Posted on: Thursday, April 21, 2005
OUR SCHOOLS | MILILANI 'IKE ELEMENTARY
New campus uses 'learning teams'
By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Education Writer
Mililani 'Ike Elementary has been a very busy school since before it even opened in early 2004.
Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser "We just have so many great, great teachers that we've been able to attract to the school, primarily for the reason of wanting to be at a school that really focuses on professional development and really focuses on a common effort to implement standards-based education," said Principal Steven Nakasato.
The school serves a new community, where the availability of brand-new homes has attracted motivated young families who value education. "The community has been very, very supportive of the school," Nakasato said.
The school was built to accommodate 650 pupils, but enrollment has surged beyond 840. Several portable classrooms will be set up soon, and enrollment is expected to decrease as home building is completed and families grow older, Nakasato said.
The school has kept its educational approach sharply focused by using "learning teams," which teachers use to create common instructional and assessment practices, he said.
"That's really helped guide and strengthen our teaching at the school," Nakasato said. "We afford the teachers some time with some predetermined agendas to study research in certain areas. For example, specific reading strategies. What they do with the learning teams is they understand it, they develop assessments, they collect student work, they share what kind of lessons they've been teaching, so that the school is able to develop one voice in terms of how to teach a particular reading strategy."
• What are you most proud of? "Our teachers and community have been able to support this vision we have for our school: to be able to create a rigorous, standards-based, positive learning environment." • Best-kept secret? "We try to be open about everything. We've only been around for about two years. We are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Commission." • Everybody at our school knows: "Sara Paige, music resource teacher. She teaches chorus and stringed instruments." • Our biggest challenge: "Our enrollment. We have a lot of kids on our campus, over 840. We're supposed to be working with about 650." • What we need: "More time for the school to get settled."
Reach Johnny Brannon at jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.
The school had started six months earlier, holding classes on the campus of nearby Mililani Mauka Elementary while its own campus was being readied. Mililani 'Ike has been overflowing with pupils since then, and its staff has worked hard to ensure quality instruction.
Fourth-graders practice in music class at Mililani 'Ike Elementary School, a campus built to accommodate 650 pupils. Enrollment now exceeds 840. From left are Joon Lim, Megumi Senaha and Claudia Hall.
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| Opened in 2004
Where: 95-1330 Lehiwa Drive, Mililani Phone: 626-2980 Principal: Steven Nakasato School nickname: Pueo (owl) School colors: Forest green and white Testing: Here's how Mililani 'Ike Elementary pupils fared on the most recent standardized tests. • Stanford Achievement Test: Listed is the combined percentage of pupils scoring average and above average, compared with the national combined average of 77 percent. Third-grade reading, 91 percent; math, 96 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 87 percent; math, 91 percent. • Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards tests: Listed is the combined percentage of pupils meeting or exceeding state standards, and a comparison with the state average. Third-grade reading, 74 percent, compared with state average of 46.7 percent; math, 49 percent, compared with 26.7 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 75 percent, compared with state average of 49.9 percent; math, 48 percent, compared with 22.5 percent. History: The school began holding classes in July 2003 on the campus of Mililani Mauka Elementary, then moved to its own campus in January 2004. Computers: The school has a computer lab, as well as four computers in each classroom, and a mobile wireless computer lab. Computers have Internet access. Enrollment: More than 840. |
