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From: Supt. Christina Kishimoto <reply@hawaiidoe.org>
Date: Mon, Oct 9, 2017 at 8:37 AM
Subject: Kick Off Your Week: A Day on Kaua'i
To: 20048903@notes.k12.hi.us
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From: Supt. Christina Kishimoto <reply@hawaiidoe.org>
Date: Mon, Oct 9, 2017 at 8:37 AM
Subject: Kick Off Your Week: A Day on Kaua'i
To: 20048903@notes.k12.hi.us
A Day on Kaua'i
Despite the on again, off again rain that made our Kaua'i trip a little soggy on Friday, Board of Education Member Maggie Cox, Complex Area Superintendent Bill Arakaki, OSIP team member Kendra Oishi and I made our way through two schools, a visit with the mayor and a state legislator, and we held a Board Community Forum before Kendra and I headed back to O'ahu reflecting on our great visit.
There was something incredibly special about our trip; something about Kaua'i. The conversations throughout the day were enveloped in a culture of lokahi, a culture of togetherness that permeates how things are done in Kaua'i. Everywhere we went — whether we were meeting with student leaders at Kaua'i High School sharing thoughts about how to expand student voice, or meeting with Mayor Bernard Carvalho to talk about the partnership between Lihu'e and schools, or meeting with State Representative James Tokioka about technology-based partnerships for our schools, or meeting with members of the public at the Community Forum at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle about our shared vision for public education — there was an assumption of respect and of coming together on behalf of our keiki that was palpable. At both Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle and Kaua'i High, we were received by student leaders. Hearing students talk about their pride in school and their school design was powerful and provided a great perspective. At Kamakahelei we learned about the 23 elective courses that students get to select from that focus on engagement and exploration of new, fun learning areas. The school also has an outstanding music program, as well as great art, technology and P.E. offerings. We observed an inclusion classroom and learned about the full inclusion approach of the school. As Principal Debra Badua explained it, at Kamakahelei there is a high value placed on providing middle-level students with lots of opportunity to explore many new areas of interests and passion. At Kaua'i High School we toured a range of classrooms from CTE to Advanced Placement to mathematics and English. Students served as tour guides and told us about the school culture of respect, the climate of support, and the pride in school. They shared detailed information about classroom learning objectives and even included us in solving an algebra equation. Later in the tour around 20 student leaders gathered to meet with us to talk about their vision for student voice and activism. The conversation was infused with multiple "yes ma'am"s and "yes sir"s that made me feel like I was with family in North Carolina; the humbleness of the students and the desire to meet school expectations was striking. Students at Kaua'i High have a vision for expanding their leadership reach and talked about next steps in establishing their school's Student Council. Discussing a new space they are exploring called student-led advocacy, they talked about their learning and the great support that they have from Principal Anne Kane and teachers to take their ideas to the next level. Ending the day at the Community Forum was yet another example of the community's commitment to excellence. We received a broad set of questions and comments from students, parents, educators and community partners, who raised topics such as how to increase parental engagement at the high school level, campus safety, charter-public partnerships, school design and other timely topics. The discussions were wrapped in kindness, respect and passion for the island and its students and families, with a wonderful focus on student-centered decisions. As I was returning home from my visit to Kaua'i, I reflected on the uniqueness of the island and its values, the way the people listen to each other and work together, all with a focus on community.
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