HE‘E Meeting with Bill Potapchuk of the Community Building Institute
With support of Kamehameha Schools
October 31, 2011 2:00-3:30 pm
- Dave Tom (GBA)
- Mason Chock (Kupa ‘Ae)
- Cynthia Okazaki (PACT)
- Christina Simmons (PACT)
- Jennifer Dang (Coalition 5210)
- Cheryl Lupenui (BOE)
- Jennie Yee
- Matt Lorin (TLC)
- Ku‘ulani Keohokalole (KS)
10. Chris Jackson (Fresh Start)
11. Karen Ginoza (FACE)
12. Casey Agena (Punahou Summer School)
13. Gordon Miyamoto (DOE)
14. Shawn Kanai‘aupuni (KS)
15. Bill Potapchuk (Community Building Institute)
16. Kanoe Naone (INPEACE)
17. Rockwell Fukino (HALOS)
18. PJ Foehr
19. Cheri Nakamura (HE’E)
Cheri Nakamura welcomed Shawn Kana‘iaupuni and Bill Potapchuk. Everyone in the group introduced themselves. Shawn explained briefly about the Ka Pua Initiative. Kamehameha Schools has asked Bill to come and share some of his work with them.
Bill spoke a little about his background. He has spent a couple of years working in Detroit on a citywide education plan for all students. NEAP scores were in single digits. City helped develop an urban citywide parent engagement plan. He has also helped North Carolina with an early childhood plan.
Generally speaking, there is a lot of investment going on in education. However, we still aren’t getting results that we want. He stressed the need for alignment and gap filling.
Take Boston Coalition for Equity and Schools, for example. There needed to be a re-aligning of priorities. It started with policy advocacy; however, advocacy does not always connect people. They wanted community engagement in areas the areas that needed it the most. What was the disconnect? They determined that parent leadership development and capacity building was a key factor. But parent leadership training wasn’t just about helping kids do homework and reading a report card. It was true leadership of parents; there needed to be a systems level change.
Cheryl Lupenui remarked that at the Board of Education level, they are trying to define strategies in their strategic plan in three areas. This is how she sees they can start filling gaps. BOE would like to fold people into the conversation to spur influencing and owning of the plan.
Bill remarked that in order for success, you need the “right people on the bus.” In Detroit, the median single-family home price is $6900. How will change really happen? Geography is also as important as the who. What is the amount of touch we need? We need to evaluate the programs and determine which programs are effective. Often there are lots of redundant services.
Members reacted to Bills comments. Gordon Miyamoto spoke of the work being done at the Castle Complex Community Council (C4). C4 is creating a complex wide family engagement policy. They want to empower families, inviting them to participate, and building capacity. However, how do engage those who are not currently engaged? How do you build enough capacity to have process sustain itself? Karen Ginoza described FACE’s parent leadership work in the Farrington Complex. Not only does it take building capacity with parents but also you need to work with the school administrators and faculty. She meets with teachers one on one to try to get their buy in.
Bill spoke about focusing on parent transitions similar to focusing on student transitions.
Shawn also described one of her discussions at the Native Hawaiian Outcome Council. What if they took a look at a class, say 7th grade, as cohort, and adopted it. Then they could follow progress and outcomes.
Bill began to speak about the concept of a community school. With this entity, other organizations around or next to a school can share in the responsibility of providing for the child. The key is relationship building—time intensive relationship building—rethinking the “who” in order to get the goal. A good model to look at is Community Schools Model—Mott Foundation. A Community School Coordinator would be utilized to organize and coordinate the activities of the community school. Principal would turn to Community School Coordinator for assistance. Philanthropy and other organizations would help fund the community schools and coordinator. STRIVE has been successful where there are strong community schools—Cincinnati, Portland.
Meeting adjourned at 3:30pm.