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+--- Thread: Big Island Charter schools possible closure (/showthread.php?tid=1845)
RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - Guest - 03-31-2008
quote:
Originally posted by Beachboy
....
I'd like to know from the people who have posted here on this thread what your stake is in all of this bruhaha. Is your home near one of the campuses in HPP? Or are you tied to the other charter school in the park...you know, the other one that cost money to attend?....
Before putting my son in WOL, he attended Kea'au Elementary School. Kea'au Elementary School is by far the worse school anyone in my family has ever attended in the 50th state! To go from the best school in the state(Liholiho Elementary School) to the worst (Kea'au Elementary School) was quite a wake up call! I was feeling extremely guilty over it too. It was the direct result of me moving my family from Oahu to Puna...then comes along WOL!!! I'm given another chance to get the situation right for my son[s],and I take full advantage of it too. Sure, there are problems within the walls of WOL, but don't all school come with growing pains?
My own thoughts is that I have a child that will soon be entering elementary school in PUNA possibly. I'd like to know as much about all of them as possible.
Beachboy - You may want to check your stats again.
Liholiho is ranked 71st and Keaau 132nd.
Neither of them at the top... or the bottom. [
]RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - aikahimomma - 03-31-2008
well it seems we all have different experiences here........
my daughter was at Aikahi El from K-4..not sure of the recent stats on that but it was rated pretty high last i looked. She then started 5th at Keaau El and is now in Keaau Middle..so far so good in both...
i have been very impressed by the teachers she has had so far. And while the peer pressure can suck it's that way at any public school...i went through that at Kailua el, inter and high..
i feel for you beachboy as i stressed how the move would affect my keiki too...
would be curious to know why you feel Keaau El is the worst school ?
RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - Guest - 03-31-2008
quote:
Originally posted by aikahimomma
well it seems we all have different experiences here........
my daughter was at Aikahi El from K-4..not sure of the recent stats on that but it was rated pretty high last i looked. She then started 5th at Keaau El and is now in Keaau Middle..so far so good in both...
Aikahi ranked 15th out of 178 Elementary schools. (very impressive)
Keaau Elem 132nd out of 178 elementary schools (Needs improvement)
Keaau Middle 36th out of 37 Middle Schools (Very Poor) I'm glad your child has adjusted well.
All of these rankings were verified by this site which can be very useful in finding properties and rentals near schools.
RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - aikahimomma - 03-31-2008
thanks for the stats update Damon...i followed them before the move and thought "what the hell am i doing to my child"...but now as we experience the reality here i am not as worried.
I really don't know what those stats REALLY mean.
It may help that my keiki is part hawn, chinese, japanese and half haole..but i am pure haole and went through the public school system here and I like to say I survived and came out ok.
yes there were some bad times and yes there was kill haole day but that never amounted to anything.
i think the rumors are what scares everyone...[
]
RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - Punamom - 03-31-2008
I would like to thank all my neighbors for their tolerance and support.
I know at times it was inconvenient and disruptive to you.
Thanks for the links Damon, what a sad eye opener, 460 kids and one bathroom[
!]. I got the message and will check out some things, somebody's got to do something, what a pathetic state for our children.[V][:0]Now Mr.Orts it's a healthy thing for folks to have at least one BM everyday, if not you build up toxins and create hormone imbalances in your body, these lead to constipated thinking.[xx(]
I understand you may want your community to be a better place than it is, I am not sure that holding WOL to a higher standard than anyone else, even the D.O.E. and C.O.H. is gonna get that for you.
I don't have any excuses for you, I did what I thought was best for the ones concerned, I was very aware of the consequences on very many levels, If I thought I might get away with it again I might consider it again. A rebellion, yes it seems so.
It may help you to understand that my families farm of 250 years was taken away from us for the greater good of a community. It basically ruined life as my family knew it, but at least the big city got their watershed.
Now it's possible that the home my children,husband and I built with our own hands will be taken away for the good of the community for an emergency route.
Its all o.k. My kin and I are very good at making sacrifices for the greater good, our country was founded on it[
]The world is often a terrible place, please mind where you direct your energy.
This is not California, But your welcome to go live there.
Residents have worked hard for Puna's/Hawaii's bad rep do you want this to be little Oahu? [
!]Now go have a very hot cup of tea and take a little walk outside.[
]
RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - Bob Orts - 03-31-2008
My issue is not if it’s good or bad for a community.
My issue is not if it provides a good service
My issue is not if Puna needs alterative schools to the public education system
My issue is not if they want to do the right thing.
My issue is that WOL decided to open a school, they picked a location, they started school at that location, they operated the school at that location, and they had children on-site. But, they did nothing before operating to make the place legal. There was absolutely no community contact other than trying to get students. They did this like a thief in the night.
However that location, that land, that building is in defiance of county codes, the codes that protect us from others harming our property, and instead they claim they are of a higher power; above the law.
That only invites others to do the same. It sets the example that zoning codes only apply if caught. That say's that the people are secondary to the school’s desire to have their wishes. It says that even if serious violations are found, let's ignore them or divert the attention from what we are doing onto someone else.
All the excuses they have come up with are bunk. All the explanations they have set out so far are bunk! All challenges they claim exist is bunk.
They simply tried and did circumvent the required zoning process that applies to you and me, and did what they wanted. They got caught and now they are crying. Not because they are wrong, they are crying because they got caught! They are making a mockery of the zoning process and not surprisingly (since it is Puna) everyone is playing the rats behind the Pied Piper.
"SHUT THEM DOWN!"
That's the phrase I'm using in writing to everyone in any elected or appointed position regarding their operation. If they don't, the County, its taxpayers, and all residents can expect developers to seize this for their own good. I showed this to my brother-in-law and he said if the County does not act, and let's it go, they have opened the doors for developer lawsuits over zoning.
RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - puna haku - 03-31-2008
Just thought it was worth mentioning that at the testimony where they were discussing WOL's fait, the Fire Marshall stated how minor most of the infractions really were. He looked around and said there was no occupancy limit posted and pointed to the one posted there as an example. And then realized they were well over the 50 maximum listed for that room....and they didn't shut the meeting down!! How dare them! Bob Ortz, you should be outraged!!
-Puna Haku
RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - Rob Tucker - 03-31-2008
There are a multitude of examples of Puna businesses and residents becoming creative with their definitions of Ag Land uses. In my opinion there is some simple justification for this. The residents of Puna have pretty much been forced to do so.
Puna has been effectively starved for zoning in all designations except AG. The history seems to be that over past councils and planning departments the simple theory of "let em drive to Hilo" seemed to be the unwritten General Plan.
I am not saying that the routes of applying for cumbersome, costly and time consuming Special Use permits should not be pursued - but I am suggesting that, as a community, we need to demand a general rethinking of how Puna has been treated in regard zoning and some patience should be applied.
The Puna Community Development Plan (PCDP) is the manifestation of that rethinking.
I would hope that the planning and other state departments might deal gently with a number of altruistic ventures (such as charter schools) while the PCDP moves forward.
I can't predict that the PCDP will or would resolve WOL's zoning issues but WOL is correct when they say there are no commercial or school zoning opportunities in these neighborhoods.
RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - Guest - 03-31-2008
If WOL changed there mission statement from:
Lead and Succeed As we Cultivate Global Leaders and Build Sustainable Communities
to:
"Lead and Succeed as We Cultivate Global Leaders in Agriculture on Zoned farm lands, while building Sustainable Communities"
I wonder if they could slip through zoning requirements.
Call it a "Farm School" etc.?
Sometimes syntax means everything in government operations. [
]RE: Big Island Charter schools possible closure - WOLtheBrainTrust - 03-31-2008
A. Hey, I've got an idea!
B. What's that?
A. Let's run a new school!
B. Oh cool. Where do we get the money?
A. TAXPAYERS!
B. Excellent! How do we get the taxpayer’s money?
A. Charter! It’s thousands of dollars per head!
B. Ooh, won’t people ask how we're spending their money?
A. No way! It's none of the people's business. They are OUR kids!
B. What about state performance criteria if we take that money?
A. Forget ‘em! It’s none of the state’s business. They are OUR kids!
B. Awesome! Where do we run it?
A. I've got a house!
B. Hmm, is it all set with the County?
A. This is PUNA! Screw the County. They are OUR kids!
B. Fantastic! Where’s the house?
A. In HPP!
B. Uhh, should we first clear this with HPP folks?
A. No way! It's none of their business. They are OUR kids!
B. Super! Let's start taking applications TOMORROW!
...and the rest just writes itself.
Moderators Note: This post is an example of what I consider Flamming, No clear purpose except to create dissention and generate an agument. My suspecion is that one of our more regular members created a new username solely for this one time purpose. I could probably figure out who is it not am not that interested.
I'm going to leave it here for it's educational value. I appreciate that the rest of Punaweb has learned to not respond to these flamming occurances.
Rob Tucker, moderator