These teachers are with Saipan Southern High School and they are utilizing their extra hours to “show their commitment to student learning.”
The teachers’ work schedule is from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Diaz said teacher may receive an additional $60 per day for the extra service they provide — but this is still subject to the Board of Education’s approval.
On Wednesday, the proposal will be discussed by BOE’s fiscal and personnel affairs committee.
SSHS vice principal Craig Garrison said the six teachers voluntarily teach students up until 5:15 p.m. each day to help these children acquire the needed graduation credit requirements in English, mathematics, art and science.
Garrison said SSHS has 32 teachers, including the principal and vice principal, who also teach in the classroom due to the school’s lack of teacher.
“We’ve asked the [commissioner] and the HRO if we can provide extra compensation to our teachers who are taking overload instructions,” Garrison said.
According to Diaz, PSS can use the funding for unfilled full-time FTEs to compensate the six teachers.
“There is a pay differential of $60 daily that is identified for this purpose,” he said. “We would like to inform the board that it is happening because we cannot find replacement FTEs for those classes and if that’s the case…the funding for a full-time teacher can be utilized to pay for their differential.”
Diaz said SSHS, so far, is the only school “in this situation.”
He commended the school’s “creative efforts” in coping with the financial difficulties of PSS.
