PSS pushes for career-driven high schools

Tossed with a relatively new concept, community members Saturday found themselves weighing the pros and cons of a Public School System move to implement a curriculum versus a district-driven attendance in Saipan’s high schools.

Some parents and public school faculty are apparently torn between stimulating the career interests of Saipan students amid persistent school busing problems.

With the anticipated opening of two new high schools in the Koblerville and Kagman districts in 2002, PSS has disclosed plans to offer specific cluster programs that meet students’ career goals and interests.

Under the plan, various vocational education courses will be made available at Marianas High School, Kagman High School and Koblerville High School, aside from the core course requirements which all three schools will uniformly offer.

“As a counselor, I support the curriculum driven attendance because I am looking at students concern, and what they are interested in. However, I don’t think PSS is capable of providing this interest in every high school. I would say that the major problem here is funding. Right now, parents are torn between their child’s interest versus transportation,” said Fabian M. Indalecio, an MHS counselor.

The PSS employee added all schools and students should be treated equally in that courses offered at one high school should be made available to other students in other high schools.

According to Kagman Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association President Anicia Tomokane, PSS still needs to hold more dialogues with community members from district to district in order to sell the idea of developing the curriculum-based attendance in the high schools.

“Right now, this concept is not exciting a lot of parents. Like any new concept, the pros and cons need to be looked at. Though personally, I am excited about it because it is a way of addressing the vocational needs of children as opposed to the regular high school,” said Ms. Tomokane.

She also echoed similar concerns on existing pupil transportation woes.

Some have also argued that parents would most likely opt to send their children to a nearby school for its convenience.

But PSS officials pointed out advantages to the curriculum-driven attendance, citing it would promote more individualized instruction.

The specialized skills program is also eyed to assist students explore career options for the future, according to Board of Education members.

At MHS, PSS is planning to offer courses in the fields of architecture, engineering technology, construction, health and nursing technology, family and consumer services, auto technology and computer technology.

Fine arts/audio visual and communications technology, computer and information technology, teaching and human services will be made available at Koblerville High School.

Meanwhile, at Kagman High School, PSS is set to offer courses in agriculture and natural resources, business management, finance, tourism and hospitality and computer technology.

Admission into the three high schools will be open to all students and the area of study the student has chosen to pursue will determine which campus she/he will attend.

According to MHS Acting Principal Peter Le’au, all students will attend MHS for the semester of school year 2001-2002 which will begin in August of 2001.When all three high schools are ready for occupancy by January 2002, students who have chosen to attend the new high schools will be transferred to the respective campuses.