MHS, GES at all-time high; new middle schools open

Of the 10,000-plus and growing public school students, Marianas High School holds the largest number of students as of yesterday with 1,576—an all-time high; Garapan Elementary leads elementary schools with 805 students, and Hopwood Junior High School leads middle schools and junior high schools with 755 students—a decrease of about 400 from last year, according to Public School System officials.

There are more than 10,200 PSS students, with the number expected to surpass last year’s overall population as registration is still ongoing until this Friday, according to PSS’ Central Office.

Students of the newly reconfigured Dandan Middle School wait for their turn at lunch in a line outside their cafeteria. (Dennis B. Chan)

Numbers obtained from PSS for the island’s new middle schools late last Friday has Chacha Oceanview Middle School with about 320 students, Dandan Middle School with about 330 students and San Antonio Middle School with 321 students.

Education Commissioner Dr. Rita Sablan did not disclose up-to-date counts since more precise numbers for all the schools would be available Friday.

Available numbers from a Board of Education meeting last month had the public school’s Early Intervention Program with 84 infants and toddlers; the Head Start program with 462 children; Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary, 321, Kagman Elementary, 400; Garapan Elementary, 814; Oleai Elementary, 451; San Vicente Elementary, 670; William S. Reyes Elementary, 676; Koblerville Elementary, 158; Kagman High School, 655; and Saipan Southern High, 807.

For Rota and Tinian, Sinapalo Elementary on Rota had 182 students, Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr. Sr. High School also on Rota had 230, while Tinian Elementary had 274 and Tinian Jr. Sr. High School School had 271.

In an interview last Friday, Sablan said it would be safe to say that PSS would have anywhere around 10,000 to 10,400 students for the new school year.

Middle schools

Opening this school year are the island’s three new middle schools: Dandan Middle School, Tanapag Middle School, and San Antonio Middle School.

The schools were previously elementary schools but were reconfigured to accommodate the overcrowding in the island’s junior high schools.

Jonas Barcinas, Hopwood principal, thanked the commissioner for pushing the new middle school concept—which is aligned with Guam and schools in the U.S. mainland—with Hopwood experiencing it’s “first-ever decrease” in students.

He said they had about 1,200 students previously, but now they have 755.

Speaking on behalf of his teachers, Barcinas said they are excited for the new school concept as Hopwood is not as “over-cramped” as before.

“Teachers can really have a one-to-one [interaction with students]. They can spend more time with kids that are academically or behaviorally challenged,” he said.

With more middle schools, there would be more opportunities for academic and sports competition among schools, he said.

Barcinas said the lower number of students means instruction and meeting the children’s needs are more “doable,” as last year’s classroom sizes of 40 to 45 students stretched the capabilities and resources of teachers.

He hopes smaller classrooms will allow teachers to give students the attention they need.

Lynn Mendiola, a former vice principal at Hopwood who is now principal of the Dandan Middle School, reiterated Barcinas’ sentiment.

“A lot of the students that came in from Hopwood, they’re experiencing some shock because they said it’s a lot smaller compared to Hopwood where [there were] 1,200 students and here there is only like close to 400,” she said.

She expects the learning environment to be a lot better with smaller classrooms. “It’ll a lot be more intimate and a lot of the students will get to know each other more, and teachers will know every single student compared to Hopwood,” she said.

Mendiola said PSS has given them enough funds for a “smooth transition” into a middle school.

“We were able to purchase middle school materials, I was able to get all my staff as well as some furniture to open the schools,” she said.

Mendiola said their student-to-teacher ratio is good with the highest amount in a class being 24 students. Parents have also been largely compliant with registering their kids to their new schools.

“This morning we had about 20 or 30 students that have not registered, so it’s not that bad. We were expecting more,” she said.

James Sablan, of San Antonio Middle School, said the transition has been “smooth” and that teachers have helped with being very accommodating.

He also expects an increase in student numbers in the days ahead.