About 200 Special Education Program professionals, including related service providers, led by Special Program Director Donna M. Flores, pose for a photo with Public School System officials during a back-to-school professional development session at Grandvrio Resort Saipan on Friday.
Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho says the Public School System is ready for the new school year, which starts Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024
(PSS) — The Public School System on Friday wrapped a series of professional development sessions, training and other back-to-school activities in preparation for the new school year.
This Tuesday, Aug. 20, nearly 1,400 PSS employees will welcome over 9,000 students of 20 Saipan, Tinian and Rota elementary, middle, and high schools as well as 10 Head Start/Early Head Start centers.
Close to 40 school buses and special education vans will pick up students at designated bus stops/pick-up points, and drop them off at their respective schools or centers.
“We are ready to start the new school year,” Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Camacho said. “I am as excited as everyone else,” he added.
On Friday, Camacho joined Special Education Program Director Donna M. Flores in welcoming over 200 SPED professionals. These professionals include teachers, teacher aides, speech pathologists, speech therapists and related service providers. The PSS-SPED Program held its SY2024-2025 back-to-school professional development at Grandvrio Saipan.
In his remarks, Camacho said the special education program is “very personal” for him. “I am a brother and an uncle of persons with special needs,” he said. He knows how SPED professionals provide invaluable services and impact the lives of individuals with special needs.
‘First full school year’
This is the first full school year for Camacho, who was appointed by the Board of Education in January. The education chief praised the BOE members for their continued support.
“This is my first back-to-school experience as commissioner of education, and based on my conversations with our teachers, staff, parents and students, I know you have given everything you can to our children. This is because you are also getting all the necessary support from your leaders, from our Board of Education to our PSS central office personnel,” he said.
He also praised SPED Program Director Flores for her leadership.
“Director Donna is a great adviser to me, to us, on matters of special education program and other key initiatives of the school system. Her role is invaluable,” Camacho said. “This is the reason why you have my support and my team’s support at central office, to ensure that our SPED Program will continue to succeed.”
Based on school year 2022-2023 data, the PSS-SPED Program served over 1,000 students. Children with special needs and are receiving special education services are enrolled into the Early Intervention Program if they are 0–2 years old or the Early Childhood Program if they are 3–5 years old. The PSS SPED Program also provides similar support and program for students with special needs enrolled in private schools.
These services are provided by various PSS-SPED personnel, who represent about 20% of the school district’s total workforce.
“You’re coming together reassures me how committed you are as teachers, teacher aides, bus drivers, speech pathologist, therapist, administrative staff,” Camacho said. “Our students will not succeed without all of you, and you are supporting our general education teachers.”
Flores echoed the education chief’s message.
“You are the ultimate professionals who work together with our general education teachers. The commissioner of education is full of praise for you because of what you do,” she said.
The SPED professional development on Friday was facilitated by June Deleon of University of Guam’s CEDDERS Program.
