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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0871.005 2008-2010 July 21, 2010 My name is Janette Snelling. I am the current principal at Kohala Middle School. I am here today to speak in support of Resolution No. 368 -10. A resolution that urges support for a "no consolidation" recommendation from the Board of Education. For the better part of an entire year, 1 served alongside 11 school and community members on a comprehensive consolidation study that resulted in a determination that consolidation was not a sound solution for schools in the Kohala Complex. While there were annual monetary savings to the department, the negative effects of student achievement, socio - emotional well- being, and large capital improvement costs that clearly spoke against this course of action. The superintendent's first recommendation of eventual consolidation into one K -12 school completely blindsided me and the community responded with overwhelming support against it. To date approximately 1500 adults have signed their support against consolidation. While it seems that the the tide has turned with the Superintendent's amendment to her first recommendation, I have learned that there are no guarantees in this process. Resolution 368 -10 is a welcome support to our efforts to create greater awareness of the integral role of schools in rural communities. Kohala Middle School provides a great middle school experience for our community's children. This small, rural school houses excellent teachers committed to their craft, technologically advanced, and nurturing in the development of the whole child. The result is a school that emerged out of restructuring in two years to be today, a school in unconditional good standing. The best course of action would be to allow the work in this complex to proceed as the three schools work to extend their reach in preparing 21 century learner. On behalf of my faculty and staff, I am offering my sincere appreciation of the authoring of this document and ask for your support of Resolution 368 -10. Thank -you for your consideration. Comm. No. _ 1. S Ref. Tot _._._ct...�. �z #. Dat© MIL 21 am