HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0871.008 2008-2010 1
In regard to County of Hawaii Resolution #368 10: "A Resolution urging
the State DOE to reconsider the no consolidation of the Kohala Complex
Schools"
My name is Janet Weiss — I have been teaching school in Kohala for 22
years — When I was hired in 1989 the school was named Kohala High and
Elem. School — grades K -12
In 1990 a probationary principal was hired to lead the school. 18 yrs. ago
in 1992, she decided that with the very large school population of over
1,000 students, the unused Halaula campus needed to be re- opened,
refurbished and used by the following 1993 school year — the State
provided a quarter of a million dollars to help with that and the Halaula
campus was reborn to house grades 6,7, and 8. So, for the past 17 years
the separate campuses have operated successfully -
Because the large population of students required better attention, in
1995 Ele Laszlo took the K -5 students and created Kohala Elementary —
the new name for the secondary grades became Kohala High and
Intermediate.
By 2001 the middle school teachers petitioned the BOE to become their
own entity, citing the need to follow a more Middle School based
Philosophy — so, 9 years ago, the final change became official and Kohala
Intermediate School was born —
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That gives you a glimpse of our history — Most recently: In April 2009
DOE Asst. Supt. Randy Moore called for a Kohala community meeting,
announcing he wanted to basically close the middle school and unite the
two campuses again — At the time he claimed that it would "cost too
much money to fix Halaula" — but he admitted to our community that
he was operating off a 3 yr. old DOE budget ledger —
In fact, 90% of the repairs he claims our campus needs [the sole grounds
upon which the DOE could use to close it], have already been completed:
including: a new paint job for the whole school on the outside; new
handicap accessible railings; a brand new septic system and a brand new
gang bathroom building — The school went from no technology to being
completely wired with computers in every room. A phone and intercom
system has been installed in all the classrooms; and our principal Janette
Snelling won a grant which allowed us to install SMARTBOARD
technology in all the rooms, as well! Technologically, the Middle School
far surpasses the other campuses, I should know: in 1995 I designed and
planned the high school Tech Lab from scratch; and in 2005 I built the
middle school tech lab up from scratch, as well — Here at Halaula, we
have had two very gifted technicians who have kept upgrading the whole
system with to where it is unsurpassed.
As far as Halaula being an old school needing repairs, at this time, the
most major thing the campus needs is a coat of paint on the inside of the
classrooms, which Randy Moore has purposefully withheld because he set
his sights on closing the campus - Rumor has ft, he wants to just knock
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down the buildings and sell the land; but others who have done the
research on Mr. Moore, can speak more to those facts than I.
In closing: after the Big Island earthquake in October of 2006, the Halaula
Middle school campus held up with no damage to the structure at all —
Yes, the building might be older than most; but it is built the best; and
will provide the middle school students with a great school for many
years to come if you help us now!
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So, on behalf of the students, parents, faculty, and community members
please consider passing the Resolution to NOT CONSOLIDATE the Kohala
Complex Schools —
over the past 20 years we have taken many steps forward
to provide quality education for our keiki — we do not
need to take any steps BACKWARD!
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