(PSS) — Educators, advocates, community leaders and other stakeholders convened on Friday, Sept. 6 as part of Project Higai, a state personnel development grant awarded to the Public School System by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Program.
The goal was to continue the ongoing conversation about how to enhance the CNMI’s online professional development system for professionals and families so they can improve the educational outcomes for students with disabilities.
In Chamorro, Higai (pronounced hee-guy) means “woven palm leaves,” which are used in traditional thatched roofing.
Project Higai was founded to serve as a catalyst for crafting meaningful professional development by weaving in various nationally recognized resources and expertise with local stakeholders and expertise to create relevant, useful, and sustainable special education content and related services in island communities.
In October 2023, the U.S. Department of Education’s Special Education Program chose the Public School System’s Special Education Program’s pioneering initiative, Project Higai, as one of only five in the nation to receive a five-year state personnel development grant. The PSS-SPED Program is led by State Director Donna M. Flores.
During Friday’s gathering at Aqua Resort Club, 35 leaders from various organizations were in attendance. They included Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, school administrators, and teachers, PSS Parent Advisory Council members, Special Education State Advisory Panel and parents, agency partners, and the CNMI Parent Training and Information program administered by the CNMI Division of Youth Affairs.
Project Higai’s national partner, the American Institutes for Research PROGRESS Center, was represented by Dr. Tessie Bailey and Sara Evans while regional partner University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service was represented by June De Leon.
They joined the PSS-SPED Program team on site last week to oversee the development of learning course/modules for families and Implementation Support Practitioners or ISPs, who are special education teachers.
Project Higai’s coordinator is Jerry Diaz.
The Sept. 6 gathering, “Engaging Stakeholders in Professional and Family Learning,” also included sharing and gathering input on the progress of Project Higai goals and activities related to strengthening PSS’ professional development system.
The session featured the project’s first online special education course and engaged stakeholders in one of the course activities facilitated by the ISPs to illustrate the different types of activities incorporated into the course design.
Stakeholders, for their part, provided feedback on how the course can be improved to be more responsive to the cultural context of the CNMI.
Based on the feedback gathered, the project’s first online special education course will be updated and piloted with the ISPs and other special education teachers this fall.
Educators, advocates and community leaders gathered on Friday at Aqua Resort Saipan to discuss Project Higai, a federally funded initiative of the Public School System’s Special Education Program.
PSS-SPED State Director Donna Flores, left, and University of Guam’s CEDDERS June De Leon, 2nd left, listen during a meeting with community stakeholders, leaders and education advocates.
Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, center, listens during a meeting with community stakeholders, leaders and education advocates.
Dr. Tessie Bailey, left, and Sara Evans, 2nd right, of the American Institute for Research PROGRESS Center with June De Leon, right, of the University of Guam’s CEDDERS, and PSS Special Education Program State Director Donna M. Flores, second left.
Project Higai’s Implementation Support Practitioners with SPED Program State Director Donna M. Flores, Dr. Tessie Bailey and Sara Evans of the American Institute for Research PROGRESS Center and June De Leon of the University of Guam’s CEDDERS.
State Director for PSS Special Education Program Donna M. Flores speaks during the stakeholders meeting while UOG-CEDDERs June De Leon and Project Higai lead coordinator Jerry Diaz listen.
Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, right, and a group of stakeholders and advocates discuss Project Higai’s online special education course activities.
