This was according to Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan, adding that “more is expected from our students” to excel in terms of learning, behavior, and student attitude toward self-directed learning.
She reiterated that “all students from Grades 7 through 12 will each get laptops.”
PSS has begun distributing the laptops this school year which also saw a 1.3 percent increase in enrollment. There are now 11,100 students in all grade levels, K-12.
“In this information age, our students quickly embrace technology and the fastest way to use technology particularly computers and laptops is through the internet. The state Board of Education and the PSS leadership team’s initiative to infuse technology into the classroom is considered another tool to improve learning,” Education Commissioner Sablan said.
“With proper teaching and supervision, our students and teachers discover new approaches and techniques to accelerate and make classroom learning better,” the education chief added.
The various public junior high and senior high schools, in consultation with their respective Parent-Teacher Associations, the Youth Advisory Panel and the student council are now coming up with ways to distribute the laptop at their respective schools — all with the aim of an improve student-classroom learning.
Hopwood Jr. High School principal Jonas Barcinas said “laptops are given to everybody…but they have to earn it” by following school policies.
“From wearing proper uniform which promotes unity and pride to valuing learning, which are all geared towards meeting our Adequate Yearly Progress,” these not-too-much-to-ask expectations from students are expected.
“In everything that we do for our students, we have proper procedures. With the laptops, we are not only having procedure but would require active student participation with our policies, goals and objectives,” Barcinas pointed out.
Because of Hopwoods large population, the distribution will be made phased-in.
Dr. Rita H. Inos Junior High School principal Maria Quitugua stated, “I just want our students to understand that these laptops are a privilege.”
Seventh and eighth grade students of Dr. Inos Jr. High will undergo a workshop this week on the use of laptops and their responsibilities, while a separate meeting with parents will be held about laptop policies.
“I want the parents to read and talk about the laptop policy for them to provide us feedback,” Quitugua said.
On Wednesday next week, 92 laptops will be distributed to Dr. Inos Jr. High School students, starting with the eighth graders.
From Wednesday through Friday of this week PSS will be distributing laptops to the private schools starting with grades 9 through 12 with a second distribution for grades 7 and 8 when the additional laptops arrive later this year.
Saipan Southern High School has already started distributing a total of 800 laptops to its students, and principal Jesse Tudela reminded students to “strictly follow the student policy hand book” on the use of laptop which is for “research, learning and to do good with their education.”
The one laptop per student program is part of the Public School System’s initiative that earned the support of the U.S Department of Education which awarded PSS with $24 million in State Fiscal Stabilization Funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support educational innovation.
