Changes Ahead

Life is full of changes and most often the measure of our success is our ability to proactively adapt and respond to the changes before us.  Mounting regulations have dictated changes to our assessment of students and how we document what we are doing to support and meet the needs of all students.  State wide budget short falls have necessitated changes in our financial management.  Charter schools have balanced the freedom from certain regulations for greater accountability for results.  DOE and charter schools are looking toward the changes from Hawaii Content and Performance standards to Common Core standards.  Sometimes the challenges of making change meets with resistance and sometimes change is embraced as necessary for improvement.  Regardless of the change, how we deal with it determines if we will have smooth sailing or a rocky road ahead.

We’ve had plenty of change over the past year including new students, new faculty, and renovations to our campus.  Our WASC committees are busy documenting the work the school has spearheaded these last six years and we are seeing the numerous changes implemented.  Embracing this continuous cycle of improvement offered through the WASC review is healthy like your annual check-up at the doctor or dentist.  The resulting school improvement plan will guide and direct our work for the next six years so we don’t take it lightly.  The WASC visiting committee chair will be making a pre-visit in December to meet the leadership team and plan for the April 2012 visit.

We are about to change the way we produce electricity to support all our school services.  For the next several weeks, Sunetric, Inc. will begin installation of the new photovoltaic system on the A and B building roofs respectively.  There may be minor inconveniences to classrooms and campus events.  We hope you will support this initiative as we move to lower our electrical costs and become more environmentally friendly.

New federal regulations are also requiring changes.  We are entering into a new contract with our School Food Service Management Company that will require changes to our menus and how we serve food to both students and adults.  Some of our local favorite foods, like spam, will not be allowable for a reimbursable meal.  You will notice that we may have to serve some items that have previously been a choice.  We will also need to serve adults from a separate salad bar in order to assure that food paid for and prepared for children is not served to adults.  Our school receives over $60,000 from the federal government in annual reimbursements to support high quality, nutritious menus.  In order to qualify for the reimbursement, we have to follow the federal and state guidelines.  These guidelines have recently changed resulting in the new menus that will be put in place beginning December 1^st.  We ask for your support and patience as we work through these changes.

We anticipate renovations of Petrie Park to begin in the near future.  Once the project begins, we anticipate some changes to recess and play, dust, noise, and traffic adjustments.  We will keep you posted as we learn more about this coming project.

The Charter School Task Force is busy looking at changes in the charter school law.  One thing for sure is that change will not stop.  Hopefully we can meet the challenges of more changes ahead with grace and understanding that the result will be better schools for our children.

Wendy Lagareta, CEO