2012-11-15 Leeward Exh D - Innovations

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HIRO: So, good afternoon. Thank you very much for this opportunity to address the Commission regarding the special use permit application for Innovations Public Charter School. As you can see by our application and hopefully your involvement in our community, there is tremendous support from our parents, members of the Kona community. Our school is quite a success story. In a time of public schools are at risk of being put under federal restructuring for unsatisfactory student achievement, Innovations students perform on statewide testing consistently outperforms both district and state scores. As we’ve seen more public students transferring to home schools, private schools, or even moving out of the state, Innovations has a wait list of over 600 families hoping to enroll their children. As welfare of children in our community is a concern, satisfaction rates among our students and our families are very high, with students excited to come to school and eager to learn. Innovations wants to continue to provide the excellent academic program it offers to families in the Kona community. With its well-rounded approach to education, focusing on integrating arts into its academic program, Innovations is proving that students can achieve academic excellence, take risks, and enjoy learning. Innovations is a model for the education system and an asset to the Kona community. Recently named Charter School of the Year, and recipient of State Senate Recognition for Excellence, Innovations continues to exceed expectations and academic achievement, and has been a Hawai‘i Distinguished School for several years. I urge you to support this vital part of our community in education system. Everyone is looking for ways to improve the education system for our children, and produce future leaders who are effective, productive problem-solvers. Innovations is proving the positive change can take place. You can support Innovations’ efforts and encourage its continuance by approving the special use application before you. And as you’ve seen this morning, we bring some of our clients and our products, some of our citizens of our community and future leaders of our community here just to share a little bit with you about the school’s impact and what it brings to us as a community. GIFFIN: Great. Honey, could you please say your name first? HAUANIO: My name is Ramsey Hauanio. I’m in second grade. I’ve been in the IPCS for two years. Right now in my class we are learning about the water cycle: evaporation, condensation and precipitation. One of my favorite parts of our IPCS is Interest Groups. Right now I am in Pottery. Pottery allows me to go to Donkey Mill Art Center. We get to make all different kinds of pots there. We even got to try a spinner. Also, there is Music Class. We get to play all different kinds of instruments. My favorite instrument is the flute. GIFFIN: Thank you. Ocean? DONALDSON-SARGIS: Hello, my name is Ocean Donaldson-Sargis. I am currently in sixth grade. I’ve been going there for, since first grade. The school has had a lot of change since I’ve been there. One thing I really like about the school is it has a unique approach; it, like, it’s really hands-on, so there is like a lot of great programs like, Gardening is one of them, and the kids actually get to go out into the garden and get dirty and down on the dirt. And they get to learn things in a unique way; they actually get to not only just see the visual of the things, but they get to do it and ride it and hear it and feel it. So it’s very unique. Also, there is great teachers; so they are really nice, and there isn’t really, as you can say, a war going on with teachers, as there is within some schools or in famous books and stuff like that. So that is a bonus because the kids actually get along with the teachers, and that is really awesome. 6 EXHIBIT D