PSS welcomes back 8,604 students

The first day of school was a huge success, proclaimed Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, as a total of 8,604 registered students—401 students on Tinian, 405 on Rota, and 7,798 on Saipan—were welcomed to their classrooms yesterday for the first day of the 2024-2025 school year.

Camacho said PSS Central Office staff were spread all across the school district to provide support as needed.

“School administrators, teachers, and staff were all excited and prepared to welcome our students back to our learning environment. Parents were appreciative and students were just delighted to come back to school from their summer break. Moreover, Tinian and Rota schools also reported a successful first day of school. Office of Pupil Transportation staff, and of course our bus drivers, were just as excited as the students who stepped onto their buses. Our school maintenance and janitorial staff, along with food servers, were excited,” he said.

The commissioner also added that he received reports that the HeadStart centers also successfully received their students on their first day.

“Therefore, as I made my rounds visiting various schools [yesterday], I was just reminded of how grateful I am to have such hardworking and dedicated professionals across our school district from Central Office to our 20 public schools and 10 Headstart centers. Board members also visited our schools, and I am likewise encouraged by a very supportive board of education. The positive energy is evident, and I am confident that our academic enterprise and student support to all students, including Special Education students, is indeed top notch,” added Camacho.

Meanwhile, the Marianas High School retained their school schedule of 9am until 3:45pm. The school’s schedule was changed last year due to road construction and bus routing

“Studies have shown that if students begin school at a later time, their brains are actually awake. So far, it’s been working well,” said Romolo Orsini, MHS vice principal.

When asked if they will continue the schedule even if the construction is done, he said that even if he liked it, the decision is up to the Office of People Transportation as well as the Office of the Commissioner of Educaiton who determines that.

Orsini said MHS encountered a minor problem due to unregistered students, but they were still accommodated and processed for class schedules because the school prioritizes education.

The 56-year-old MHS building is also undergoing construction that delayed the teachers’ return to classrooms due to building renovations and rail system repairs, but despite the delay, the MHS team adapted and made the best of the situation. The renovation of the building is expected to be completed by October or November of this year.

Orsini also thanked the Department of Public Safety for their assistance of being along Beach Road that made the first day run smoothly and for buses showing up on time.

The first day at Oleai Elementary School went smoothly as compared to last year and the parents felt comfortable dropping off their children, according to principal Jasylene Parico.

“The students were excited, they stepped out of their cars, out of the bus, just feeling happy and just feeling excited to be back,” said Parico.

Vice principal Alisa Pangelinan said that they did not encounter any problems even with the registered students because multiple communication channels were provided.

“One of the ways we help to mitigate that with the parents about registration is we communicate through multiple ways. So, at the end of the school year, all the kids were given flyers, and then we also sent information via email via Infinite Campus, and not only that we put it in our Facebook,” said Pangelinan.

The school has a total of 366 enrolled students and according to Parico student registration and rostering for classes are their priorities.

Pangelinan expressed here gratitude for the collaboration in traffic mitigation as she mentioned that the school location is on a heavy-traffic area. She would like to thank Our People Transportation, DPS, and Department of Public Works. She also thanked Rep. Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan) for the notebooks he donated early yesterday morning.

Police Lt. Daniel I. Smith said that the traffic flow yesterday morning during rush hour went smoothly and he is glad that the motorists took alternative routes to drop off their children at school.