Nearly 600 teachers to welcome students to classes today

 Students in public schools throughout the Commonwealth will start classes today with nearly 600 classroom teachers ready to instruct them.

Public School System federal programs officer Tim Thornburgh said that 575 classroom teachers are employed by PSS as of last week. He expects more teachers to come aboard in the next few weeks as contracts for new hires and replacement positions are processed.

Human resource officer Coreen Palacios, when visited at her office last week, confirmed that they are still processing some teachers’ contracts but refused to give the number of classroom teachers currently with the system.

All 575 classroom teachers are highly qualified pursuant to the No Child Left Behind Act mandate that requires all school districts to employ highly qualified personnel beginning July 31, 2011.

PSS will welcome today 10,737 students from kindergarten to high school in its 20 campuses on Saipan, Rota, and Tinian.

Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan reportedly visited Tinian schools last week to ensure that they are ready for today’s opening.

Sablan told the board that this year’s enrollment is composed of 5,288 elementary students, 4,987 high school students, and 462 Head Start students.

Regular classroom teacher assignments are also complete at 15 public schools-Gregorio T. Camacho, Tanapag, Oleai, San Vicente, Dandan, San Antonio, Koblerville, Tinian, and Sinapalo elementary schools; Chacha Oceanview Junior High School; Tinian Jr./Sr. High School, Rota, Saipan Southern, and Kagman high schools.

As of Aug. 25, PSS was still hiring 20 more teachers for Garapan, Kagman, and William S. Reyes elementary schools; Hopwood Junior High School, Marianas High School, and for special education classes in four other schools.

Besides the readiness of classroom teachers, PSS is also ready to transport all enrollees with 26 school buses and six mini vans.

Pupil transportation program manager Eric Atalig told Saipan Tribune that all 26 buses are considered new and fully operational.

For Saipan schools, Atalig said the department has 17 drivers who underwent professional development trainings and workshops to ensure passengers’ safety.

All buses will roll out of central bus station at 6:45am with first pickup at 7am.

Elementary schools will start classes at 8am, while secondary schools will commence classes at 8:30am.

The Food and Nutrition Services department, according to Thornburgh, is also set for class opening. It is set to deliver over four million free meals for the entire school year.

Thornburgh said that PSS estimates to serve over a million breakfast meals, 2.1 million lunches, and 960,000 nutritious snacks in school year 2011-2012.

Classrooms, school facilities

Kagman High School principal Alfred Ada said his school is ready to receive all 673 enrollees. He said KHS has 25 classroom teachers all set to start classes at 8:30am today.

Prior to today’s opening, Ada said orientations for both students and stakeholders were conducted to ensure the smooth transition of students.

At Hopwood Junior High School, a total of 1,114 enrollees will be handled by 43 teachers.

Because of the re-zoning implemented this school year, Hopwood is expected to be less overcrowded because many students from the villages of Tanapag and San Roque will attend classes at Chacha Oceanview Junior High in Kagman.

All major repairs and renovations of 20 public schools were funded by the $32.4 million state fiscal stabilization fund awarded to PSS in fiscal year 2010.

Beginning this year, two schools will start accommodating sixth graders. Kagman Elementary School will bring back its sixth graders from Chacha Oceanview Junior High, while Sinapalo Elementary will accommodate sixth graders from Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Junior High, which is now merged with Rota High School.