education update - Hawaii State Department of Education

Superintendent’s
EDUCATION UPDATE
Hawaii State Department of eDucation | JanuarY 2015
Farias named head
of Kau-Keaau-Pahoa
NEW LEADERSHIP
Career educator Chad Keone
Farias will take the helm of
complex area
superintendent
for the KauKeaau-Pahoa
(KKP)
complex on
Hawaii Island,
Farias
succeeding
Mary Correa, who mentored
him for the position and retired
on Dec. 31.
"Mary leaves her area schools
in great hands with Chad,
whom she has mentored over
the years. This transition is an
excellent example of preparing
and building leadership within
the DOE,” said Supt. Kathryn
Matayoshi.
Farias, 43, has spent his
career on Hawaii Island, most
recently as Keaau Elementary
principal since 2008. Under his
leadership, Keaau El was one of
the pioneers in digital learning,
boosting student achievement
and lowering chronic
absenteeism. Farias previously
served as vice principal at
Keonepoko Elementary and his
alma mater, Hilo High.
Opportunities
EDUCATORS
Apply for the U.S. DOE’s 201516 cohort of Teaching and
Principal Ambassador Fellows
by Jan. 20. Fellows are
outstanding educators with a
record of leadership in the
school community, strong
communication skills, and
insights on education policy
based in their school and
classroom expertise. Posted to
the Opportunities List:
intranet.hawaiipublicschools.org/
Lists/Opportunities
Public school students
view new Kilauea lava
Students from Pahoa Elementary view cooled lava on Dec. 8.
Students from Pahoa and
Keonepoko Elementary
schools got a close-up view
of the lava flow that forced
hundreds of them to change
schools. The field trip turned
into a hands-on science
lesson as they met with
geologists, touched hardened
lava and shared their feelings
about relocating.
Members from Hawaii
County Civil Defense,
including Director Darryl
Oliveira, greeted the students
at the Pahoa Transfer Station
on Apa'a Street. The students
viewed seven stations hosted
by scientists and experts from
the University of Hawaii and
Hawaii Electric Light Co.
Each featured hands-on
activities to engage students,
including a video, demos of
the speed of the lava and
interactive games.
"The tour gave students the
opportunity to visibly see why
they were forced to move, and
ties in what they're learning in
the classroom with what's
happening in nature,” said
incoming Complex Area
Supt. Chad Farias.
SCHOOLS
The DOE is partnering with the
Chamber of Commerce Hawaii
and Junior Achievement Hawaii
to offer Groundhog Job
Shadow Day to Oahu middle
school students on Feb. 2.
Middle school students can
“shadow” employees in different
industries to help them identify
potential career paths. A memo
was circulated on Dec. 19. Oahu
middle school principals with
interested students can contact
Erin Matsunaga:
erin@jahawaii.org.
2013-14 Strive HI results
Congrats to our Outstanding Strive HI Schools! This month: Top performers in graduation rates. Online: bit.ly/13-14StriveHI
MOST IMPROVED SCHOOLS
2013 2014
Pahoa High & Intermediate
82%
Kalani High
Kealakehe High
Hawaii Acad. of Arts & Sciences
Ehunuikaimalino*
* results suppressed due to small student population
CONNECT
HawaiiPublicSchools.org
TOP-SCORING SCHOOLS
2014
Lanai High & Elementary
98%
86%
93%
Niihau High & Elementary*
80%
87%
Anuenue
94%
--%
--%
Hana High & Elementary
93%
68%
89%
85%
/HIDepartmentofEducation
Moanalua High
Kalani High
/HIDOE808
/HIDOE808
--%
94%
93%
doe_info@hawaiidoe.org
eDucation upDate › JanuarY 2015 › BacK paGe
Don’t Miss This!
EVENTS, DEADLINES & FUN STUFF
‹‹‹ JAN 31
Hawaii reGionaL Science BowL
Teams of high school students compete
in a fast-paced verbal forum to solve
technical problems and answer
questions in all branches of science and
math. The winner represents Hawaii in
the National Science Bowl, April 30May 4, in Washington, D.C. View the
brainy action at Honolulu Community
College.
Pictured: 2014 regional champions Maui
High School, with coach Ed Ginoza. Will
they win a fifth consecutive bowl?
Supt.’s Corner — What a year!
Thank you for being with us
on this journey as we continue to
make progress in our efforts to
improve public education in the
State of Hawaii. Amid the hard
work that we do, let’s remind
ourselves about what motivates
us. Here’s a rundown of
achievements in 2014 by our
schools, educators and keiki.
Kalakaua Middle science
teacher Michelle Kay was
surprised with the prestigious
$25,000 Milken Award, while
Waikiki Elementary’s Catherine
Caine earned the State Teacher
of the Year honor. Bravo to State
Employee of the Year Monica
DeCosta of Kahaluu Elementary,
Washington Middle’s AVID
squad (DOE Team of the Year),
and Thomas Rodrigues of Aiea
High (DOE Manager of the
Year).
In March, U.S. Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan’s first
visit to the islands took him to
Waipahu High, where he met
with enthusiastic students
including Andrea Jurado — the
first in her family to attend
college, who also earned a full
ride to Columbia University.
CONNECT
2014 YEAR IN REVIEW
Online: bit.ly/YIRHI2014
We were also inspired by 2014
graduates Kahunui Foster
(Waianae) and Jake Martin
(Farrington), the first from their
schools to be admitted to Ivy
League heavyweights Harvard
and Princeton, respectively. Maui
High’s Bryson Galapon, who
captained the Sabers’ fourth
consecutive Regional Science
Bowl Championship, entered the
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. Two Maui County
students received the acclaimed
Gates Millennium Scholarship
Award: Kailey Rishovd of Maui
High and Lanai High’s Tyler
Vega Pascua. Kalani senior Jacob
Ly scored a perfect 36 on the
ACT college-entrance exam. Teachers and principals are
elevating the profession as never
before. We partnered with the
Hope Street Group and the
Hawaii State Teachers Assn. to
launch the Hawaii State Teacher
Fellows, convening an inaugural
cohort of 17 teacher-leaders. The
National Teacher Standards
HawaiiPublicSchools.org
FEB 11-13
miDDLe LeVeL LeaDerS
The Hawaii Association of Middle
Schools and Kamehameha Schools
have teamed to bring "Energize Your
Middle Level Leadership" to Honolulu.
This workshop by the Association of
Middle Level Educators is designed to
help middle school leaders become
effective and collaborative leaders and
use research-based, proven middle
grades practices. Online: www.amle.org
/ServicesEvents/Workshops/Energizing
YourLeadership
Board announced
that 46 more DOE
teachers received board
certification. In June, 26
educators joined the first-ever
Deputy’s Principal Roundtable.
The Teacher Leader Workgroup
and Joint Committee convened
throughout the year to provide
needed course corrections to our
evaluation system. I applaud
each of you for dedicating your
time to improving public
education in Hawaii and better
serve your students.
Three schools earned coveted
Blue Ribbon recognition this
year: de Silva, Haleiwa and Red
Hill elementary schools.
Natural disasters were a
challenge. Hurricane Iselle hit
the Islands, prompting the
closure of all schools statewide.
Hurricane Ana also threatened
the state. But it was the Puna
lava flow from Kilauea that
proved the strength of our team.
I am immensely proud of the
way our staff came together.
The lava flow forced us to make
quick but thoughtful decisions as
we closed Keonepoko
Elementary and reassigned
/HIDepartmentofEducation
/HIDOE808
hundreds of students and
staff to other schools,
including the newly built
Keonepoko North. I commend
the Kau-Keaau-Pahoa
employees, students, families
and community partners for their
continued resiliency.
Our $75 million Race to the
Top grant ended in September;
Hawaii was the sole winner to
complete its plan on time. We
remain committed to build upon
the improvements of the past
four years. Hawaii Common
Core is in effect in all grade
levels, and educators helped
devise aligned Smarter Balanced
assessments coming this spring.
And finally, congratulations to
the Maui High School Marching
Band & Color Guard, which
performed in the 126th Annual
Rose Parade on Jan. 1.
I want to extend my sincerest
appreciation for all you do for
Hawaii’s students and their
families. We look forward to an
even more productive 2015.
Mahalo!
/HIDOE808
doe_info@hawaiidoe.org
Education Update is a monthly newsletter by the Department of Education’s Communications and Community Affairs Office,
distributed to schools, the first Board of Education meeting of the month and posted online at HawaiiPublicSchools.org.
We encourage submissions! Please send to: 1390 Miller Street, Rm 312, Honolulu, HI 96813. Phone: (808) 586-3232; Email: doe_info@hawaiidoe.org.