Posted on: Wednesday, August 4, 2004
Charter school students get easier route to class
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer
Halau Lokahi still has no permanent home of its own, but the three-year-old Hawaiian culture-based charter school at Palama Settlement now has two campuses with the opening yesterday of a new Ko'olauloa satellite campus at a city park in Hau'ula.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser With no dedicated building, Halau Lokahi's Honolulu students meet at Palama Settlement, but frequently spend the day somewhere else. They regularly use a park, a church and the Puerto Rican Association's facilities for classes and will also have three projects in Nu'uanu, Kalihi and at Mokauea Island, off Sand Island.
"Because we go to so many learning sites — learning laboratories — transportation is a vital part of our operation," said Laara Allbrett, Halau Lokahi's executive director.
The school has had to pay $80 per bus for excursions, unless the group fits into the school's 15-passenger van or the destination is relatively close to Palama Settlement, such as the state Capitol.
"It didn't seem that far from Palama, so we used (walking) as P.E.," Allbrett said. "We used that excuse a lot."
Students said they didn't mind walking, since it was usually for short distances, such as 15 to 20 minutes to Loi Kalo Park on School Street.
Not everyone agreed, though.
"I'd rather ride in a bus," said eighth-grader Ku'i Hoomalu. "Every day we'd walk to Loi Kalo, and it's long."
The new Ko'olauloa site answers a call from the grassroots community, said site coordinator Kaliko Plomer. "The community was ready for us. They kept asking, 'Why is charter not here?' "
The new site, which will work closely with the Department of Education's Hawaiian-language immersion program at Hau'ula Elementary, will give students the opportunity to learn more about Hawaiian culture. It will also allow struggling students the opportunity to learn in a different way from traditional schools.
"It's almost like a second chance," Plomer said.
So far, 30 students from kindergarten through 12th grade have enrolled, some families responding to advertising, others by word of mouth.
Plomer, who drives an easily recognizable Mazda Miata, said students would come up to her as she parked, updating her on who wanted to come to the school and asking for applications.
Senior Darrell Keama, who previously attended Kahuku High School, said he was willing to switch schools "to learn about Hawaiian culture and to experience new things."
He wouldn't have been able to make the change without a campus near home, though.
"It makes a big difference that it's in Hau'ula," he said. "I live right up the street."
Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.
On Friday the school will welcome another addition donated by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Bank of Hawai'i — a small $35,000 school bus that will help alleviate some of the school's transportation woes.
Valerie Cababag of Halau Lokahi School stretches as students, who have no permanent campus, meet at McCoy Pavilion.
