This partnership was reaffirmed on Wednesday when PSS began distributing free laptops to eight private schools.
This innovative educational approach is part of the $24 million State Fiscal Stabilization Fund that PSS “won” over other school districts in the region when it applied for a grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
And part of the initiative was the acquisition of 5,500 laptops to be given for free to all junior high and senior high schools of both public schools and private schools.
“This is what is good about our partnership, both parties benefit and all about student learning,” state Board of Education member Herman T. Guerrero told a crowd of junior and seniors students of Mount Carmel School on Wednesday.
“And it will not end there,” he added.
124 laptops were released to Mt. Carmel, and on the same day laptops were also issued to Northern Marianas Academy (12) and Saipan International School (74).
Yesterday, Agape Christian School and Seventh Day Adventist School received their free laptops, totaling 19 for both schools.
Today, three more private schools will receive theirs: Eucon International School (61), Grace Christian Academy (83) and Calvary Christian Academy (15).
“On behalf of the commissioner of education and the entire school system, we congratulate you and the private schools for this opportunity. We are now more privilege than in some other schools in the nation and let us put this opportunity to a better use…and that is to further our education,” Associate Commissioner for Administrative Services Peter Le’au said during Wednesday’s turnover.
The superintendent for Catholic schools in the commonwealth echoed the goal of Education Commissioner Rita Sablan.
“I ask our community to work together and be more responsible with this opportunity and let us use it wisely,” Father Ryan Jimenez noted. “On behalf of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa, I would like to thank the Public School System for making Mt. Carmel School a part of this grant.”
All private schools will receive a total of 388 laptops for its students, from grades 9 to 12.
PSS federal programs officer Tim Thornburgh said the free laptop initiative is part of the consolidated grant of the school system that “will be delivered to ten private schools.”
With this free laptop initiative, PSS has transformed the use of technology as basic necessity for all learning environments.
“Thank you PSS for this privilege. We may be a private school, but we are one in terms of the learning of our children. We have one and same goal of providing quality education to the children of this commonwealth,” Mt. Carmel School principal Margaret Dela Cruz said.
