(PSS) — Throughout the summer months, public schools on Rota, Tinian, and Saipan offer a half-day summer program designed to provide uninterrupted learning support, ensuring that public school students are prepared to enter the next grade level when the new school year begins.
The 2025 Extended Learning Opportunity and Summer Program is a federally funded initiative that has been a key component of the Public School System for over a decade. The only time the program paused was during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite recent funding cuts from the U.S. Department of Education affecting all federal education grants, the PSS Federal Programs Office successfully secured the necessary funding for the summer program, in anticipation of changes to federal education funding.
On Tinian, the extended learning classes at Tinian Elementary School and Tinian Middle School focus on core subject areas: English Language Arts, mathematics, reading, and Chamorro and Carolinian Language and Heritage Studies. Additional support is also provided in various other content areas.
Students attend morning sessions with scheduled breaks and receive free meals through the Child Nutrition Program, as well as free transportation services provided by the Office of Pupil Transportation — both of which are federally funded.
Teachers remain on-site until 2 p.m. to prepare for the next day’s lessons. Every Friday, students participate in end-of-week reviews and assessments to measure learning progress.
Teacher Alicia Oliva, who works with fifth graders at Tinian Elementary School, said it is important for her students to be ready for middle school.
“We want them to be ready when they move to middle school,” said Oliva. “What matters are the results. We are now seeing that students are improving. You can see the progress.”
The summer enrichment program across the school district runs five days a week, focusing on English Language Arts or ELA, mathematics, reading, and Chamorro Carolinian Language & Heritage Studies.
“I am enjoying my class because I like coming to school,” said eight-year-old student Rebecca Estrella, who is learning mathematics and technology alongside her classmates.
Another student, Manuela Reyes, 8, said she enjoys her class because she gets to continue learning over the summer.
In her fourth-grade class, teacher Baby Abigail Erickson reported significant improvements in ELA.
“They’re good in ELA already. Now, we are focusing on math. I test them every Friday to evaluate and identify their mastery,” Erickson said
At Tinian Middle School, teacher Isabel Kiyoshi described the program as an “enrichment learning opportunity” for her students. She teaches a combination of sixth, seventh, and incoming eighth graders.
“During the first week, we started with Star Reading, then followed with Star Math. Last week, we did a post-test. We also ask them what they feel they need us to teach to support them,” Kiyoshi said.
The program began on June 23 for Tinian’s elementary and middle schools, including students in the PSS Special Education Program.
Teacher Thealanie Atalig incorporates creative and engaging methods in her teaching. She organized field trips to Taga Park and Taga Beach during the first week, with upcoming visits planned to the historic Tinian bomb pit and the U.S. Air Force’s RED HORSE (Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer) unit at Tinian North Field, a historic World War II airfield.
“Following the field trips, I provide prompts and guided questions for students’ reflections. At the end of the summer program, the students’ completed reflections are compiled into a book as an output of their summer experience,” Atalig said.
Across all summer enrichment programs, students utilize technology in their learning. The summer program is also being implemented at elementary and middle schools on Saipan and Rota.
In addition, a specialized summer program for middle and high school students is being conducted through the Career, Technical, and Education Program, which is funded under the consolidated grant managed by the PSS Federal Programs Office.
Three students of Tinian Elementary School teacher Alicia Oliva demonstrate their mastery in mathematics on Friday as part of the summer enrichment program. The Public School System has implemented this program for over a decade to provide continuous learning for elementary, middle, and high school students as they transition to the next grade level.
PSS photo
Student Rebecca Estrella reads technology-based learning instructions on her iPad.
Fourth-grade teacher Baby Abigail Erickson and her class prepare for their English Language Arts session at Tinian Elementary School.
Teacher Thealanie Atalig guides her Tinian Middle School students through an activity.
