OUR SCHOOLS • 'EWA BEACH ELEMENTARY
Reading challenge pays off in scores

By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Education Writer

Eileen Hirota, the principal at 'Ewa Beach Elementary School, said some of her teachers and staff were skeptical a few years back when the school made aggressive changes to improve student performance.

'Ewa Beach Elementary School literacy coach Diana Yamamura helps second-grader Psye Davis with a lesson. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

The school challenges students to read 25 books a year — or about a million words — and this year divided the campus into two small learning communities where teachers closely monitor student progress. Surprisingly, the changes have paid off a little sooner than expected.

'Ewa Beach achieved its annual academic goals this year under the federal No Child Left Behind law and was one of 24 statewide recognized as distinguished schools by the state Department of Education.

The attention to reading has likely made the difference, Hirota said. The goal this year is for 90 percent of 'Ewa Beach students to reach the 25-book mark. "I think when you walk into a classroom, it screams literacy," she said. "We're probably going to see our scores go up again, and it reflects in our students' writing, too."

By splitting the school into two houses — each with two teams — teachers are working more closely with smaller groups of students and are held accountable for student performance.

"They're closer to the action now," Hirota said. "I was really happy because when No Child Left Behind kicked in, we were ready. We had foresight."

• What are you most proud of? "I'm so proud of our students and teachers. We weren't sure we were going to make it," Hirota said of academic goals under No Child Left Behind. "But we did."

• Best-kept secret: "We have great readers and writers at our school," Hirota said. "The image of 'Ewa Beach is often about drugs or crime or low achievers, but we have come a long way."

• Everybody at our school knows: Stanley Sawa, a custodian. "We call him 'Sawa Grapes' sometimes, but the kids really like him," Hirota said.

• Our biggest challenge: Reaching annual benchmarks under No Child Left Behind.

"We need to maintain high student performance," she said. "It's not going to be easy, especially when we have to test students in more grades. But we'll keep plugging away."

• What we need: Playground equipment. Parents helped raise $25,000 for two sets, but the school later found out the equipment does not meet federal safety standards. "Now the kids can't play on it," Hirota said.

• Special events: The annual Penny Carnival in November.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.