By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE Public School System on Thursday undertook the first ever live telecast of its semi-annual professional development activities using video teleconferencing and the E-rate program for teachers and administrators at three different venues.
Libraries and cafeterias at Kagman High School, Kagman Elementary and Chacha Oceanview were this year’s venues for the two-day event.
Ramon Diaz, assistant human resource officer and acting professional development coordinator at PSS, described the session as “breaking new ground” in terms of the school system’s technological capabilities.
“It was the first time to use video teleconferencing and E-rate technologies for our professional development day,” Diaz told Variety.
He said Kagman High served as the host location and broadcast the presentations to Chacha and Kagman Elementary.
In their message to PSS teachers and other personnel, Education Commissioner David Borja and Board of Education Chairman Roman Benavente said that although PSS is facing financial difficulty, the system remains united and committed to realizing its goals and focusing on its shared visions.
“When you leave these two days of learning, networking, collaborating, and sharing of knowledge and skills, you will return to your respective day to day responsibilities as more informed, more knowledgeable, more skillful and more supported PSS employees than the day before,” Borja said, adding that “ultimately, it is the hope of PSS that professional development days will serve as a handle in your daily routines of operating in the highest quality of service to the children and the community.”
He said the strategic priorities of PSS “are the guideposts and cornerstones of planning and the delivery of services.”
These priorities are high student performance, quality personnel, safe and orderly schools, and effective and efficient operations.
By 2008, PSS wants all students in the fourth grade to be reading at or above grade level.
By 2010, 50 percent of students tested should be at the 50th percentile rank. And by 2014, all students should be proficient in all subject areas tested based on standards-based assessments.