Garapan Elementary School

Executive Summary

Garapan Elementary School is located in the western-central section of Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The school opened in 1967 and was relocated to its current location in 1968 after a devastating typhoon struck the island. The school has a current total population of 610 students and serves the villages of Garapan, Upper and Lower Navy Hill, Chinatown, Puerto Rico, and Northern Gualo Rai.

More than half of GES students consistently qualify for the federal free meal program. Again this school year, all GES students will be eligible for the free and reduced breakfast and lunch program as a result of the Community Eligibility Provision implementation.

GES serves a diverse ethnic population, with close to half of our students being of Filipino descent. In addition to indigenous students of Chamorro and Carolinian descent, GES serves students from culturally blended families originating from the Federated States of Micronesia, Asia, and Bangladesh.

At GES, we live by the Philosophy and Mission that children are our most valuable resource. Each student comes to school as a dynamic individual with diverse experiences and abilities. It is our primary goal to build in our students an enthusiasm for learning and a appreciation / awareness for themselves and others. We believe that with involved families and a caring community, each child can reach his/her potential. By providing an environment for our students that promotes intellectual, academic, and social growth, we create a brighter future for our school and community.

GES staff are composed of 28 Highly Qualified Teachers, 1 Non-Highly Qualified Teacher with a Memorandum of Agreement to achieve HQT status, 2 Literacy Coaches, 3 Highly Qualified Instructors in CCLHS, and 5 Paraprofessionals serving our students with disabilities. Administrative staff include 1 Highly Qualified Librarian, 2 Tradesmen, 1 School Aide, 1 Highly Qualified Vice Principal, and 1 Highly Qualified School Principal.

GES utilizes a variety of assessment data to determine students’ academic performances. The data presented in this report was derived from the GES School Year 2019-2020 STAR Reading, Early Literacy, and Math Proficiency Level Screening 1-3 Data along with the CNMI PSS-GES ACT Aspire Interim 3 Assessment data up to March 2020 only. Please note that outcome data for STAR assessments and ACT Aspire Summative are not available due to COVID-19 nation-wide pandemic school closure.

GES continues to be committed in providing quality education that meets the needs of our students, staff, and parents. With our combined efforts, we aim to meet the three following goals as stated in our School-Wide Action Plan:

Goal 1: Garapan Elementary School will have high expectations for student achievement to meet the needs of our student population of learners with diverse experiences, abilities and learning needs. By June 2020, an average of 33% or more of students in grades 3-5 will be at the ready or exceeding level in Reading and 35% in Math as measured by the 2020 Act Aspire Summative Assessment.

Goal 2: Garapan Elementary School will provide a safe and healthy learning environment and an orderly school with efficient operation. Therefore,By June 2020, 85% of all GES students will indicate a response of “I am safe at school” as measured by the Spring 2020 Advanced Ed Student Inventory (F. Section 4).

Goal 3: At Garapan Elementary School, in addition to educating our children academically, we will also focus on the social and emotional needs of our students to help them become productive, responsible, and successful citizens. We will foster a strong home-school-community partnership. By June 2020, at least 85% of all GES students will demonstrate a school performance of “Successful” in the MegaSkills as measured by school-wide quarterly report card data.