Tiyan High School Parents and Students, Teachers Association, or PASTA met Monday evening to discuss what's next now that the Tiyan campus in Barrigada has passed the Department of Public Health and Social Services sanitary inspection with an "A" grade, zero demerits.
Tiyan High School Principal Sophie Duenas reported the results of a survey of 583 respondents, 359 of which were Tiyan students. The survey presented two options:
Option A: Return after passing inspection with THS students attending morning session and Simon Sanchez High School students attending the afternoon session on a double session schedule.
Option B: Maintain current double session arrangements at George Washington High School until Christmas break and return to campus in January 2027.
"The overall result: 79% of those who responded preferred returning to Tiyan High School after we passed inspection. 459 of them chose Option A. 108 chose Option B and 16 had no preference," Duenas said.
Duenas broke down the results further, sharing the responses by stakeholder group.
"Of the 24 staff, 92% of them chose Option A. The other part 4%, chose Option B. For the parents, of the 135, 87% chose option A, and 13% chose option B. For the faculty, of the 48 who responded, 85% of them chose option A, and 13% chose option B," Duenas said.
She said of the 359 students that responded to the survey, "almost three-fourths, so three out of four students feel very strongly of their choice to return to Tiyan High School.
"And we—I asked the question, 'How strongly do you feel about your choice?' And so, for all the students who chose option A, 83% said that they feel very strongly of their choice to return to Tiyan High School," Duenas said.
The school leadership also surveyed how the morning session of the double session schedule would impact the respondent.
"80% of the responders said that the morning schedule creates no challenges for them. 11% said it would create challenges, and 9% were not sure," Duenas said noting concerns over early wake-ups, transportation and family duties.
According to school officials, Tiyan passed reinspection of its facilities including the cafeteria, library, four science rooms and buildings J, K, L and I, with zero demerits.
Second floors A to E and front of H buildings remain cordoned off.
"So, the work that needs to be done is in buildings B and C right now. They're trying to finish it off. So, they'll focus their efforts in B and C until October 16, and then they'll continue on to building A and F and try to complete those by the end of October," Duenas said.
According to officials the automotive and carpentry labs will not be ready in October, she said work requires special order ventilation units.
Responding to stakeholder concerns over safety plans upon return, officials said Contractor work will be done outside of school hours.
"If we go full-on with just Tiyan High School there, we will have our full day of classes, from 6:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.," she said.
No decisions have been made on which option the department will take, and no return timeline was given with Superintendent Judith Won Pat citing permit issues with have two schools share one permit to include restroom ratios, busing, food service. She noted that she would meet with the Department of Public Works, Public Health and others before deciding on the return of students to the Tiyan campus.
"As you know, since I've been on board and been making decisions, I've been criticized for making some decisions without even conferring with others. So, to avoid that from happening, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to listen. I'm going to take your input. I will meet with those movers and shakers to make sure then that I've done my part when I finally make the decision ... with the management team," Won Pat said.