PSS welcomes 51 new teachers, more expected

About 51 new teachers were hired for public schools for school year 2004-2005. The number is, however, expected to increase as several more applications are being reviewed, according to the Public School System.

Assistant human resources officer Marisol Sonoda said yesterday that with the addition of the newly hired teachers, the total number of teachers currently within public schools in the Commonwealth is currently at 589.

“We still have several applications that are being processed,” she said. “Applicants are still being interviewed and assessment is still being done.”

An orientation was held last Friday for the newly hired teachers.

Sonoda said that several schools are still in need of teachers, including Rota High School, Tinian Jr.-Sr. High School, and Garapan Elementary School, among others.

The PSS earlier proposed an increase in Consolidated Grant funds for next school year to support acquiring an additional 65 teachers in hopes of posting a 20:1 student-teacher ratio.

So far this year, a total of 11,213 students have enrolled in public schools, a 5.9 percent increase compared with last year’s, which posted 10,581.

Based on the data given—total number of teachers and total number of students per school—five schools exceed the student-teacher ratio desired by the PSS. However, the ratios may be different within each grade level of the school as some classes may have a higher number of students compared with other classes.

Based on the data provided, the five schools that exceed the desired student-teacher ratio are Saipan Southern High School, Chacha Oceanview Junior High School, Kagman Elementary School, Kagman High School, and Marianas High School.

With 794 students and 32 teachers, the current ratio at SSHS is 24:1, while the ratio at Chacha Junior High is 23:1. The remaining three schools each post ratios of 21 students to 1 teacher.

Two other schools, Dandan and Koblerville elementary schools, post student-teacher ratios of 20:1.

Other schools include Garapan Elementary School, with 19:1; San Antonio Elementary School, 18:1; Tinian and William S. Reyes elementary schools, 17:1; Sinapalo Elementary School, 16:1; Oleai Elementary School, 14:1; Gregorio T. Camacho and Tanapag elementary schools, 13:1; Tinian Jr.-High School and Rota Junior High School, also with 13:1; and Rota High School, 11:1.

Meanwhile, Sonoda said yesterday that the PSS lost about 60 teachers after last school year.

PSS was granted about $9.8 million in Consolidated Grants from the U.S. Department of Education for this school year—which started this Monday—and is seeking a little over $10 million for next school year.