GTC, Tinian High are top performing schools

The Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School and Tinian High School have been named the islands’ top performing public schools this school year after the two surpassed the national percentile mark in the Stanford Assessment Test, or SAT-10.

GTC principal Charlotte Camacho, Tinian High principal Julian Hofschneider, and vice principal Eric San Nicolas were awarded plaques of exemplary performance during yesterday’s Board of Education meeting.

Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan disclosed that GTC emerged first place in the 50th percentile rank after it topped the SAT 10 scores in three grade levels: 50 percentile at third grade; 68 percentile at fifth grade; and 72 percentile at sixth grade.

Tinian High School scored a 50 percentile mark for ninth grade and 51 percentile for 11th grade.

SAT 10 is a norm reference test that measures student learning in all areas, including core subjects like English, math, science, social studies, and reading. This school year, the national percentile target was 50 percentile in the complete battery test.

At the elementary level, tests are conducted among third, fifth, and sixth grades while eight graders are tested for middle school. For high school, SAT-10 is conducted in the 9th and 11th grades.

According to GTC’s Camacho, 30 students were tested for sixth grade; 41 students for fifth grade; and 34 students for third grade.

She said this was the first time GTC got the highest SAT 10 scores in all three grades tested. In the past five years, the school ranked either first or second in different grade levels.

“We really owe it to our teachers. They’re very professional and have high regard in the standard instruction. We’re a team working together to really impact student learning,” she told Saipan Tribune yesterday.

Tinian High’s Hofschneider said that about 40 to 50 students were tested for both ninth and 11th grades. He said Marianas High School tied with Tinian High in the 11th grade with a 51 percentile mark. “Compared to last year, we did well this year and we will continue to improve.”

According to the Sablan, these results are a reflection of high quality teaching, effective school leadership, greater parental involvement, and the instructional goals set by the board for the Public School System.

PSS conducts two tests every end of the school year: the SAT-10 and Standard Based Assessment test, which is a criterion reference test that measures students’ knowledge in terms of PSS benchmarks and standards. SBA results are still being finalized as of yesterday.

Board of Education chair Marylou Ada, along with other board members, expressed satisfaction with the results.

“I credited this school year’s success to the leadership of schools…for their aggressiveness and innovative ways in teaching students. If you have an aggressive team and good leader, it makes a difference. All it takes is a lot of commitment and dedication to work,” Ada said.