JROTC prepares for pilot assessment next year

A total of 784 students are currently enrolled in the Public School System’s JROTC program, according to PSS associate commissioner for student and support services Yvonne Pangelinan.

On Tinian, there are 77 cadets; on Rota, 45; in Saipan Southern High School, 147 cadets; Kagman High School, 242; and in Marianas High School, 264, according to Pangelinan in a report to the Board of Education last week.

For the Leadership Corps, a similar program for middle schools, there are 125 enrolled in Dandan Middle School; 228 for Hopwood Junior High School; 90 for San Antonio Middle School; 76 for Tanapag Middle School; 25 for Rota Hocog Inos Jr. Sr. High School; and no reported cadets at the Tinian Junior High as of last week.

According to Pangelinan, a program assessment pilot is scheduled for Feb. 28 to March 7 next year. A team will be visiting the Pacific region to conduct the assessment, she said.

“The CNMI, very fortunately, will be one of the first to go through the assessment pilot, which means we’ll have some upper hand in knowing what the criteria is,” she said.

In December this month, she said the program’s priority is to work with all its Army instructors and senior Army instructors on professional development for the assessment criteria.

She said this was basically to see what the instructors in schools are doing, and to work on “smart goals” aligned with continuous improvement and with district JROTC goals.

The assessment pilot next year is based on McREL standards, according to Pangelinan. She said the curriculum in place in all schools with JROTC or Leadership Corps have curriculum managers online and lesson plans that are all in line with this.

Also this school year, they have worked on defensive driving certifications for AIs and SAIs on Rota, which she said she knows is a “big concern.”

“We haven’t been able to get the defensive driving there yet. I think we are scheduled for December because we have to work with [Department of Public Safety] in making sure that their trainers are available on Saipan or either on Rota,” she said.

She said this was discussed with RHI, and there are now plans in place to provide compensation to bus drivers to transfer the students so they can do their drill competitions, or drill practices.

In November, a budget for JROTC and Leadership Corps was submitted, according to Pangelinan. She said they are working on a provisional contract to replace one of the SAIs that is leaving one of their schools, and that they have potential candidates to fill this slot.