2nd chance to get a high school diploma expanded

By Marconi Calindas
Reporter

High school dropouts are being given another chance to continue their education, after the Advanced Development Institute expanded its alternative high school program to Kagman High School. Later, it would be expanded to Saipan Southern High School.

Public School System ADI program coordinator Frances Sablan said the only challenge the institution now faces is curbing the “attrition” rate at the institute.

“Half of them drop out every trimester because of family problems. It would hit me hard as a teacher that half of the attendees would drop out,” she said.

Sablan said the challenge would be to maintain at least 50 percent of the enrollees.

ADI has been giving free courses in English, Math, Community Resources, Consumer Economics, Government and Law, Health and Occupational Knowledge at the Marianas High School for the past four years.

But this school year, the courses have been divided to reach more prospective students. For this term, three courses will be taught at KHS, while four other courses remain at MHS. Next school term, courses will again be divided to accommodate prospective students at SSHS.

English, Math and Consumer Economics will be conducted at SSHS, while Health and Community Resources will be conducted at KHS. Government and Law and Occupational Knowledge will be at MHS starting this April. The assignment of courses at KHS and MHS, however, are not final, according to Sablan.

ADI was established in 2000 through the efforts of current Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos and former chairman of Board of Education Tony Pellegrino. Both realized that Saipan had people who were not able to finish high school but needed a second chance.

“We felt they needed to get into an alternate setting so that they could have a job, or join the military, or go to a private business,” Inos said. “Employability was an important consideration why this program was established.”

Inos said that the enrollees’ life situations do not allow them to go to a regular high school. “Some may have a family already so some people need to work during the day,” she said.

The program was modeled after the Northern Marianas College adult school program and competency-based high school diploma programs in Hawaii and Texas.

Since the alternative high school was established, the Saipan community has received it warmly.

In 2000 it had 148 enrollees, 154 in 2001, 119 in 2002, 139 in 2003, and in 2004 up to the present, the institute has 115 enrollees—both for the first and second terms. The institute has already graduated a total of 156 students, including last term.

As of this time, Sablan said the program is offered on Saipan alone, as ADI needs to solidify and institutionalize the program first before expanding to Tinian and Rota.

The institute accepts students with ages ranging from 16 to 64 year old, who signify a strong interest in pursuing a high school education

Right now PSS is financing the project with an average fund allocation of $45,000 per year to pay for coordinators, part-time instructors, and logistical expenditures.

Inos observed that the more the community’s adults are able to finish the alternative high school program, the more they seem to feel they can do better for the community.

“I believe, as they feel good about their accomplishments the motivation gets passed on to their children, who also will be able to have the same motivation,” she said.

Registration for the next school term is ongoing said Sablan. She said that the program is for free and each term runs for three months. Students only need to buy their own textbooks to complement the program.

Classes are held every Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays every week from 6pm to 8pm. Contact Frances Sablan through 234-3462 or through efsablan@vzpacifica.net for more information.