Posted on: Thursday, October 19, 2006
Despite obstacles, Maui school rising to challenge of No Child Left Behind
By Christie Wilson
Advertiser Neighbor Island Editor
|
|
|
Kahului Elementary School fifth-graders, from left, Austin Respicio, Destiny Pinheiro-Villon, Noel Cadang and Chazz Ishikawa work at breaking down the elements of the Scott O'Dell novel, "Island of the Blue Dolphins," during a "coordinated group" exercise in teacher Keoni Wilhelm's class.
CHRISTIE WILSON | The Honolulu Advertiser
|
|
 |
|
|
AT A GLANCE
Where: 410 S. Hina Ave., Kahului 96732 Phone: (808) 873-3055 Principal: Fern Markgraf, three years. Markgraf was named statewide teacher of the year while at Baldwin High School. School nickname: Eagles School motto: "Soar to be responsible citizens" School colors: Blue and red History: Kahului School opened in 1960 with grades K-8. It replaced the old school building later known as the MEO Building on the corner of Ka'ahumanu Avenue and Kane Street. Old-timers recall that students carried their chairs three long blocks from the old campus to the new one. The school dropped grades 6-8 after Maui Waena Intermediate opened in 1989. Testing: Here's how Kahului Elementary students fared on the most recent standardized tests. • Stanford Achievement Test. Listed is the combined percentage of pupils scoring average and above average, compared with the national combined average of 77 percent: Third-grade reading, 78 percent; math, 93 percent. Fourth-grade reading, 71 percent; math, 85 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 72 percent; math, 83 percent. • Hawai'i State Assessment. Listed is the combined percentage of pupils meeting or exceeding state standards, and a comparison with the state average: Third-grade reading, 44 percent, compared with state average of 50.2 percent; math, 29 percent, compared with 30 percent. Fourth-grade reading, 59 percent, compared with state average of 58.1 percent; math, 30 percent, compared with 32.5 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 47 percent, compared with state average of 43.5 percent; math, 19 percent, compared with 24 percent. Enrollment: 904 students Low-income enrollment: 51 percent Computers: Separate computer labs for Macs and PCs; a portable 40-station computer lab; computers in every classroom
|
|
|
|
|
|
KAHULUI, Maui — Kahului School opened in 1960 to serve the families of "Dream City," Maui's first planned community that offered modest housing to plantation workers, many of whom emigrated from the Philippines and elsewhere.
The neighborhoods of Kahului with their concrete-block homes remain a magnet for foreign newcomers, and a full 29 percent of Kahului Elementary School's 904 students are English-language learners, meaning English is not their native tongue.
The largest number are Ilocano, Tagalog and Visayan, but there are also students from Vietnam, Thailand, Micronesia and other places, along with a growing group of Hispanics. In all, 11 different languages are spoken at the school.
The student mix has created a particular challenge for school administrators in meeting state and federal education standards, said Principal Fern Markgraf. The Kahului campus was one of 24 struggling schools statewide targeted for restructuring, or state takeover, under the federal No Child Left Behind Act in 2005.
But with a redesigned curriculum and other improvements, Markgraf said reading and math scores have been rising.
"We've redesigned the curriculum to really focus on standards-based education," she said. The same textbooks are used in each grade-level class for consistency, and students in all grade levels participate in "written constructed response" exercises that require them to complete essay questions in reading, and to explain in writing how they solved math problems.
All classes observe uninterrupted math and reading blocks of 90 minutes for younger students and two hours for the upper grades during which small-group instruction and other activities occur. The school also conducts monthly assessments "so we can see where the kids are and analyze where the data are and where help is needed," Markgraf said.
To address the high number of immigrant children, English-language learner teaching strategies have been employed schoolwide. For example, pictures to illustrate vocabulary words are posted in all classrooms and offices. New non-English-speaking students are paired with a "buddy," and extra teachers have been brought in to provide additional help to struggling students, according to the principal.
A spring speech festival puts the spotlight on English-language learners, who present poems and dramatic readings in English and their native tongues.
What are you most proud of? "Making progress in reading and math for the last three years on the Hawai'i State Assessment, and the new math and reading programs we've implemented that are standards-based," Markgraf said.
Best-kept secret: "Among substitute teachers, we are known for our well-behaved kids. The substitutes love coming to our school, but the ones who come here regularly probably wouldn't like everyone to know that."
Everybody at our school knows: School secretary Janet Okuhama, "because she knows everything that's going on in the school and answers every question and helps the teachers, staff and parents and keeps the principal together."
Our biggest challenge: Meeting the No Child Left Behind yearly progress subgroup goals for special education and English-language learners.
What we need: "More time in the school day; it's not long enough in Hawai'i. You barely have enough time to get the reading and writing and math and science in that you need to do much less some of the extra things you would like to be doing, such as physical education and the arts. You just can't fit it all in the school day."
Special events: May Day, Fun Run and the English-language learner Speech Festival in the spring. Kahului School also is a regular participant in the Na Mele O Maui song contest, last year sweeping the three elementary divisions.
Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com.
