BOE HIGHLIGHTS

STATE OF HAWAII BOARD OF EDUCATION

April 2008

 

BOARD APPOINTMENT TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL REVIEW PANEL

Meet the newest member on the Charter School Review Panel: Ms. Amy Vorderbruegge.

Vorderbruegge fills the vacant start-up charter school teacher position that was formerly occupied by Kathleen Klinger who resigned from the Charter School Review Panel due to a change in employment. Vorderbruegge is a kindergarten/first grade teacher and methodology and training coordinator at Voyager Charter School.

The Board of Education appointed Vorderbruegge to the start-up charter school teacher position on April 17, 2008.

Established in 2006, the 12-member Charter School Review Panel’s responsibilities include issuing and revoking charters; approving Detailed Implementation Plan revisions; conducting charter school evaluations; and appointing the Charter School Administrative Office Executive Director.

 

Board Chairperson Donna Ikeda represents the Hawaii State Board of Education at the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Annual Conference held in Orlando, Florida in March. NSBA is a not-for-profit federation of state associations of school boards throughout the nation.

BOARD SETS GUIDELINES TO ASSIST IN ESTABLISHING A WSF FOR SY 2009-10

The Board of Education has established guidelines to assist the Committee on Weights (COW) IV in developing a Weighted Student Formula (WSF) for School Year 2009-10. The guidelines are intended to facilitate and evaluate implementation of the WSF, taking into account possible adjustments to the formula in light of the information and experience gained in implementing the WSF to date.

The guidelines for the COW IV include: (1) developing and documenting COW internal operating procedures; (2) recommending additional categorical-funded programs to include in the WSF; (3) reviewing the existing WSF formula; (4) making monthly reports to the Board Committee on Budget & Fiscal Accountability; and (5) adhering to the established timeline in the guidelines to enable the Board to consider the Committee on Budget & Fiscal Accountability’s recommendations and make a final decision on the WSF in September 2008.

The Board, not less than annually and based upon recommendations from the COW, is required to adopt a WSF for the allocation of moneys to public schools.

 

Board General Business Meetings

 

SCHOOLS’ WAIVER REQUESTS APPROVED

On April 17, 2008, the Board of Education approved the following School Community Council (SCC) waiver requests:

Board Policy 2412, School Community Council Waivers and School Community Council Exceptions Policy, enables schools to seek waivers from Board policies or rules to facilitate school improvement. Schools must ensure their requests align with their school’s Academic and Financial Plan and demonstrate how the waiver or exception will improve student learning and increase student achievement.

 

Students Share Their Woodworking Skills and Musical Talents

Former Superintendent Herman Aizawa introduces students from Olomana School at the April 17, 2008, Board general business meeting.
Former Superintendent Herman Aizawa introduces students from Olomana School at the April 17, 2008, Board general business meeting.

Aizawa dedicates his time and skills to the students by instructing them in woodworking skills and life skills and sharing an appreciation of music and the arts with the students.

Olomana School students share their musical talents and display their “finished products”--their ukulele!--at the Board general business meeting at Kaelepulu Elementary School in Kailua, Oahu.

 

This is an official publication of the Hawaii State Board of Education