AS part of the preparation for the start of the new school year, the Public School System today, Aug. 3, will launch a Commonwealth-wide vaccination drive at various public school sites on Saipan, Tinian and Rota for students 12 years old and above.
PSS is hoping to reach an 80% vaccination rate for its middle school and high school-age students.
The vaccination drive also encourages PSS personnel and staff to get vaccinated if they have not done so.
While it is not required, PSS is “highly encouraging vaccination” for students and staff to ensure safe classroom instruction, the Office of the Commissioner of Education said.
School year 2021-2022 will begin on Aug. 18.
PSS will work with government partners, including the Governor’s Covid-19 Task Force, and various parent organizations in implementing the vaccination drive.
“I am once again reaching out to our community to continue supporting us in giving our students uninterrupted learning and education opportunities,” Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada said. “We can do this by supporting our schools, school leaders and parents in getting our middle and high school students vaccinated.”
The campaign is called “Vaccination for Education” and Ada said it is about “getting everybody vaccinated so schools can be open five days a week.”
If PSS achieves its 80% vaccination target, all public elementary, middle and high school campuses will be open for full face-to-face delivery of instruction.
But safety guidelines will still be strictly enforced, including mask wearing, 3-foot social distancing, handwashing/sanitizing and temperature screening.
If the vaccination target is not met, public schools will conduct double sessions and students will be grouped into “static cohorts.”
There will also be increased mitigation measures, such as 6-foot social distancing, Covid-19 testing, suspension of group and extracurricular activities. In addition, the vaccination campaign will continue.
During an appearance last week on KKMP radio station, Ada said: “I know everyone misses in-person classes and we want to do it with guidance from the [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and the [World Health Organization]. Both are saying the same thing — that people who are vaccinated will fare better if they contract the virus compared to people who are not vaccinated.”
He added, “We turn to science to ensure the safety of our staff and students when we reopen our schools. We have to make sure that we follow the science. We’re trying to keep everybody safe. Safety first.”
Vaccination sites
On Aug. 5 (not Aug. 3 as earlier reported), Tinian Health Center will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon for the vaccination campaign.
On Saipan, Marianas High School will hold a two-day vaccination drive for older public school students on Aug. 3-4, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
On Aug. 5 and 6, San Vicente Elementary School will be the vaccination site for the second part of the vaccination of students 12 years old and above.
On Rota, Sinapalo Elementary School will open its doors for the vaccination drive on Aug. 7 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
For its part, Kagman Elementary School will provide vaccination shots on Aug. 8 to 9, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
Rota Health Center will be a vaccination site on Aug. 12 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
“I am appealing to our parents and community to support us, your schools, so we can reopen them safely for our students and staff,” Ada said.
