THE Public School System on Monday began its two-day professional development session with the participation of close to 1,300 educators and stakeholders from Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
Marianas High School’s gymnasium was filled to capacity during the opening ceremony.
The last time PSS held a CNMI-wide professional development and training session was prior to Super Typhoon Yutu in October 2018. The global Covid-19 pandemic prevented PSS from holding the event in 2020 and 2021.
Board of Education Chairman Gregory Pat Borja compared the jam-packed MHS gym to the first day of classes: “It feels like school is starting just from the amount of traffic I encountered heading here today,” he said.
The two-day professional development session is part of the school system’s ongoing preparations for the start of the new school year on Aug. 22.
About 10,000 students are expected to enroll in the CNMI’s 20 public elementary, middle and high schools.
“We have an amazing two days ahead of us,” Borja said. “Most of us will be learning the ‘ins and out’ of infinite campus and we will also dive into the content areas.”
In attendance at the session were all of the BOE members, Vice Chairman Antonio Borja of Tinian, Secretary/Treasurer Maisie B. Tenorio of Saipan, Andrew L. Orsini of Saipan, Herman Atalig of Rota and teacher representative Phyllis Ain.
Theme
This year’s professional development theme is “A Basket of Success Is Woven with Leaves of Knowledge.”
“You remember that we embarked on a partial return to campus last academic year (2021-2022) and managed to support a hybrid approach to learning without interruption…(and) this school year, we are happy to open in-person classes, and we will be successful,” Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada said in his remarks.
“We did our part in complying with health and safety measures we’ve put in place together with our partners, CHCC and CDC,” he added.
“Thank you for helping us reach our 80% vaccination goal, even going above and beyond that by taking us over 90%. I ask for your continued compliance with all of these practices and protocol to keep our community safe and healthy.”
NMTech, NMC support
Also expressing their support for PSS were Northern Marianas Technical Institute Chief Executive Officer Jodina Attao and Northern Marianas College President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero.
Attao reflected on her role as a former classroom teacher. “Children are blessings,” she said. “As a teacher, I learned from my students just as much as they learned from me. I grew because of them. I thought I had it hard, but I’d seen kids in my classroom who had dealt with way harder circumstances than I ever had.”
She added, “Kids made me realize so much about who I was and how I could impact others, so I started to count my blessings while [sharing] them, too.”
Attao then talked about the partnership between NMTech and PSS through a career-readiness program called “Trading Up.”
“We’ve tailored a hands-on, project-based curriculum in line with nationally recognized certifying entities standards for our high school students,” Attao said.
For his part, Deleon Guerrero noted that in the past, educational institutions appeared to be headed to different directions.
“I am heartened today to see that the heads of educational institutions in our islands — PSS, NMTech and NMC — are finally working together,” he added.
“I am heartened to tell you that we are now working on our strategic plans to align our goals and directions together,” he said, adding that he, Ada and Attao will meet once a month “to ensure that we are working together, so that we are rowing together, and sailing together towards a shared vision.”
A former BOE member and teacher, Deleon Guerrero also paid tribute to PSS employees: “I have nothing but respect for our public education. As a former MHS teacher, I’d be honest — it was hard. But you do it every day, even on Sundays, grading papers, lesson plans, you do that every day.”
Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada addresses close to 1,300 Public School System personnel at the start of the two-day CNMI-wide professional development session at the Marianas High School gymnasium on Monday.
Public School System personnel from Saipan, Tinian and Rota gather at the MHS gymnasium Monday for a two-day professional development session.
From left, Northern Marianas Technical Institute Chief Executive Officer Jodina Attao, Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada, and Northern Marianas College President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero pose for a photo during the PSS professional development session Monday at the MHS gym.
The CNMI Board of Education members: Rota’s Herman Atalig, Chairman Gregory Pat Borja of Saipan, Vice Chairman Antonio Borja of Tinian, Secretary/Treasurer Maisie B. Tenorio of Saipan and teacher representative Phyllis Ain. Not in photo is BOE member Andrew L. Orsini of Saipan.
PSS personnel listen attentively during the opening ceremony of the professional development session at MHS gym on Monday.
