Posted on: Thursday, October 21, 2004

Education snapshot — Mountain View Elementary School

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer

After meeting all the standards for two years, Mountain View Elementary School on the Big Island has pulled itself into good standing under No Child Left Behind.

After being labeled a failing school, making adequate yearly progress for two years has been a relief, principal Robert Dircks said.

However, as the standards get tougher, "the work just gets harder," he said.

While the school will be able to build on its gains, Dircks anticipates difficulty meeting the needs of his student body, which is 87 percent high-poverty and more than half part-Hawaiian.

What made the difference: "We're a pilot school for the new standards-based report card," Dircks said. That allowed the school to focus on what is important for pupils to know and how it relates to the Hawai'i State Assessment.

The school also has a stable and tenured teaching staff and a very active Comprehensive Student Support System that works diligently to meet pupils' needs, Dircks said.

How they did it: Teachers aligned all of the curriculum with the standards, focusing on the core subjects: reading, math, social studies and science. All the textbooks and classroom activities have standards affixed to them, he said.

Other factors: The school offers more programs and workshops for parents, so they feel more comfortable about coming to the school and helping their children learn at home, as well as learning something for their own benefit, such as computer skills or making crafts.

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.