HE‘E Senate Education Week
State Capitol Room 225
March 12, 2012,9-10am
Attendees:
- Kay Fukuda (Alliance for Place Based Education)
- Eric Enos (APBE)
- Debbie Berger (TLC)
- Bill Reeves (TLC)
- Christina Simmons (PACT)
- Takashi Ohno
- Zach Dilonno (PPS)
- Karen Ginoza (FACE)
- Susan Sato (Hawaii State Student Council)
- Waisam Lao (HSSC/BOE)
- Daniel Kim (HSSC
- Damcia Honda (HSSC)
- Nolan Arasato (HSSC)
- Ann Davis (HEM)
- Jacob Karasik (TFA)
- Senator Jill Tokuda
- Representative Roy Takumi
Cheri welcomed group.
Senator Tokuda updated the group on the background behind Senate Education Week. The interactive week-long celebration honors the achievements and innovative efforts of our local schools, educators, students, and various programs throughout the State, from early childhood to the university system.
Karen Ginoza from FACE gave a preview of their community meeting taking place at 6:30pm at St. Elizabeth’s Church. There will be two topics of discussion, public housing and early education. Their position on the Junior Kindergarten issue is to push for making sure Office of Early Learning implements a transition plan for the late born 4-year olds who will not be able to go to Kindergarten come the 2014-2015 year.
Kay Fukuda and Eric Enos introduced the Alliance for Place Based Education which is a group of community organizations on the Waianae Coast working to support place based education. They are particularly concerned about the future of testing as they believe that NCLB and “teaching to the test,” has had a negative impact particularly in their community.
Cheri asked members of the State Student Council their view on testing and NCLB and how to better engage students. Nolan Arasato, who is a high school student at Waianae remarked that he has not had trouble with the emphasis on testing but knows that many students are. The State Student Council is also grappling with ways on trying to engage fellow students.
Zach Dilonno also remarked that when he was teaching on the Waianae Coast, he experienced what the Alliance members talk about—while it would be great to incorporate project based or alternative ways of teaching and learning, the pressures of having students do well on the Hawaii State Assessment end up being a priority.
Department of Education would be applying for ESEA waiver, granting more flexibility to NCLB, in the fall of 2012. Therefore, they will be opportunity for community to share their views with the DOE and policy makers.
Members of the State Student Council introduced themselves and explained that they would be participating in the student hearing to take place on Friday, March 16. The student hearing is an opportunity for students to give testimony on bills that legislators chose for students.
Meeting adjourned 10:00am