Posted on: Thursday, October 26, 2006
Hana makes 4-day schedule pay off
By Mary Vorsino
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Students on the riflery team hone their craft at Hana High and Elementary School. In addition to one-on-one tutoring, art classes and other cultural programs are offered on Fridays to supplement electives, but the classes also are used as punishment for students who misbehave.
School photo
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AT A GLANCE
Where: P.O. Box 128, Hana, HI 96713 Phone: (808) 248-4815 Principal: Richard Paul, three years School nickname: Dragons School colors: Green and gold History: The school was established in 1912. The high school graduated its first class in 1941. Testing: Here's how Hana High and 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, 60 percent; math, 66 percent. Fourth-grade reading, 61 percent; math, 65 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 68 percent; math, 84 percent. Sixth-grade reading, 73 percent; math, 76 percent. Seventh-grade reading, 75 percent; math, 71 percent. Eighth-grade reading, 64 percent; math, 87 percent. Tenth-grade reading, 76 percent; math, 57 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, 39 percent, compared with state average of 50.2 percent; math, 18 percent, compared with 30 percent. Fourth-grade reading, 30 percent, compared with state average of 58.1 percent; math, 17 percent, compared with 32.5 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 44 percent, compared with state average of 43.5 percent; math, 60 percent, compared with 24 percent. Sixth-grade reading, 33 percent, compared with state average of 47.5 percent; math, 3 percent, compared with 27.6 percent. Seventh-grade reading, 38 percent, compared with state average of 47.3 percent; math, 9 percent, compared with 29.1 percent. Eighth-grade reading, 46 percent, compared with state average of 38.6 percent; math, 27 percent, compared with 25.1 percent. Tenth-grade reading, 67 percent, compared with state average of 42.8 percent; math, 19 percent, compared with 18.4 percent. Enrollment: 307 Low-income enrollment: 63 percent
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At Hana High and Elementary School, students go to classes four days a week and teachers get their own classroom instruction on Fridays.
The innovative format has allowed the small, rural school — in restructuring under the federal No Child Left Behind Act — to better its test scores, improve morale among teachers and, through a federal grant, offer one-on-one tutoring on Fridays to kids who need a little extra help.
"I'm proud of the fact that the teachers are really working hard restructuring our school," said Principal Richard Paul. "Our test scores are dramatically improving. Everybody's working hard."
The kindergarten-through-12th-grade school has 307 students.
On Fridays, from 8 a.m. to noon, teachers are given a chance to connect with one another and catch up with the latest professional training.
A federal grant has allowed the school to provide tutoring for students from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays. Art classes and other cultural programs also are held on Fridays to supplement electives held in school.
The school still offers the same amount of in-classroom instruction by cutting down recesses and breaks and lengthening the school day.
"We meet all of our academic requirements in four days," Paul said.
The Friday tutoring and art classes are voluntary, but students are encouraged to participate. Also, Friday classes are used as punishment for students who act out during the week, Paul said.
What are you most proud of? "I'm really proud of the community," Paul said. "Hana is so isolated that we get left out of a lot of things. ... In the past they've had gaps in services. Now, we have 50-some-odd nonprofits in Hana that have been set up to fill in a lot of those gaps."
Best-kept secret: The school grounds. Paul said the school's custodial staff works hard to make sure the grounds are beautiful and inviting year-round. This year, the group was named the state Department of Education Team of the Year.
Everybody at our school knows: Auntie Libby Torres, who runs the front office. "She knows everything," Paul said.
Our biggest challenge: "Making the shift from traditional education to 21st century education," Paul said. "It's not easy, but we're doing it."
Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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