Our Schools • Noelani Elementary School
Manoa school's hard work rewarded

By James Gonser
Advertiser Staff Writer

It was quite a year for accolades at Noelani Elementary School in Manoa.

Tatiany Monteiro, a fifth-grader at Noelani Elementary, gets a goodbye hug from teacher Helen Edamura on the last day of school. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

Teacher Sharlene Arita was given the Tom Adams Public Schools of Hawai'i Foundation Award and teacher Beverly Miyake took the Superintendent Aizawa Literacy Award. Topping off the list, Noelani Elementary was named Honolulu District and Hawai'i's Blue Ribbon Outstanding School and, most recently, a National Blue Ribbon School, one of only 264 in the nation this year.

"We are very proud of these achievements and know that everyone at Noelani had a hand in making them a reality," Fujie said. "We have never gone after awards and haven't looked at it as important. But we have worked so hard building up the school that we felt that maybe it was time to get some recognition."

The 18-year-old National Blue Ribbon program spotlights schools from around the country that have excelled in school leadership, teaching, curriculum, student achievement and parental involvement. Two schools in Hawai'i — Holy Family Catholic Academy is the other — were so honored this year.

Selection of Blue Ribbon Schools is based on an evaluation of written materials from the nominated schools and the observations of experienced principals and administrators who visit the schools.

Milken winner Morikone said Fujie, who has led the school for 14 years, is the primary reason for the success of Noelani.

"For a school to accomplish what Noelani has, it's through leadership," Morikone said. "He gives us that same kind of nurturing that they tell us as teachers we need to provide to our students. Teachers need the same thing. The encouragement. We are not afraid to take risks and do things. He really respects the teachers."

Fujie said Noelani's success is attributed to the involvement and hard work of everyone at the school.

Fujie said teachers are busy writing grants to bring in experts to teach such things as video, art, theater, writing and graphic design. Grants this year totaled $168,800.

The school also has strong peer mentorship, with experienced teachers helping newer ones, and the staff is always willing to pitch in whenever work needs to get done, he said.

Strong parent participation at the school is not left to chance, Fujie said. Fund-raisers are not simply food ticket sales but events that require parents to come down and get involved. Parents make lei, help set up booths and cook food during the annual craft fair. Parents often go with the fourth-grade class on its four-day excursion to the Big Island.

"The most important part of this whole experience is bonding," Fujie said. "People have to come down and participate, get involved in the school and their child's education. Their lives change because of this. Our parents become active learners."

• What are you most proud of? "Everyone associated with Noelani school," Fujie said.

• Best-kept secret: Teacher Linda Morikone. "She encourages and nurtures students and teachers and is always there for them. She is also a grant writer. In the last four years we have had three $100,000 technology grants."

• Everybody at our school knows: Principal Clayton Fujie. Fujie visits every classroom, greets parents in the morning and can often be seen lei making in the cafeteria at lunch. "I have no vice principal, so I try to be very visible," he said.

• Our biggest challenge: More classroom space. The school is short two classrooms and the special education class meets in the library. "I've asked for portables, but was told there is no money for them."

• What we need: An electrical upgrade to accommodate technological improvements.

• Projects: Working on plans to add a second floor to the library for computer and video labs to free up space for classrooms.

• Special events: Every spring the school organizes its annual trip to the Big Island for fourth-graders and their parents to hike the volcano, kayak the coastline and study nature.

	At a glance
•	Where: 2655 Woodlawn Drive, Manoa
•	Phone: 988-1858
•	Web address: www.noelani.k12.hi.us/Default.html
•	Principal: Clayton Fujie, 14 years
•	School nickname: Geckos
•	School colors: Green and white
•	Enrollment: 540 students
•	SATs: Here's how Noelani students fared on the 2000 Stanford Achievement Test. Listed is the combined percentage of students scoring average and above average, compared with the national combined average of 77 percent. Third grade, reading: 99 percent, math: 95 percent. Fifth grade, reading: 91 percent; math: 93 percent.
•	History: Noelani has grown from a one-building school that opened in 1962 to six buildings
•	Special programs or classes: Video technology program. "Students take all their research and make a news magazine," teacher Linda Morikone said. "Next year we want to do video conferencing with Neighbor Island schools. We will be the first elementary school with this capability."
•	Computers: The school has a computer lab and computers in every classroom.

To get your school profiled, contact education editor Dan Woods by phone at 525-5441 or by e-mail, dwoods@honoluluadvertiser.com.