Posted on: Thursday, January 27, 2005
Nanaikapono gets entire families involved
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer
At Nanaikapono Elementary School, it isn't just the students in kindergarten through sixth grade who are getting an education. With the launch of a new Even Start program last week, 10 preschoolers and a dozen parents and grandparents became a regular part of the school community.
Photo courtesy of Bernie Partridge To single father of four Lotolelei Jennings, who dropped out of high school, the program is a new beginning and a chance to better his English and get a diploma.
"It's time to start over again, me and all my kids going to the same school," he said.
Even Start, a No Child Left Behind initiative, offers grants to schools to provide comprehensive services to families in high-poverty areas. Nanaikapono received $137,000 to offer Nanakuli residents a free program featuring early childhood education, adult education and parenting classes four mornings a week.
Lessons learned: "Parents really want a program they can be included in," said Stephanie Bellefeuille, the school's family literary coordinator. While schools may think parents just want to drop off their children and do their own thing, many welcome the opportunity to come on campus.
How they do it: Nanaikapono staff visited other Hawai'i schools with Even Start programs and attended a family literacy conference in California. Once they learned how to operate a family literacy program, they put together a grant application and worked with the state's family literacy specialist to fine-tune the plans. The school found participants by sending fliers home with students and through word of mouth. Keys to success: "I think the commitment of all parts" will be the key to success, Bellefeuille said. "If it's something you believe in, it's something you'll make work." Stephanie Bellefeuille, the school's family literacy coordinator, said a big part of the program is goal setting, such as aiming for postsecondary education or returning to work.
For the children, who will likely attend Nanaikapono, "the goal is to make sure the students are acquiring the standards that are set up for them," she said.
If successful, the program will have far-reaching effects. Principal Myron Brumaghim said some measures of success could be whether parents pursue post-secondary education or better careers and whether children transition successfully into school and eventually graduate from high school.
"What we're trying to do is develop a cycle, or a successful trend of things," he said.
On Tuesday, parents and grandparents were excited to be starting the Motheread/Fatheread program, which teaches them strategies for sharing books with their families.
"The reason that we got involved is to read more to our kids. They enjoy reading now and they connect with you," said Nora Maloa, whose 3-year-old daughter has developed a love for books.
Dawn Gouveia wants to make sure her 2-year-old son has better memories than she does of learning to read. "The program will be able to teach us a fresh new approach that is fun and energetic and a happy, family time," she said.
Christine Kea got involved with the program for her grandchildren. Her 3-year-old granddaughter wakes up excited to go to school, she said.
But Kea points out she gets something out of the program, too. "I come to learn new skills and improve my reading," she said. After being out of school for so long, Kea appreciates the opportunity to refresh her knowledge and learn how to help teach her grandchildren.
Another grandmother, Suasa'a Tatoloai, enjoys learning to use computers, but she also welcomes the opportunity to spend more quality time with her grandson. "Before I didn't pay too much attention to him, but now I can read to him and share what we've learned," she said.
Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.
While the 3- and 4-year-olds learn skills that will prepare them for kindergarten according to the state's preschool standards, parents learn how to positively interact with their children, as well as find ways to better themselves, perhaps by working toward a high school diploma, learning to use computers or taking classes online to improve their career opportunities.
Children work with their teachers at Nanaikapono Elementary School. The school's staff visited other schools with Even Start programs before developing their own family literacy program.
About an hour each day is spent together, with parents overseeing child-directed projects.
Parents count
