Palau RPCV Dr. Dale Jenkins appointed headmaster at Saipan International School
SIS welcomes new headmaster
Saipan International School has appointed Dr. Dale Jenkins as its new headmaster. Jenkins officially began his duties last Monday.
Jenkins is originally from California where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Whittier College. He served in the U.S. Peace Corps as a teacher in Palau, then went on to further his education and earned two master's degrees in Reading and Educational Administration and Supervision from the University of Guam. Jenkins' doctorate degree is in Education Policy Development and Management from the University of Oregon.
Jenkins has numerous years of teaching experience in California, Palau and Guam. In 1985, he was selected as a finalist in the NASA Teacher in Space Program. He founded the Independent Interscholastic Athletics Association of Guam and served for three years as vice president/treasurer. Additionally, Jenkins has extensive experience in international education, having worked with the International Baccalaureate Organization and the Advanced Placement Program to develop internationally recognized rigorous academic programs for high school students.
For the past 16 years, Jenkins had served as head of the Upper School at St. John's School in Guam. During that period, he was the chief administrator for grade 7 and older, and responsible for development of the high school program for grades 10 through 12.
Saipan International School is a non-profit organization, and is the only private school in the CNMI not affiliated with any organized religious group.
In the early 1990's, a group of parents wanting good education for their children combined efforts to form a new school. They wanted to create an environment that fostered academic, emotional and social growth in each child. On September 18, 1994, this dream became a reality. The school began with 45 students, preschool through sixth grade.
Enrollment increased the following year and the original building in San Jose would not accommodate the number of children enrolled for the 1995-96 school year. It was at this point that Victoria Akiyama Vaughan, a volunteer at the school, saw the need for a new school building. Vaughan identified a parcel of her property in As Lito as the new location of Saipan International School. Vaughan wanted to give something back to the community, so she financed the construction of the new Saipan International School campus. In August 1995, classes began at the new campus with 114 students, preschool through seventh grade.
Over the following years, SIS increased in size. Presently, enrollment is at 213 students, preschool through 10th grade.
SIS is a continually striving to improve on the solid base it has established over the past 14 years. The school is still growing and plans to add 11th and 12th grades for the next school year. Under the leadership of Jenkins and the support of Vaughan, parents, students, teachers, and the community, SIS has a positive future and will continue to provide high quality educational opportunities for its students.
