News

Ohana News
2011

School News
2011

CEEO/Principal: John Colson

The School Leadership Team at Waimea Middle School welcomed a new CEEO in SY2008-2009 who is a highly respected Hawai’i Island educational leader, serving many roles over 25 years, Headmaster and middle and upper school principal, at Hawai’i Preparatory Academy (HPA) in the Waimea community.

Waimea Middle School Public Conversion Charter School (WMPCCS), located in Kamuela on the Big Island of Hawaii, serves students in grades six to eight.  Utilizing a middle school framework and philosophy, teaching and learning are conducted with the belief that all children can achieve to high standards.  The community is a blend of ranching, farming, and high technology.  Headquarters for Parker Ranch, Keck Observatory, Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corporation and the North Hawaii Community Hospital are located within the town limits.

Waimea Middle School’s ‘Ike Hawai’i cultural learning program and strategies have—over the last three years—become an integral and essential component guiding a school-wide process of selecting Hawaiian-focused cultural curriculum, projects, practices and perspectives to be formally implemented for the school year.

Intertwined throughout the school setting are certain essential elements of culture which provide for consistent cultural learning opportunities which this year focused on the ‘Ike Hawai’i theme of “Sense of Place, Sense of Identity.”  This theme was selected to nurture students’ and families’ connection to the places, traditions, history and heritage which surround them every day.  Supporting “Sense of Place, Sense of Identity” were lessons, activities, content area units of study, workshops and events linked to the “Year of the Paniolo” and “Great Waiomina Centennial Celebration” recognizing the ranching legacy of the Waimea area. Cultural learning opportunities were also crafted to instill the essence of living key values such as those embodied in the school’s “Attributes of Aloha” and those introduced as the “Protocols of Pa’ahana” – hard, industrious good work, from start to finish.

Waimea School began as a one-room schoolhouse in 1916. The original school is now separated into Waimea Elementary School and Waimea Middle Public Conversion Charter School.  Students from Waimea, Kawaihae and Puako attend the elementary and the middle school.  Prior to SY 2007-2008, all sixth, seventh and eighth grade students from Waikoloa also attended the middle school.  In SY 2007-2008, Waikoloa Elementary School expanded to sixth grade.  This will continue in SY 2008-2009 as seventh grade is implemented.  Eighth grade will be included in SY 2009-2010.  This has resulted in a decline in enrollment for Waimea Middle PCCS.

The school has invested its time and resources in aligning curriculum to the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards, providing professional development opportunities for teachers and utilizing best practices in instructional delivery.  The Waimea Middle School Indicators of Student Success measure student achievement via multiple sources.  Percentages of students meeting each target are shared with the faculty and staff and with the Local Advisory Panel on a regular basis.  The school-wide assessment program has been systematized, and the WMS Relational Database allows results to be easily accessed by all staff for instructional decision-making.

Waimea Middle PCCS provides quality support systems to enable all students to succeed.  The before- and after-school tutoring program has provided targeted reading and math support to over 150 students.  The Bridges Learning Lab and Voyager Reading Program have provided additional supports.  Grade levels have implemented study halls for struggling students. Counselors move with their students from grade to grade to ensure smooth transitions.  Over 60% of the students have Individual/Family Learning Plans which address individual student/family needs.

Students complete portfolios which measure student proficiency on selected state standards and include goal setting and progress on the General Learner Outcomes.  These portfolios are shared during student-led family conferences.  Eighth graders complete electronic Exit Portfolios which are shared with their classmates, teachers, and community members.

Waimea Middle PCCS has experienced increased parent and community involvement. Place-based/project-based learning with an ‘Ike Hawai’i focus adds relevancy to the curriculum.  The Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian population increased from 41% in SY 2006-2007 to 45% in SY 2007-2008, and the Caucasian population has decreased from 23% in SY 2006-2007 to 19% for 2007-2008 due to a decrease in students from a local feeder school.

The School Leadership team is comprised of the CEEO, the Director of Finance and Operations, the Director of Communications, the Curriculum Coordinator, the Grade Level Chairs, the Department Heads, and representatives of the Counseling and Special Education Departments.  The Leadership Team recommends plans, policies and procedures to the CEEO and assumes responsibility for their implementation, evaluation and budgetary oversight once they have been approved by the CEEO. The team also provides the CEEO with advice and input on operational issues and coordinates the implementation of school programs.  The primary responsibility of the Leadership Team is to identify the critical learning challenges students are facing schoolwide and to recommend effective ways to address them to the CEEO who makes all final decisions. The Leadership Team represents its grade level/subject area peers in sharing and disseminating information.Waimea Middle School’s website is located at: http://www.WaimeaMiddleSchool.org

Waimea Middle School’s ‘Ike Hawai’i:  http://web.mac.com/santosshelby/Ike/Ike_Hawaii.html