being in nature. “Since I was small, I loved studying those animals, plants around me,” she said. “I always had that curiosity to learn [about] the living and nonliving things around me. And because of my curiosity, I ended up becoming a teacher.”
Delcano now strives to pass on that same curiosity and passion for learning to her students.
“The only thing that I can do now is to guide my students to help bring the best out of themselves and prepare them for their future life,” she said.
Delcano won the Science Teacher of the Month Award in September 2024. From left to right: Dr. Nzinga Harper, Denavia Bell (JPS science teacher coaches), Merry Delcano. JPS District.
As one of Delcano’s former students, I can attest to her caring and attentive demeanor. She always makes sure that her students feel heard and seen as she teaches a new lesson. Her hands-on approach creates an inclusive environment where all of her students can grow.
