Construction of two new high schools begins in Sept. By MARIAN A. MARAYA

The Department of Public Works is scheduled to issue a notice to two companies for the construction to two new public high school in Saipan this month.

Guam Pacific Power Corporation has been awarded the contract for the Kagman Junior High School project worth over $5 million while the Tano Group has been named contractor for the Koblerville High School construction project budgeted at over $4 million.

Both firms have already been issued intent to award notices which give them the green light to begin planning strategies prior to the NTP issuance, according to the Public School System.

Some $10.5 million has been appropriated to construct both schools. Untapped funds from the overall budget will be used to purchase collateral equipment for the campuses.

The Kagman Junior high school is expected to reach completion after 210 days from the date of construction while the Koblerville high school is targeted to be finished after 270 days.

The two new high schools are being built to ease overcrowding at Hopwood Junior High School and Marianas High School.

Koblerville and Kagman are considered strategic locations for the school sites as Board of Education members last year studied the impacts of future population shifts as well as the distribution of the student population.

School officials are hoping that construction of additional high schools would address discipline problems in existing schools.

Limited student population would also enhance more inter-student and teacher relationships, according to BOE officials.

“It would also encourage more interscholastic competitions between schools, not only in schools but in academics as well,” BOE Capital Improvement Projects Chair Tony Pellegrino earlier said.

The junior high school in Kagman is eyed to accommodate at least 600 students, anticipating a three percent student population growth at Hopwood Junior High School in SY 2000-2001.

The PSS’ 10-year growth projection for Hopwood is at 1,613 by SY 2009-2010.
With the two junior high schools on island, a total of 1,800 students can be conveniently accommodated, according to the PSS CIP committee.

The new high school in Kagman is also eyed to accommodate some 600 students.
Marianas High School currently has over 1,800 students for the school year.

Again anticipating a three percent annual growth in the student population, figures show that a new high school is indeed a necessity to accommodate 2,336 students in SY 2009-2010.