This comes as a result of a report from a WASC site visit team, which noted the school’s “nurturing, caring, Catholic environment, and its dedicated and caring teachers.”
In his letter to the school, Thomas C. Beecher, the commission chairman, wrote, “Please accept our congratulations on the quality of instruction being offered in your school.”
He added, “This action was taken after a careful study of the visiting committee report which noted many laudable aspects of the school.”
While the accreditation process is and should be an ongoing one of constant self-evaluation, the school’s official efforts for reaccreditation began in 2005 when school administrators led the school and prepared the 2005 mid-term report.
Each year after that, the school compiled annual reports that chronicled and analyzed the school’s efforts to meet goals and objectives laid out in the last accreditation study in 2002, while also setting new goals and objectives for the upcoming years.
According to the WASC site visit team, the school “has made significant progress on their previous school-wide action plans…[while continuing] to be flexible in their efforts to adapt to the changing needs and requirements of the school that affects student learning.”
Looking ahead at the school’s goals for the future, the team recognized that “the school community…is well aware of their needs and is prepared to implement the goals within its action plans.”
The team further noted several strengths of the school, including “a strong Catholic identity”; “a highly dedicated and committed faculty, staff, and administration”; “a spirit of collaboration and accountability”; “a strong sense of community and family amongst the stakeholders”; “a safe, healthy, nurturing, and positive environment”; “a rich array of co-curricular activities”; and “students [who] regularly participate and are successful in several local competitions and community projects.”
NMC accepting admission applications until Friday
(NMC) — It’s still not too late to apply and enroll for Northern Marianas College’s fall 2008 semester.
NMC is still accepting admission applications up until Friday, Aug. 29.
Students who are looking for assistance in paying for college classes have until Sept. 12 to apply for federal financial aid.
Financial aid staff members at the college gladly provide assistance in explaining financial aid options and filling financial aid forms.
NMC offers a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, as well as an associate degree in business, liberal arts, nursing, natural resource management, business administration (with emphasis in accounting, sales and marketing, computer applications, etc.), hospitality management, criminal justice, and more.
Applications for admission can be downloaded from the NMC Web site at www.nmcnet.edu.
For more information about admission, call 234-5498, extension 1523/28/39/40, e-mail [email protected], or log on to www.nmcnet.edu.
For additional information regarding financial aid options, contact Daisy Manglona-Propst at 234-5498 ext. 1527 or e-mail [email protected].
(DPS) — The Department of Public Safety’s traffic section will be conducting occupant protection-child restraint checkpoints on Aug. 28.
The first setup will be on Beach Road-Garapan by Fishing Base, from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
The second setup will be on Beach Road-Susupe by the multi-purpose center, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
For more information, contact Sgt. Juan C. Mendiola or Lt. Paul Ogumoro at 664-9085.
(Kagman Komunidat Association) — The people of Kagman and Precinct 5 would like to get to know you.
We will be having a public forum in September at the Kagman Community Center.
If you are interested, contact the Kagman Komunidat Association president at [email protected].
Summer interns final presentations
(DEQ) — On Aug. 27, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., the coral reef interns will present the work they have done this summer in the Coastal Resources Management Office conference room.
The community is invited to attend this celebration and witness the tales of the 2008 Coral Reef Initiative summer internship program.
The goal of the internship is to provide postsecondary students with hands-on experience working in the natural resources agencies: DEQ, the Division of Fish and Wildlife and CRMO.
Many thanks to the intern themselves for a job well done. This year’s interns are Solomon Castro, Georgia Cabrera, Daniel Villegas, Matthew Blanco, Teresa Miller, Phillip Johnson, Jose Quan, Francisco Palacios, Andrew Moses and Leovita Cabrera.
The internship program occurs yearly and is open to high school graduates and college students. For more information, contact Reina Camacho at 664-8500.
Rota takes pride in Talakhaya watershed revegetation
(DEQ) — Twenty-five Luta Livelihoods volunteers take pride in their successful planting of 20,000 seedlings in the As Onan and Alesna areas of the Talakhaya watershed at an appreciation lunch on Aug. 14, 2008 in Rota.
The project was facilitated by the Division of Environmental Quality-Saipan and Rota, and the Department of Lands and Natural Resources-Rota. This planting marks the second largest planting event on Rota.
The Talakhaya Watershed Revegetation project aims to reduce the nonpoint source pollution from running off steep slopes of the Talakhaya Watershed into the adjacent coral reef ecosystem.
Identified as a priority watershed in 2005 in the CNMI Local Action Strategy, revegetation of the badlands began in 2006 to address deforestation and soil loss caused by illegal burning activities.
Talakhaya has low nutrient soil, steep terrain and arid conditions, and therefore requires the careful selection of tolerant plant species along with addition of nutrient matter (via a slow release fertilizer tablet) to the soil prior to attempting to establish plants.
Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum), is one of the seedlings that has been successful in stabilizing the soil, and this year, 15,503 seedlings were planted.
Trees planted include 2,250 da’ok trees (Calophyllum inophyllum), 70 pahong (Pandanus dubius), 956 puting (Barringtonia asiatica) and 659 sosugi (Acacia confusa).
A total of 19,438 tree and grass seedlings were planted this year.
In addition, a pilot project was conducted where Bahia grass seeds were broadcast and secured using coconut fiber to create a fire break. The success of this pilot project will be monitored to determine its effectiveness.
To prepare for the yearly planting, DLNR-Rota propagates seedlings in their nursery providing the plants needed for revegetation.
DEQ-Rota coordinates volunteer efforts and other logistics.
Prior to the planting, the Office of the Mayor of Rota hosted the Luta Livelihoods Orientation.
The volunteers were trained by NRCS-Saipan staff to use GPS units and in soil science and management techniques to reduce the erosion and sedimentation of Rota’s coral reefs.
The GPS units were provided by CRM-Rota and NCRS-Saipan, and were used to record the seedling locations.
Rota’s Channel 5 broadcast the training session for all of Rota to view. Mariana Islands Nature Alliance facilitated the volunteer logistics this year.
Last year, 35 community volunteers planted over 22,000 grass and tree seedlings in the As Onan area. In 2006, student and adult volunteers from the Public School System planted 2,500 seedlings.
For more information about how you can ayuda Luta, save our soil save our reef, contact Kathleen Herrmann, Talakhaya project coordinator, at 670-664-8513 or [email protected]
DEQ cleanup brigade to meet on Sept. 6
(DEQ) — The Division of Environmental Quality cleanup brigade will be at it again, this time picking up trash at Wing Beach on Saturday, Sept. 6.
If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, be at Wing Beach at 8 a.m.
Volunteers will clean until 10 a.m. and break for drinks and then continues, if needed.
This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least 10 monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three cleanups will receive a green brigade t-shirt.
Last month, volunteers removed debris from Makaka Beach.
The last time Wing Beach was selected as a brigade location was Sept. 2007.
The DEQ cleanup brigade began in 1996 and continues to maintain clean, healthy beaches.
For more information about volunteering, contact 664-8500.
