Posted on: Thursday, July 27, 2006
Mountain View 'riding surf of change'
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser Staff Writer
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These are the folks who help make Mountain View Elementary School work: From top left are Elna Gomes (student services coordinator), Gayle Ito (curriculum coach), Geneva Haleamau (student services coordinator clerk), Sharon Chong (clerk/typist); from bottom left are Karen Iwata (school administrative services assistant), Loretta Pinnow (clerk/typist), David Rieck (school behavioral health therapist).
Mountain View Elementary School
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AT A GLANCE
Where: P.O. Box 9, between mile markers 14 and 15 on Volcano Highway Phone: (808) 968-2300 Principal: Sylvia Lee, since April 2005 School nickname: The Hawks School colors: Green and white History: The school began in a one-room house in 1900. Over the years, rooms were added, and in 1930 the school was relocated and rebuilt a half-mile closer to Hilo. The school was commandeered for military use during World War II, but was returned to students after the war. Testing: Here's how Mountain View 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, 75 percent; math, 80 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 65 percent; math, 67 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, 53 percent, compared with state average of 51.8 percent; math, 22 percent, compared with 28.5 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 51 percent, compared with state average of 55.6 percent; math, 18 percent, compared with 25.5 percent. Computers: 300, campuswide Enrollment: 460 students currently, with a projected enrollment of 470; capacity for 550 students.
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Change doesn't always come easily, but at Mountain View Elementary School on the Big Island the concept was embraced.
Tucked away off Volcano Highway, 10 miles from the next public school, Mountain View has seen a lot of change in the last year and has joined the 21st century in terms of accepting new ways of teaching, said Sylvia Lee, school principal.
"We have a close-knit community here and it's generational ... ," Lee said. "Our faculty is rooted; many of our teachers have been here for 15-plus years."
This summer saw a lot of teacher retirements, changes in the school's bell schedule, new textbooks, a new spending plan, a new writing program called the "The Write Tools," and teachers now have collaboration time during the school day, Lee said.
"We've made tremendous amounts of changes," Lee said. "The staff is pretty unique. They're riding the surf of change."
What are you most proud of? "The loyalty and pride of the school exhibited by its alumni, students, staff and community," Lee said.
Best-kept secret: "The school itself," Lee said. "It is tucked away on the Volcano Highway and removed from other schools."
Everybody at our school knows: Loretta Pinnow. "She's the clerk/typist in the front desk," Lee said. "She's our receptionist, the greeter and the one who knows all the families. She's one of the reasons we have such a good rapport with the public."
Our biggest challenge: "Addressing No Child Left Behind concerns while keeping the whole child in perspective and doing it all in a manner that doesn't overwhelm the staff, students or community," Lee said. "Our second challenge is adapting quickly to change."
What we need: "Patience and stamina to see us through the changes demanded to better our instructional program," Lee said. " ... And a sense of humor and resolve to move us through difficult or frustrating periods."
Special events: During the upcoming school year, the school will have a recess program called "Hawk Time" with 10 to 12 activity stations students can visit. At the end of each semester, the school has "Hawk Happening," an hour long celebration to address the need for physical activity during non-instructional time.
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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