Education chief now has better understanding of PSS

Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Camacho shared what he learned, plans to accomplish, and improve at the helm of the Public School System to members of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce during their general membership meeting yesterday at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan.

He said his first 100 days on the job gave him invaluable insights on how to manage PSS moving forward.

“I am excited to be having our strategic planning institute that will happen in the month of June. As I explained to the board when I just came in January, I need at least three months. I told them give me 90-100 days to listen, understand the environment, and collect data. So, we launched surveys to all of our community stakeholders so we’re gathering that data,” he said.

He added that he had also been going to different sectors in the system and speaking with individuals to get a better feel and understanding of the work ahead.

“Going out to the schools interacting with the students, faculty, and staff enabled me to take notes and get really good at understanding the environment so when we roll up our sleeves in June, we are able to then look at the artifacts and archival type information and data to be able to drive the strategic planning, but also have new fresh data that we’ve gathered over the 90 days and be able to use that as well. “

Camacho also reiterated PSS’ strategic priorities that includes student success, accountable high performing systems, high performing personnel, effective and efficient operations, safe and caring schools, and communications and community relations.

It’s also his hope for the community to have more engagement with the goings on and build better partnerships and coordination with PSS.

“We’re trying our best to make sure the community understand the impacts of the dollars that they invest for education for the type of graduates they want to get,” he said.

Camacho said he also want financial literacy incorporated as early as the middle school curriculum to teach students how to manage their finances.

“We actually have a curriculum in high school on financial literacy and in fact I’m going to be stronger and more firm in how we do that in high school but also even more in middle school. Currently the only place where you learn financial literacy in middle school is virtually. So, we are going to try to change that around. It is important for that to be a part of the curriculum. “

Through providing resources, experiential learning, coop opportunities, and strategizing, he wants to better prepare and give not only confidence to middle schoolers as they enter high school, but high schoolers as they enter society following graduation.

“We want them to continue to understand how to be successful in the modern globalized society, but at the same time we don’t want them to lose track of the values they have from their home that is the cultural aspects of things.”

Camacho also wants to hire more Carolinian bilingual teachers. This includes hiring individuals who may not have the teaching degree, but have ability to teach the Carolinian language accurately and can handle the classroom with ease.

Aside from retaining PSS’ “Students First” motto, he also wants to add the motto “Educators Always,” “because if we don’t take care of our educators, the students will never be first,” he said.

Camacho added that he has a lot of faith on the “very professional and competent people” of PSS.

Lawrence F. Camacho