‘Static cohorts until PSS students, staff reach 80% vaccinated’

CNMI Public School System’s schools will be open for classes on Aug. 18, but whether these classes will be face-to-face, five days a week, or static cohorts will be determined by a school’s ability to have 80% of its eligible population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to Education Commissioner Dr. Alfred B. Ada last Friday.

In line with this, Ada said that PSS hopes to announce soon whether a school will be fully open or will have to conduct static cohorts by Aug. 13.

Static cohorts will be classrooms with students who will receive their education in-person, but all from one room during the school day to minimize the possibility of community spread. Students within these cohorts will not be allowed to participate in clubs or other extracurricular activities.

As part of his report last Friday during the State Board of Education’s virtual meeting, Ada said that 80% of teachers and staff at PSS’ elementary school have already been vaccinated and will more than likely be fully open this new school year.

As per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the eligible population for the COVID-19 vaccines are those who are 12 years old and above, which means elementary-aged students are not eligible yet for vaccinations, so PSS only counts elementary school teachers and staff for its vaccination rate at that level.

It’s a different story for middle school and high school, whose students are already eligible to be vaccinated and are therefore considered in the equation. Ada acknowledged that there have been challenges in upping vaccination percentages among these schools’ 12-and-older student population. Currently, Ada said that teachers and staff across all secondary schools are almost at 80% vaccinated, but for students the average percentage of vaccinated is around 49%. Ada said Tinian Jr./Sr. High School reported that 80% of its student population is now fully vaccinated, making it possibly one of the first secondary schools to fully open this upcoming schoolyear.

As for all remaining schools whose student populations have not yet reached 80%, Ada said that PSS has given itself the time window between now until Sep. 24—roughly the midpoint of the first quarter of the school year—to reach 80% across all secondary schools. If that goal is met by Sep. 24, all schools will transition from static cohorts to fully open, face-to-face classes.

PSS launched the vaccination campaign “Vaccination for Education” in June to encourage its eligible students to get vaccinated. Since then, the CNMI’s public schools have served as vaccination outreach sites to better provide access to COVID-19 vaccines to PSS students. Kagman Elementary School will serve as a vaccination site today, from 8am to noon.

With the first day of classes quickly nearing and the “Vaccination for Education” campaign in full effect, Ada said last Friday that all that PSS leadership can do now is wait. “Sept. 24 is our gauge. It’s a waiting game, but for the most part I’m going to try to get everyone back,” said Ada.