2012-11-09 Windward Transcript Connections

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H. LEE LOY: And private schools for the last 33 years, I applaud the efforts of charter schools for their diligence in meeting the needs of diverse learners. Indeed 21st-century learning has gone beyond the traditional classrooms with innovation unimagined a trite decade ago. What I oppose is the proposed location of the school. From personal experience, we teach our students to develop a “sense of place" for the community in which you live. That would suggest to me that the school should be located in alignment with predominant demographics of the current student population. Respectfully, Pauline Kealoha Lee Loy, resident of Mele Manu Street. KERN: Thank you. Now, Dr. Lee Loy on behalf of Larry Kimura. Just give you name again and who you’re representing, and you may begin. H. LEE LOY: Dr. Henry Lee Loy, I’m representing Professor Larry Kimura. Aloha, Windward Planning Commission. My name is Larry Kimura, a current resident of Kaūmana, within proximity to the proposed Connections Charter School site. I am in opposition to plans and requests submitted for the Connections School in Kaūmana. I carefully selected Kaūmana over 20 years ago as an ideal residential community to live in, being somewhat near to my home in Hilo town, but most importantly recognizing a community of closeness with neighbors. I know some of the old families from the sugar plantation days and the start of Kaūmana Elementary School that still live and go to school in Kaūmana. And I believe they have contributed greatly to the neighborly lifestyle of Kaūmana. I find it difficult to acknowledge a whole new set of people, outside of Kaūmana, who propose to implant their philosophical charter of education in this setting. School should be a common part of their home communities. As far as I know most of the families of Connections are not from Kaūmana. I would think the place the families of Connections are most connected to should be the natural place for their school to be. A charter of education, administration and money should not be the deciding factors. Respectfully submitted, Larry Kimura, Kaūmana Resident. Thank you. KERN: Thank you. Thank you very much. Terence Yoshioka. Very good, so give me your name and area in which you live, and then your three minutes will begin. YOSHIOKA: My name is Terence Yoshioka. I’m a resident of Pacific Plantations Subdivision. I live on -. PUBLIC: Mele Manu. YOSHIOKA: Mele Manu Street. Thank you. I have already provided to the Commission Members a written argument in opposition to the petition. It is entitled “Reasons for Denial”, 12 page document. I also have provided a written statement of myself which we have been entitled “Oral statement” of what I was going to say here today. It’s a summary of the arguments I had made. 24 EXHIBIT A