COMMISSIONER of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada on Wednesday presented the Public School System’s plan for the new school year to the Board of Education, which unanimously approved it.
On Thursday afternoon, elementary, middle and high school principals and vice principals met to review the reopening plan.
“Everything is in place,” Ada told the BOE. “We are ready to roll out our school calendar, our school menu, bell schedules, and bus schedules for our elementary, middle and high schools.”
He said the plan was put together by school principals and other stakeholders. “We will publish the plan in the newspaper and post it on our online platform.”
He added, “We are ready to open on Monday, Aug. 22.”
Face masks will be optional, but BOE Chairman Gregory Pat Borja appealed to PSS staff and personnel to “continue to protect our students and staff, so we ask our staff to continue wearing a mask while we are on our school campuses.”
Bell schedule
The bell schedules for SY 2022-2023 are as follows:
– Monday, 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Garapan Elementary School, Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School, Kagman Elementary School, Koblerville Elementary School, Oleai Elementary School, San Vicente Elementary School, Sinapalo Elementary School and William S. Reyes Elementary School.
7:40 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Tinian Elementary School.
– Tuesday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Garapan Elementary School, Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School, Kagman Elementary School, Koblerville Elementary School, Oleai Elementary School, San Vicente Elementary School, Sinapalo Elementary School and WSR Elementary School.
7:40 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tinian Elementary School. The Kinder morning session is from 7:40 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. while the Kinder afternoon session is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Middle schools will have different schedules.
Monday
8 a.m.-11:46 a.m., Chacha Oceanview Middle School
8 a.m.-11:55 a.m., Dandan Middle School
8 a.m.-11:45 a.m., Francisco M. Sablan Middle School
8 a.m.-noon, Tanapag Middle School
8 a.m.-noon, Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Junior High School
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Tinian Jr. Sr. High School
8 a.m.-noon for the online synchronous instruction at Hopwood Middle School
Tuesday to Friday
8 a.m.-3 p.m., Chacha Oceanview Middle School and Tinian Jr. High School
8 a.m.-2:57 p.m., Dandan Middle School
8 a.m.-2:45 p.m., FMS Middle School and Tanapag Middle School
8:15 a.m.-2:55 p.m., Dr. Rita H. Inos Junior High School
8 a.m.-11:40 a.m., morning session, and 11:55 a.m. to 3:35 p.m., afternoon session, Hopwood Middle School
High schools
Monday:
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Kagman High School, Marianas High School, Saipan Southern High School and Da’ok Academy
8:15 a.m.-noon, Dr. Rita H. Inos Senior High School
8:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Tinian Senior High School
Tuesday to Friday:
8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m., Kagman High School, Marianas High School, Saipan Southern High School and Da’ok Academy
8:15 a.m.-3 p.m., Dr. Rita H. Inos Senior High School
8:25 a.m.-3:10 p.m., Tinian Senior High School
Bus schedule
It’s also all systems go for the Office of Pupil Transportation and its 50 buses and vans, Ada told the BOE in his report.
PSS-OPT is expected to provide free transportation service to an estimated 4,000 students of the public schools’ over 10,000 students.
Bus riders are reminded to be at the bus stop 10 minutes before pick-up time.
For elementary students, it will be 7 a.m.; for half-day dismissal, 11:15 a.m.; and for full-day dismissal, 2 p.m.
For Tinian Elementary School’s kindergarten class only: Monday, 7 a.m. is the pick-up time; Tuesday-Friday morning session, 7 a.m.; for the afternoon session, 10 a.m.; for half-day dismissal, 10:40 a.m.; for full-day dismissal, 11:15 a.m. for the morning session, and 1:45 p.m. for the afternoon session.
For middle schools, 7:20 a.m. is the pick-up time; half-day dismissal,11:45 a.m.; and full-day dismissal, 3 p.m.
At Hopwood Middle School, the pick-up time is 7:20 a.m., morning session; 11:15 a.m., afternoon session; 11:45 a.m., full-day dismissal for the morning session; and 3:45 p.m. for the afternoon session.
For high schools, the pick-up time is 7:40 a.m.; 12:30 p.m. for half-day dismissal; and 3:15 p.m. for full-day dismissal.
At Da’ok Academy, the pick-up time is 8 a.m.; half-day dismissal, 12:45 p.m.; and full-day dismissal, 3:30 p.m.
Menu
In its report to Commissioner Ada, the school system’s Child Nutrition Program or CNP said two new menus will be added to the free meal program and will be served to all students.
The menus for the free breakfast and lunch program change every month.
“These menus have been vetted by our CNP and approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture,” Ada said in his report to the BOE.
The PSS free meal program is funded by the USDA.
CNP has also reported that all facilities, including school cafeterias, “are ready to serve the students and are up to par,” Ada said.
Moreover, the menus have been tested at all elementary, middle and high schools, he added.
“We are continually working with CNP and our schools in further improving our free meal program,” Ada said.
The USDA requires that local produce must be included in the PSS-CNP free meal program.
School cafeterias will reopen their salad bars instead of serving salads to the students in pre-packed containers, PSS-CNP nutritionist Erin Angela Camacho told the BOE.
In addition, healthy fruit smoothies will be served at all middle and high schools. At elementary schools, the smoothies will be served starting in the fall of this year.
“We are excited to engage with our students,” Camacho said.
