Posted on: Thursday, November 9, 2006
Hawai'i Academy of Arts & Science New Century Public Charter School is thriving
By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Big Island Bureau
|
|
|
Phoenix Rice-Johnson, 12, a sixth-grader at Hawai'i Academy of Arts & Science New Century Public Charter School, works during a self-guided study period in one of the 5-year-old school's rented classrooms in Pahoa. The charter school's enrollment has more than doubled since it began operation.
KEVIN DAYTON | The Honolulu Advertiser
|
|
 |
|
|
AT A GLANCE
Where: 15-1397 Homestead Road, Pahoa Phone: (808) 965-3730 Principal: Steve Hirakami, since inception (six years) School colors: Baby blue and silver Web address: www.haaspcs.org History: Chartered June 21, 2001, by the state Board of Education. Starting enrollment 107 students, grades 7-12. Testing: Here's how HAAS students fared on the most recent standardized tests. Stanford Achievement Test. Listed is the combined percentage of pupils scoring average and above average, compared with the national combined average of 77 percent: Third-grade reading, 75 percent, math, 75 percent. Fourth-grade reading, 80 percent, math, 90 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 94 percent, math, 74 percent. Sixth-grade reading, 90 percent, math, 90 percent. Seventh-grade reading, 83 percent; math, 91 percent. Eighth-grade reading, 72 percent; math, 67 percent. Tenth-grade reading, 94 percent; math, 75 percent. Hawai'i State Assessment. Listed is the combined percentage of pupils meeting or exceeding state standards, and a comparison with the state average: Third-grade reading, 63 percent, compared with state average of 50.2 percent; math, 0 percent, compared with 30 percent. Fourth-grade reading, 40 percent, compared with state average of 58.1 percent; math, 30 percent, compared with 32.5 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 33 percent, compared with state average of 43.5 percent; math, 13 percent, compared with 24 percent. Sixth-grade reading, 90 percent, compared with state average of 47.5 percent; math, 10 percent, compared with 27.6 percent. Seventh-grade reading, 50 percent, compared with state average of 47.3 percent; math, 33 percent, compared with 29.1 percent. Eighth-grade reading, 42 percent, compared with state average of 38.6 percent; math, 16 percent, compared with 25.1 percent. Tenth-grade reading, 94 percent, compared with state average of 42.8 percent; math, 31 percent, compared with 18.4 percent.Enrollment: 264 Low-income enrollment: 67 percent Computers: 40 computers in classrooms, 10 in administration, 30 leased laptops.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PAHOA, Hawai'i — When the Hawai'i Academy of Arts & Science New Century Public Charter School obtained its charter on June 21, 2001, organizers had less than three months to get from that piece of paper to a new school on the ground that could welcome students that fall.
"We didn't have staff, we didn't have buildings, we didn't have desks, chairs, books, so it was quite a scramble," said Steve Hirakami, director of the school since it opened.
The school's founders pulled it off, launching with 107 youngsters in grades 7 to 12 on the grounds of a Puna church pavilion.
HAAS has more than doubled its enrollment since then, and has been improvising ever since, holding classes for a time under a tarp stretched between two shipping containers. In its third school year, HAAS put up a 30-by-60-foot circus tent to use as classroom space.
The tent still stands on the school's main campus on nearly four acres outside Pahoa, but it has been supplemented by two duplex classroom buildings, and a third building for classroom and administrative space is under construction. The school also leases space for classrooms at two other sites.
The school has adopted a "total quality education" management approach that takes input from all stakeholders, Hirakami said.
"Students control their own discipline, they formed their own student discipline committee, they make judgments on their own students, they come up with the rules, they elect a committee, and they pull some weight in the school," he said. "It actually becomes students policing students; they actually take care of themselves.
"That's the kind of attitude that we wanted, more school pride, more kids' ownership of the school. I think ownership is the biggest thing. If you can get kids to feel that they own the school, that it's their school, that's an important principle."
The school has its roots in a core group of Pahoa-area public school teachers who were not satisfied with the "system."
Some were discouraged by what they saw as a "one-size-fits-all" mentality for students. Others wanted greater emphasis on music and the arts. There was concern about disciplinary issues, and some felt modern high schools are simply too big to be effective, Hirakami said.
"Our greatest thing is, because you're small, you recognize the needs of individual students and individual groups of students," Hirakami said. "Staying small is really an advantage nowadays."
What are you most proud of? We are most proud of the fact that we have created a nonviolent, compassionate community of learners that prides itself on community service as a school-wide initiative.
Best-kept secret: The amazing talent of our students, which ranges from the visual arts to the performing arts.
Everybody at our school knows: Everyone knows and loves Auntie Lei, because she takes full responsibility for getting breakfast and lunch served.
Our biggest challenge: Getting adequate funding and facilities for our growing student body.
What we need: We need to be treated with the same level of respect and receive the same level of support as other public school students.
Special events: HAAS is looking forward to presenting the student version of "Les Miserables." Look for the gala opening on Feb. 2, 2007, at the historic Palace Theatre in Hilo.
Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Correction: A headline, photo caption and logo accompanying in a previous version of this story gave an incorrect name for a charter school in Puna. The correct school name is the Hawai'i Academy of Arts & Science New Century Public Charter School.
| | |
|
|
