BOE hears supporters of Puna charter school

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Dozens of students, faculty and supporters of a Big Island public charter school pleaded with a Board of Education committee yesterday to not revoke the school's charter, which would essentially shut the school down.

The board's committee of the whole on New Century Charter Schools will vote Feb. 15 on whether to close Na Wai Ola Waters of Life charter school. The committee's recommendation could be voted on by the full BOE as soon as Feb. 17.

Yesterday, more than 50 people — many of whom flew in from the Big Island — packed the board's meeting room and praised Waters of Life as well as other charter schools. Many feared that if Waters of Life were shut down, the same could happen to the state's 26 other charter schools.

Board members assured the gathering that the only item up for action was the Waters of Life charter revocation and that no other charter school was in jeopardy of being closed. Still, many in the crowd said they were worried about the future of charter schools because they said many are understaffed and lack adequate funds and facilities.

The possible revocation of Waters of Life's charter comes on the heels of a scathing state audit of the Puna school. The audit said the school has been mismanaged, lacks adequate financial and management policies, and has failed to file legally required reports on its operations.

The school also has failed to keep up with payments to the Department of Education to cover a $257,000 budget overrun.

Katheryn Crayton-Shay, Waters of Life director, told the committee yesterday that the school has been "proactive in its response to the auditor's recommendations." The school has a new local board and administrator and is working with the Charter Schools Administrative Office to restructure the school's financial records, said Crayton-Shay, who took over about five months ago.

She also said the school will make four $10,000 payments to the DOE over the next year to make up the overrun deficit.

N'namdi Garret-Johnson is one of the students who said they have benefited immensely since transferring to Waters of Life two years ago. He and many other students who testified yesterday pointed to the individualized attention that each student gets.

Ted Hong, an attorney appointed by the attorney general's office to represent Waters of Life, said the Feb. 15 hearing would be "premature" and would deny the school due process.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.