Overview: Planning Team discusses HE‘E activities since launch and hears updates from workgroups. Possible meeting of people interested in mapping data, as well as introduction of community engagement model in New Orleans-Steven Bingler of Concordia
HE‘E Planning Team Meeting
April 12, 2011
9-11am YWCA Room 309
Attendees:
1. Ann Davis (HEM)
2. Alan Oshima (YMCA/TLC)
3. Wendy Kekahio (McRel)
4. Pamela Young (BOE)
5. Dave Tom (GBA)
6. Christina Simmons (PACT)
7. Cherise Imai (DOE/JVEF)
8. Mary Weir (FACE)
9. Gordon Miyamoto (DOE)
10. Jenn Dang (NPAC)
11. Dina Shek (UH Medical/Legal Partnership)
12. Lyla Berg
13. Ormond Hammond (PREL)
14. Debbie Schatz (HEM)
15. Kathy Bryant
16. Cheri Nakamura
Meeting started at 9:10am with introductions.
I. Report: Status since launch
Kathy Bryant reviews HE‘E activities since launch:
• Website Development –aim is for website to be a resource for HE‘E supporters. Target is to have up and running by beginning of May.
• SCR145 Resolution: Parent Engagement Resolution includes HE‘E as a partner
• Working with Our Public School Town hall event which will take place on May 4 from 6:30-8:00pm at KCC cafeteria—topic is parent and community engagement
• Status on Forum on Budget (invites to Gov., DOE, BOE)—timing is difficult but possible meeting with DOE
• Feb. 17 and March 24 Kanu Capitol Rotunda Roundups—discussions on education bills
• Media Relations-Mary Vorsino—able to link Star Advertiser with HE‘E members and participants on various stories—will continue to need this support
• Policy team (Priority Team 2) has been active in recommending key items to the coalition. This has led to decisions on the following:
o March 1: Support of SB8
o March 28: Approve Budget Release
o April 6: Support BOE Nominees and submitted questions
• Legislative hearings and updates-HE‘E has been visible at the legislature this session. HE‘E testified for BOE nominees’ hearings. Senators used questions submitted by HE’E to senate committee almost verbatim, so this process was extremely valuable.
Discussion moves to work that Priority Teams have accomplished and activities going forward.
Priority Team 1 (Family Engagement)
Parent engagement team has gathered information on effective national models of parent engagement. They have scheduled a meeting with Deputy Superintendent Ronn Nozoe on April 21 to listen Department’s plan and also discuss how HE‘E can help and support.
Alan Oshima shared about the school redevelopment in New Orleans. Effort in New Orleans spurred by natural disaster-funding from FEMA. It included the rebuilding 85 schools with community engagement as part of the process. Steven Bingler’s (Concordia) concept is to have the school become a nexus of the community—going back to a 19th century school model. It would include community services around the school, or a community planning effort. In New Orleans, 75% of kids go to charter schools. Student achievement has improved.
Bingler was Keynote speaker in Phoenix on a conference regarding sustainable schools. AIA community planners-vendors-discussing how facilities affects student achievement. Rebuilt school in Scottsdale, AZ—community engagement is key to sustainability. Hawaii DOE seems keen on idea.
Alan continued to discuss the idea behind the Public School Land Trust bill, SB1385. It involves a community process and a way to seek funding to rebuild facilities-21st century standards. The bill has morphed into pilot project. For first 3 years BOE will decide 10 school sites to redevelop. It could include workforce housing and other public purposes. Honolulu City and County has been against the bill as they see as a land grab. However, their benefit is a real property tax base.
Would it be something that HE‘E would want to weigh in on? It may be a way to advocate for community engagement in planning. Legislature conference sessions are starting on Monday. If coalition wanted to advocate, meetings would need to be set up with education chairs Takumi and Tokuda.
Christina Simmons commented that it would be beneficial for an area like Kuhio Park Terrace, KPT as they are working on a redevelopment project right now. Jennifer Dang added that inter-agency communication is also necessary.
Mary Weir introduced Clif Tanabe’s research report, which was commissioned by FACE and presented at FACE’s recent summit. Mary suggested that HE’E look at the report recommendations. Mary (and Clif) have given permission for HE‘E to use report; report will be posted on website.
Priority Team 4 (School Leadership)
Wendy Kekahio reported on the activities of Priority Team 4 (promoting family engagement to school leadership). Group reviewed and did an analysis of the School Quality Survey to see how effective it was to gage parent engagement or parent satisfaction. Team members gave input with a deadline of April 15.
Four options were presented for outcome of review. 1) Survey is fine
2) Survey is good starting point offer recommendations 3) Find another survey all together 4) Not enough information
Group made 18 recommendations, but will try to narrow down. Group also wants to understand how the results are being used. Gordon Miyamoto suggested that data is used at the school level. However, it is not clear how the data is used at a systemic level.
Wendy would wrap up feedback and be ready to report at the next full meeting and also check in with Cheri on next steps.
Priority Team 5 (Basic Needs)
Staff had suggested that Team 5 might work on the directory for the coalition; since parent guide directory had included many social services organizations-so a way to link basis needs to education. However, this team may not have the capacity to handle this task.
Dina Shek described her idea of GIS mapping, one the team’s priorities. Dina likes the model in Alameda Country, CA, which looks at the social determinants of health –wants to tie in housing/health and education policies. Dina feels that it could be done with census data. It might be a project that graduate students could work on. Right now, only mapping available to public is Honolulu City and Country property tax mapping, for example.
Jennifer Dang spoke about health impact assessments like the one in Kohala. With a grant from the Pew Foundation, The Kohala Center partnered with Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Kaiser Permanente to develop an HIA that guides the creation of an agricultural plan for the county of Hawaii.
Ann Davis offered that this discussion be continued in another meeting, as Hawaii Education Matters has developed an asset map for their website and is looking to populate with data. Ann passed around a note asking for contact information for those who wanted to join this meeting.
Alan Oshima also suggested that HE‘E look into research done for Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs (HIPA) by SMS Research. Surveys done about how community feels about all kinds of issues—surveys by zip code. It was also suggested that data from Center of the Family might be useful—they also put census data in a useful form.
II. Planning Team Discussion on Emerging Issues
Kathy explained that both she and Cheri have been evaluating the administrative roles and responsibilities of coalition. Initially the thought was that Kathy would serve as a spokesperson, communicating to media, etc. However, it seems that there isn’t much need for that right now. Kathy’s role might be more along the lines of assisting with internal communications, facilitating meetings, etc.
Staff support should try best to meet needs of the coalition. We would like to continue to sustain the momentum that has been generated thus far. So for example, staff could assist and support priority teams, assist with data collection, pursue outreach efforts.
Office space is in development for The Learning Coalition, for which HE‘E could share administrative and clerical support.
Group agreed with idea of greater staff support was satisfied with the way coalition was progressing. Cheri commented that she and Kathy try to be mindful of the balance of administration vis a vis coalition participation—not to overstep the authority of the coalition. Gordon Miyamoto added going forward that it was important to give opportunity to all members to participate—not just the core.
Kathy also introduced the idea of having a “quick response team” which could be a few people to bounce ideas off of before taking out to the full group. We could membership and participants who might want to be a part of that team.
Dina Shek appreciated the face-to-face meetings, where people can find out about things they were not aware of—a way to network and possibly collaborate.
III. Calendar 2011 Meetings
• Large Groups: Location TBA
Wed. May 18 9-11am
Wed. Sept. 21 evening 6:30-8pm
Wed. Nov. 16 9-11am
• Monthly Planning Team:
2nd Tuesday
9-11am alternate Windward and town locations
Next meeting May 10, location TBA