First semester school visits Our Hawai'i public schools are as diverse and rich in offerings as our people and communities. This is what makes the Hawai'i DOE incredibly special, with a competitive edge for quality education. Our scope and scale enables us to provide a diverse portfolio of school offerings aligned with emerging areas of work, community-based opportunities, higher education offerings and global competitive markets. While some of these designs are in place, we still have room to grow and further develop. As I made my way around the state during this first semester of the 2017 school year, I learned a lot about the school design work in progress in many of our schools and the ideas that schools, teachers, parents and students have about how to better connect schools with community resources and economic growth opportunities. In addition to visiting classrooms, the highlight of my visit was meeting with students at each school who shared with me in their own voice their school pride, academic needs, life and career aspirations, and ideas for school design and student engagement.
I have included a chart of my school visits below. I am also sharing with you some highlights of student voice from my school visits. As you read through these, think about how their voice informs your day to day practice and next step planning at the school, complex area or state level. Mahalo to all of our schools for your warm welcome and engagement!
The highlights below are representative of repeated themes from students. 10 highlights of student voice - Elementary: We would like to have all of our classes be like our science class where we get to do interesting work, work in groups, and do projects.
- Elementary: We heard that in some schools students can talk to scientists or other students through their computers. Our teacher is trying to set that up for us so that we can take virtual field trips.
- Elementary: I wish that we could move around more. We spend too much time in our seats.
- Middle School: We love our school because we get to design and give input into the elective courses. We get to do dance, robotics, band, science experiences on the lawn, digital storyboarding, photography, and things that we like. If we don't like an elective, we get to give input into why we don't like it, and then they change it the next time.
- Middle School: I don't know how I want to impact the world, but I want to do something about the homeless problem in Hawai'i. We should be able to get people off the street and into housing. Maybe I can do something about that.
- Middle School: We're on our way to the other class. We are going to show them our projects and teach them the steps of a research project. We got ours done early, so now we are the leaders that teach the students that are just getting started.
- High School: While we have counselors that provide a lot of great information and focus on our future, like college and career, they don't do enough to help us through what we are going through right now. We need counseling groups to talk about what we are going through as teenagers.
- High School: My teacher let me enroll in her coding class even though I am not very good in math. She told me she would help me with my math while I do coding. I love her class!
- High School: I enrolled in the Health Academy because I wanted to be a nurse, but now I've learned about research and the impact of the environment on the health of the community. I want to be a research scientist.
- High School: I love my dance class. I have a really good teacher. It's like I get re-centered and then I can focus in my other classes.
When we engage students, and really listen to what they say, we learn a lot about how to design engaging schools and areas of study that bring out their passion. List of school visits | Central District, Aiea-Moanalua-Radford - Aiea High
- Ft. Shafter Elementary
- Radford High
Central District, Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua - Wheeler Middle
- Ka'ala Elementary
- Leilehua High
- HIDOE Board Community Forum
Hawai'i District, HKKK - VP Meeting
- Holualoa Elementary
- Kealakehe Elementary
- Kealakehe High
Hawai'i District, Hilo-Waiakea - Waiakea High
- Waiakeawaena Elementary
Hawai'i District, Ka'u-Kea'au-Pahoa - Na'alehu Elementary
- Kea'au High
- Kea'au Elementary
Honolulu District, Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani - Hawai'i School for the Deaf & Blind
- Farrington High
Honolulu District, Kaimuki-McKinley-Roosevelt - Princess Ka'iulani Elementary
- Central Middle
- Roosevelt High
- Ala Wai Elementary
Kaua'i District - Kaua'i High
- Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle
- HIDOE Board Community Forum
| Leeward District, Campbell-Kapolei - Ilima Intermediate
- Campbell High
- Ewa Makai Middle
Leeward District, Nanakuli-Wai'anae - Nanakuli Elementary
- Waianae High
Leeward District, Pearl City-Waipahu - Waiau Elementary
- Waipahu High
- Pearl City High
Maui District, Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui - Pukalani Elementary
- Pu'u Kukui Elementary
- Maui High
- Maui Waena Elementary
- HIDOE Board Community Forum
Maui District, Canoe Complex - Maunaloa Elementary
- Moloka'i Middle
- Kaunakakai Elementary
- Hana School
Windward District, Castle-Kahuku - Leadership Meeting
- Castle High
- King Intermediate
Windward District, Kailua-Kalaheo - Kailua Intermediate
- Olomana School
- Kaohao Charter School (formerly Lanikai Elementary)
| I look forward to beginning my next round of school visits in 2018 with a focus on parent and teacher voice. Have a celebratory and happy new year!
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