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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0871.004 2008-2010 Testimony of a Kohala Middle School teacher in regard to County of Hawaii Resolution number 368 10, "A resolution urging the State Department of Education to reconsider the consolidation of the Kohala Complex Schools ". As the only remaining faculty member of the original group I encourage your actions to keep the Middle School a separate campus and entity. It took years of hard work to make this school a reality -let's not regress. Thanks again to the Hawaii County Council for your consideration of this matter. Respectfully Submitted, Don Davis 55 -3551 Kaauhuhu Rd PO Box 190566 Hawi, Hi 96719 808 - 889 -5986 Comm, No, O 7 1 Rrf. To, ' �r'f. Date J UL 21 2010 I' / t, M1.20001 9 :15AM IVIJ 1 r.l!� H, :ARE8 , i ,z. Zile 6 Sert t to , 0,...'2 0,...'2 '2 q -e Pl'. , B B 9 tr. coLLFfi su .2/ 'k11 K ' rl,il MN' ' �� ' frtextt+� - �i rx>s�t 'e}�i�I�t�xrc ( hnwarnlltil of OF , . ..l � �',. Ii i !� i • • PIAJUi1i i.kAOeRtl t <1 .;r 1 " . / J 7 , 1 AM trit.41111 I Aitttte ETf Pairaii a ; y ' l • ' MA.)GRTY ri OOR I CADGH P� v s A; i 1 VIV0917 V LEADER � S ATE: CAPITOL ' Asp" MIN rpm HE.N.o �N(.tb HONOLULU, HAWAII 96613 uINC 9 ITY FI QOR LEADER fti s4 Ht,,()Ut n (� MINCPITV PCI WV l EADCR • February 28, 2001 pHi;1 Ui5 HUG' , . LOPRAINE A INCH ° F :,f ;:/ )*so 1)1:,TF11ct Mr. Don Davis • DAVID M MA15UU %.A 1Hllit) 01SiflIC:T Kohala School AUSS:AA KOKUUUN F.O. Box 279 • • k" I N Y I,; E N a Kapaau, HI 96755 IAN YAC4 OuEN FIF I1UIfi[111C:T s a K ALANI LNGII64 lk , ::7(I,, I:L, nlT:- Dear ,��. , IL is: • AVFRY A f:Mt..MB.CY .2 :I \'f N T 1 r L l IUNA''IAN LAWN Thank you for your inquiries to my staff egarding the separation of M1i;11ir11,I ;i,il1 Kohala School. At your request, I will attempt to explain the situation. ' P•,IAM r1 :2 i i .U N aaa lea from you in early January 2001 that the Board of a nal r MnI+;uN IL F.M11,1:;t1Iil'T Education approved the separation, Carl Miura, a member of my staff, contacted LL: IIIAHA,J'i I l I vl NT11 rar_,iFici the Department of Education. He asked them if I needed to take any legislative It tHIAN r IANIUUCHI action, The response I received from several individuals at the DOE was that "`" "" ` " " "" ,: APUL fUtINAUA they would handle all matters. They further informed him that I did not have to K 1.,1I,1.:.N,1: IJ! :;T111 -.T introduce a bill, request any funding from the Ways and Means Committee, nor Ron Thu 1 .IUit l T., 10', F;It..I did the community have to put together a lobbying effort. SUlANNL UHUN OAKLAND ' I'-F""' DE NC DONNA VIEPGAp:1 KR' I personally contacted the department to verify the information. They ,,,x • 1 f Nit I r:1F+TR11 :1 assured me that appropriate funding would be provided, and that nothing was NORMAN SAK0.MDTG needed from the legislative -side. Furthermore,1 requested that they notify my titvL wiiDIST;'IGt DAV10 1Uh office as soon as possible if the situation changes. Gil TrN I1 r 7 RC ":1 fl:IN ML-N(.111 ,, INLI _L;,TI , f]I^,TFiI „T After receiving a call from you several days ago, Carl contacted the DOE OA RA.AMO -O asking them to respond to your concerns. The Board of Education included the ` "' "'f' H 111!-,1 F" CNNN KANNO funds for separate administrations (eg. one SASA and a principal) for Kohala School im•NI r I Ji;: Tf11;.T School when the request was submitted to the Governor. However, the CiiLLEEM HANAEHIRA N � 1 , Y ; . 1 i,t,N�,1_ HIt.. Governor did not include the principal position when he sent the budget to the POPF(+T burs:LA Legislature. It is my understanding that DOE has communicated this problem to ' "S NA KaTA I TA °''`' ”" ' the House Finance and Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairs through their SCR NA - OUII1H IJI.;TFiiC,T respective staffs. • BO HGC IIF , 'WFN 'T I-I• I DISTTr.;T FRED MEMMINC) C11Et .:,1 i•Rh. M,UL 1 KAWAUUCHI iris , 1. 2001 9:15AM 1'10 • 460 F. The budget bill, House Bill (HB) 200, has not been finalized. HB 200 is currently being considered in the House Finance Committee. The Senate Ways and Means Committee will begin discussions on the budget bill once the House passes it out next week and sends it to the Senate. As a member of Ways and Means, I will do my best to convince the chair and members that a principal and SASA will be required in order for the school to have sufficient administrative staffing. I would suggest writing to Senator Brian Taniguchi, Chair of Senate Ways and Means Committee, and Representative Dwight Takamine, Chair of House Finance Committee to explain your situation and ask for support. This should increase the likelihood of the request being included in the final version of the budget. I would also encourage you to lobby other Big Island representatives and senators. The separation of Kohala High School's administration is expected to take place prior to the beginning of the next school year. If you have auy further questions, please feel free to contact me at 586 -7335. Sincerely, orraine R. ye Senator, First District I,RI:CM • tar. I \ _ rth kohala • hamakua • north hilo • rural south hilo • north kohala • hamakua • north hilu • rural south hilo Minimum Qualifications and • Incentives for Educators Over the years, Hawaii has been plagued with the growing shortage of qualified educators. This session, the Legislature took several positive steps to help lessen the problem. HB 469 CD1 provides the DOE more flexibility in hiring by lowering the,teaching requirement from 5 years to 3 years for principals and removing this requirement for vice principals. These changes will benefit the public school system by enlarging the pool of administrative candidates to include individuals who may already possess skills that would make them successful school leaders. In addition, the Legislature passed SB 530 CD1 in an 3.z attempt to retain and recruit public school ,�r. educational officers. This bill provides salary incentives to keep exemplary principals and vice principals at the school level and to encourage f £¢ w o; y , them to accept ldng -term assignments in hard-to- ,. - staff schools. It also encourages teachers to become vice principals by providing tuition , assistance, as well as salary incentives. s 45 Education Budget and Capitol Improvement Items Fiscal Year 2002 Fiscal Year 2003 School repair and maintenance (statewide) $50,000,000 $10,000,000 (1) Principal and (1) School Administrative Services Assistant for Kohala Middle School $69,123 $82,948 (1) Principal and (1) School,Administrative Services Assistant for Waimea School $71,130 $85,356. , (1) Clerical position for the Hawaii School District Office $30,000 $30,000 (1) Vice Principal for Honokaa Middle and High $52,261 $52,261 (1) Vice Principal for Hilo Intermediate $52,261 $52,261 (2) VPs at Paauilo and Kalanianaole $110,184 $110,184 Language Arts Multicultural Program at Kalanianaole School $185,000 $185,000 Equipment and textbooks for five special ed. preschools on Hawaii Island $120,000 $120,000 R t . Youth- Leadership Programs for Hilo High, Kalanianaole Elem. and Inter., Laupahoehoe High, Paauilo Inter., Kohala High, Honokaa Elem. and High, Keeau Middle, and Waiakea Inter. and High $45,000 $45,000 `city costs for Keeau Elem (Classroom bldgs) and rk . Ke H (Classroom Bidgs, Gym, and Stadium) $140,000 $175,950 est -ht km ;Le a report on the 2001 tegislative session, page 3 1