Students peacefully gather at BOE

Several students from the Kagman High School gathered outside the Board of Education office on Capitol Hill to peacefully protest yesterday afternoon the rumored reassignment of principal Benjamin Jones Jr. along with his leadership team at KHS.

The peaceful gathering which lasted close to two hours is the first of a planned weeklong student-led protest to be held from 3pm to 5pm on July 15-19.

Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, however, said nothing is set in stone as far as the reshuffling of administrators in Public School System campuses is concerned.

KHS student and key member of the student-led movement, Nicole Sundiam, said along with the protests, students have also released a petition for other students and community members to sign in hopes of keeping their current principal. As of yesterday, the petition already has over 1,000 signatures.

“This is a small island and everything is bound to get talked about. There had been word going around that our school’s leadership would be shuffled around and it was something many of my peers and I were devastated to hear. The whole thing is that not only Mr. Jones, but also other principals in CNMI PSS are going to be shuffled around. I’m not sure if any other schools and students know about this, but at KHS, we’re doing our part to use our voices and keep our principals from moving. Since we’re such a tight-knit and family-oriented school, the movement already has caught the attention of so many individuals. We know that Mr. Benjamin Jones, Mrs. Shirley Norita, and Mrs. Francisca Bondoc love our school and they are our pillars. They play such a huge role in our education. Many can vouch for what they have done for us as students and individuals and we all agree that without them, KHS would not be what it is today. I understand that their services and efforts may be needed to help other PSS schools, however, I believe that there are other ways to go about this,” she said.

At the protest yesterday afternoon Saipan Tribune was also able to speak to several KHS students and each shared their thoughts about the purported shuffling.

“Mr. Jones, Ms. Norita, and Ms. Bondoc. They’re more than just our principals, they’ve built bonds with kids and they’ve made a big impact in all of our lives. They are the school. They created this family and we owe so much to them. We know they have big plans for KHS and they’ve done so great these past couple of years together as a team. Every single one of them has played a part and they all matter to us and we really need them because they are part of the reason, we are who we are. Losing them would just—it wouldn’t be the same. It wouldn’t be KHS. We are the future and our principals they’re making us better people and they’ve influenced us in so many positive ways,” said incoming KHS senior Jayda Norita

Incoming KHS junior Jass Dikito told Saipan Tribune, “Our principals and vice principals, they took the motto ‘Students First’ seriously and they put us first before anyone else. Mr. Jones can come to us and just talk about our day, ask how we are, and you know, that really puts a smile our faces. Even when you speak to alumni from KHS, they can share just how Mr. Jones changed their lives. Some used to be troublemakers and now they’re not. And it just really helps you understand that like they take their family seriously. We consider them a part of our family and family is worth fighting for. That’s why we’re here.”

Vinnie Juan Sablan, speaker of the 19th CNMI Youth Congress, also shared his fellow KHS students’ sentiments.

“The word went around that there’s a very strong possibility that our principal, and I’m not sure if other principals too, but our principal would possibly be moved to another school. I think that a lot of people can agree that Kagman High is very close-knit. We’re very family-oriented. We all just vibe with one another, we all love one another, and when we heard about this, we decided we need to take action right away. I think that this shows just how close we all are and how much of a positive impact our principal has had on us.”

When asked about the importance of student voices, Sablan said, “I think that it’s super, super important. Student voices are one of the most important voices in terms of any decisions that are made that can affect us as a whole.”

Dikito added, “I feel like if students aren’t being heard now, then that could have a really big impact in the future. I’d rather see all of us succeed than all of us go down the wrong path, especially because they really help us choose it.”

She added as an example the impact their current principal and vice principals had on her scholastic journey. “I used to be a C, D student. Now I’m an A student.”

They shared that they hope PSS and BOE eventually hear their voices.

“We’re hoping that PSS and the Board of Education make the decision for him to stay at our school because we really feel that he’s just had such a positive impact on everybody and not just in our school, but the whole Kagman community in general. I believe he’s only been a principal for three years and I feel like that’s just the beginning,” said Sablan.

In response to the peaceful protest, Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho said BOE is always looking for new and creative ways to support the growth of the PSS community, which includes all of its stakeholders—students, teachers, staff, and partners.

“Our Public School System has a wealth of highly qualified personnel, including school administrators, who we want to utilize to address and meet the needs of our students, our largest stakeholder. Our PSS personnel’s knowledge, experience, dedication, and competence will allow them to assist us in carrying out this plan.”

Camacho said that his office and key management will continue to work with all school administrators and stakeholders to ensure equity in the schoolwide improvement plan, with the goal of upholding transparency and accountability.

“This is an ongoing and long process,” reiterated Camacho. “The outcome of the Strategic Planning Institute last June led to the creation of the strategic plan for school improvement, which highlighted the week-long session involving all stakeholders. Along with partners from various government departments and agencies, elected officials, education leaders, and the Board of Education were present at the event.”

He again emphasized that there is no final plan as of yet with regards to the reshuffling of PSS campus administrators.

“This is part of our long-term objective: To explore efficient ways to maximize the school district’s investment in its resources, including human capacity, by enlisting the help of qualified individuals to assist us in managing the growing Public School System family and the evolving nature of education—two major trends that are occurring in every school district globally. With the support of the Board of Education, we hope to achieve our goal of supporting the overall growth and success of our students, which is the intent of this long-term plan.”