Charter Application and Detailed Implementation Plan for Kona Pacific Public Charter School Revised Version Submitted to: The Hawai‘i State Board of Education Charter Schools Review Panel May 30, 2007 Charter Application and Detailed Implementation Plan for Kona Pacific Public Charter School Revised Version Submitted to: The Hawai‘i State Board of Education Charter Schools Review Panel May 30, 2007 Hawai‘i Public Charter School Applicant Information Sheet Name of Proposed Charter School: Kona Pacific Public Charter School Name of Group Applying for the Charter: Kona Pacific Public Charter School Interim Local School Board Proposed Opening: Fall 2007, or as soon thereafter as possible. Contact Person: Chris Hecht, Planning Director P.O. Box 115 Kealakekua, HI 96750 Phone (808) 895-3030 Fax (808) 324-6058 [email protected] This is the second version of the Kona Pacific Public Charter School (Proposed) Charter Application and Detailed Implementation Plan. The original was submitted on March 7th, 2007 in response to application criteria available at that time. This updated document is in response to the revised Application for Start-Up Charter Schools released by the Board of Education on April 27th, 2007. Table of Contents Table of Contents Preface iii I. Overview 1 II. Educational Strategy and Framework 13 III. Curriculum and Instruction 19 IV. Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation 45 V. Governance 55 VI. Administrative Accountability 65 VII. Recruitment and Selection Of Students 77 VIII. Facilities 83 IX. Budget 87 X. Attachments 95 Kona Pacific Public Charter School Preface PREFACE The educational program of this proposed charter school is based on an understanding of child development as proposed by the educator and philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Independent schools that utilize this model as the basis of their curriculum and methods are often called Waldorf schools; however, for the reasons described below, we avoid that term. The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (the “Association”), which is composed of independent schools, has registered a Federal service mark for the use of the word “Waldorf” in the field of education. The Association has reserved the use of the word “Waldorf” for schools that are members of the Association. The Association has sent a letter to the Departments of Education of every state outlining their position. We have included a copy of this letter in our DIP, it may be found at the end of this document, as Attachment L. We have been in direct contact with Frances Kane, the Association’s Leader of Administration, and have developed a good-faith working relationship. Ms. Kane has clarified precisely what the Association considers appropriate and inappropriate use of the term “Waldorf”: • Appropriate use of the term is as a factual reference: “All the teachers at Kona Pacific Public Charter School will have both a Hawai'i State and a Waldorf teaching certificate.” • Inappropriate use of the term is when it is used descriptively, as in “Kona Pacific Public Charter School’s standards-based educational program will integrate Waldorf methods and curriculum with the Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards.” Our Detailed Implementation Plan and all other materials have been reviewed to ensure that they are in full compliance with the Association’s service mark, and we expect that our good-faith working relationship will continue into the future. We request, therefore, that this Detailed Implementation Plan be reviewed without reference to this issue. Kona Pacific Public Charter School • Page iii Overview I. OVERVIEW a. Describe the beliefs, vision, mission, and general goals of the proposed charter school. The purpose of the proposed Kona Pacific Public Charter School (“KPPCS”) is to provide the families of West Hawai'i the option of a non-traditional, pedagogically strong public school education for their children. We believe children learn best when their education embraces all facets of their development: intellectual, social, emotional and physical. The mission of KPPCS is to educate the whole child, in order to cultivate in young people the skills, knowledge, and values they need to reach their highest potential. KPPCS’ vision is of a comprehensive educational program that frames its standards- based academic components within an artistic, creative and imaginative context. Student and school success will be supported by the following essential components: a strong educational program, schoolwide standards and cohesive community. Strong Educational Program KPPCS will offer a comprehensive educational program that weaves together three sturdy strands that will strengthen the children’s relationship to their community. These three interwoven strands are: • A holistic, experiential and standards-based academic program that promotes student achievement in language arts, math, science, visual arts, foreign languages, musical training, and movement; • An educational program that embraces the values of Hawaiian culture, with particular focus on environmental education and community sustainability through understanding and respect for the people, land and sea of Hawai'i; and • A curriculum in the life-sustaining practices of farming and gardening that are a vital part of Hawai'i Island life. KPPCS will provide students with the necessary skills and tools to achieve high performance levels and grow into fully engaged, successful citizens. KPPCS’ educational approach will promote cooperation and social learning, inspire and provide the tools for complex thinking and problem solving, enhance effective communication, and, perhaps most importantly, instill a lifelong love of learning and a sense of personal and community responsibility. KPPCS will provide students with an internationally proven educational model based upon the understanding of learning and development posited by Rudolph Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and educator, who founded the first Waldorf school in 1919. The developmental Kona Pacific Public Charter School • Page 1 Overview guidelines for the application of Steiner’s curriculum (goals and standards) are in alignment with major theories of child cognitive development such as those of Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, Maria Montessori, and John Dewey. Today, Steiner’s approach to education is the foundation for the curriculum and methods at hundreds of Waldorf schools around the world. In North America today, there are more than thirty publicly funded schools, from Alaska to Wisconsin, serving approximately 6,000 students, successfully using this approach. Recent research confirms that use of these methods allows children to excel academically as measured by standardized assessments (Oberman, 2007). Standards The KPPCS educational program will integrate innovative teaching methodologies with the revised Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards III (“HCPS”) to assure that each student meets or exceeds State standards for achievement. One of the primary goals of KPPCS is that all of its students will score in the proficient or superior ranges in the Hawai'i State Assessment (“HSA”) and will display successfully all six Hawai‘i Department of Education (“HIDOE”) General Learner Outcomes (“GLOs”). Student assessment will be a key tool in monitoring the extent to which we meet our goals. Assessment of student performance is one of the most powerful tools that a classroom teacher or school can use to enhance student achievement and school-wide performance. Assessment for learning will be equally as important as assessment of learning at KPPCS. Together with standards and research-based instructional strategies, assessment will be an integral part of the pursuit of excellence at KPPCS. Community KPPCS’ vision is of a socially inclusive learning environment that enables students to achieve high standards, that engages the mind, fires the imagination, and nurtures compassion, inspiring and enabling students not only to successfully meet the future, but also to help shape it. Underlying the comprehensive, creative and project-based nature of the KPPCS educational program is the belief that children learn best in a safe environment and when supported by their families. The success of KPPCS is fundamentally connected to the support of its stakeholders and community. Therefore, we will create an environment that encourages parents and community members to participate in the planning, start-up and ongoing life of KPPCS. KPPCS accords very high priority to opportunities for students to witness adults — teachers, parents and community members — striving toward excellence. Therefore, KPPCS will promote a culture of continuous improvement in achievement. Through comprehensive professional development, our teachers will become better educators; through conferences and regular contact with their peers in other public charter schools, our Director and program coordinators will improve their skills and expertise; and, through monthly Community Education Forum conferences, interested parents will have the opportunity to learn about the curriculum and discuss ways in which parents can provide a home atmosphere that supports the student’s school life. With due regard for their employment rights, teachers and staff will undergo Kona Pacific Public Charter School • Page 2 Overview periodic performance review, and their performance will also be evaluated by a committee comprised of school stakeholders. b. Describe the community or type of students your school intends to serve. KPPCS will draw students from Kealakekua and the surrounding areas, including Kainaliu, Kailua-Kona, Honalo, Keauhou, Captain Cook, Honaunau, and Ho‘okena. West Hawai‘i, and South Kona in particular, are rapidly growing. Between 2000 and 2005, South Kona experienced the highest rate of growth (19.37%) of all districts in Hawai‘i County. This growth brings with it an increased need for educational resources. Demographic data from the HIDOE shows that within the proposed school’s service area there is projected K-5 student population growth of slightly greater than 4% annually. This growth will result in a student population increase from 2,861 at present to 3,364 in 2011. This increase of 503 elementary students in our service area represents a remarkable growth rate and a tremendous responsibility. K-5 Student Population, KPPCS Service Area 2007 2011 Increase Holualoa 479 623 6.79% Kahakai 603 703 3.91% Kealakehe 961 1,118 3.86% Konawaena 560 609 2.12% Honaunau 130 158 5.00% Ho'okena 128 153 4.56% Total 2,861 3,364 4.13% At the request of the Hawai‘i County Council, the Kona Community Development Plan Steering Committee held a series of public meetings in the Spring of 2006. More than one hundred meetings were convened throughout the region, soliciting thousands of comments from the citizenry regarding the future of Kona. The resulting data revealed an overwhelming community demand for more educational facilities, such that one of the preliminary objectives identified by the Public Services Working Group is to increase the number of educational facilities and ensure high-quality and diverse educational options. In South Kona, there is a particular need for public education opportunities. As of the last U.S. Census (2000), the percentage of school-age children living in South Kona in households that are considered not to be self-sufficient was 41.1%. These families are unable to explore private non-traditional schooling options. In this context, the need for a non-traditional public school in South Kona is apparent. Further evidence of this urgent community need is demonstrated by the success of Innovations Public Charter School (“IPCS”). IPCS is the only non-traditional public elementary school in West Hawai'i. This Hawai'i School of Distinction (2004 and 2006) utilizes many of the curricular models embraced by KPPCS. IPCS, located 15 miles from KPPCS, currently has a waiting list of 250 students, double its enrollment capacity. Kona Pacific Public Charter School • Page 3 Overview KPPCS will be uniquely suited to meet this need for a non-traditional elementary school that can serve the needs of all of Kona’s residents, including those of diverse socio-economic backgrounds.1 KPPCS will serve this community by developing a culture of academic achievement while also introducing students to the practices of farming and gardening that are so much a part of South Kona and all of Hawai‘i Island life and culture. In addition, an integral component of KPPCS’ curriculum will be its Hawaiian Studies program, which will deepen students’ understanding of and respect for the Hawaiian traditions and culture that are the backbone of our community. KPPCS will be an inclusive school, meeting the educational needs of a diverse heterogeneous population. Parents who choose the proposed school will do so for a variety of reasons, including: • Alignment with the school’s mission and vision; • An interest in a creative educational program that addresses the whole child; • A desire to be involved in their child’s education; • A commitment to life long learning; • A belief in a partnership between family and school; • An appreciation of the support given by the school and teachers to the social and emotional needs of each student; and • A desire for a school that respects ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity. KPPCS will be non-sectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations. It will not charge tuition and will not discriminate against any pupil on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, religious beliefs, gender, or disability. This proposed charter school will enroll and educate children with the expectation that the unique set of values, goals, methods, policies, curriculum offerings, dress and other codes, and all aspects of the educational philosophy of the proposed school can and will be supported by the child’s parents. c. The role of innovation: what you do differently; concrete measurements and rewards. KPPCS will innovate through integrating traditional public school teaching strategies and curriculum (as represented by the goals and objectives contained within the HCPS) with curriculum, educational strategies and methods derived from the understanding of learning and child development posited by Rudolph Steiner. Some of the innovative features of KPPCS’s educational program are described below: • Whenever possible, the same central teacher will remain with the class for the full eight years of the grade school program; this is called looping. This long-term relationship will provide consistency and commitment along the educational journey. 1 The need for a non-traditional elementary school in Kona and KPPCS’ ability to meet that need has been recognized by many community leaders, as reflected in the letters of support included herewith as Attachments F through J. Kona Pacific Public Charter School • Page 4