PSS, SREB begin work, outreach on ‘Portrait of a Graduate’ initiative

The Public School System has begun its community and stakeholders outreach on a major initiative, the “Portrait of a Learner and Graduate,” designed to reinforce the school district’s current curriculum and programs for high school students, preparing them for their after-high school choices.

During his first strategic planning institute with stakeholders last June, Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho launched the PSS Five-Year Strategic Plan, which includes the “Portrait of a Learner-Portrait of a Graduate” initiative.

“Our Public School System’s goal is to produce high school graduates who are prepared for college, the workforce, and life. This initiative aims to provide our students with the confidence that they have a place in our community—on this island—and that they can use their knowledge and abilities to contribute,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Camacho during the first phase of the two-week session scheduled throughout Rota, Tinian, and Saipan.

Last Tuesday on Rota, Camacho, along with senior director for Instructional Services Jackie Quitugua and Career Technical and Education Program director Dr. Jessica Taylor, joined the representative of the Southern Regional Education Board, Dr. Linda Floyd, for the stakeholders session and outreach.

The SREB is considered to have pioneered and is now the leading organization in the United States to have explored the concept of a “portrait of a graduate” that aligns school district’s educational goals with students outcomes.

Floyd and Camacho facilitated the workshop and session with stakeholders of Rota last Tuesday that included Mayor Aubry Hocog, Rota’s Department of Labor, Northern Marianas College’s CREES Aquaculture Program, and the Northern Marianas Technical Institute for Rota. There were about 30 stakeholders that also attended, along with classroom CTE teachers and school administrators of Rota’s Sinapalo Elementary School and Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Junior High School.

With Camacho’s leadership, the PSS-CTE Program partnered with SREB on this initiative.

“Our five-year strategic direction calls for cooperation and partnership with all relevant parties, including our parents, teachers, school administrators, and community leaders. Our five-year strategic plan is basically in line with what SREB has,” Camacho clarified.

“With our initiative, we are supporting our children’s desire to be successful in life, to be problem-solvers of our community, and to give back what they learned from us to this community,” Camacho said.

Quitugua agrees: “What we currently have in PSS is exactly the same as their initiative (SREB). Our partnership is about how we can gather the visions of all stakeholders and why it is important in our goal of having high school graduates who are prepared for college, careers, and life.”

According to Taylor, PSS is working closely with the Southern Regional Education Board’s Floyd on the “Portrait of a Learner” and “Portrait of a Graduate” initiative, and Floyd will be conducting sessions and outreach activities through the school district, starting last Nov. 12.

PSS and the SREB team will travel to Tinian to meet with stakeholders on this initiative for a two-day event on Nov. 19-20, 2024.

Floyd will be conducting training on Simulated Workplace with PSS Career and Technical Education teachers and also conducting walkthroughs across our secondary schools. The training and professional development that will be taking place within two weeks will involve the school district, school leaders, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders. (PR)