Posted on: Thursday, July 13, 2006
OUR SCHOOLS | LIHIKAI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Lihikai JPOs' job commitment pays off
By Brittany Yap
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Fifth-grader Steven Okada is part of Lihikai Elementary School's Junior Police Officer program. The JPO students, when selected from a large pool of candidates, are trained in the importance of safety, but also community service, courtesy and reliability.
Rosa Stone
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AT A GLANCE
Where: Kahului, Maui Phone: (808) 873-3033 Principal: Mike Pollock, two years School nickname: Surfers School colors: Blue and white History: The old Kahului site was established in 1961. The site today was established in 1965. In 1990, Lihikai became a K-5 school. Testing: Here's how Lihikai Elementary students 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, 80 percent; math, 82 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 75 percent; math, 83 percent. • Hawai'i State Assessment: Listed is the combined percentage of pupils meeting or exceeding state standards, and a comparison with the state average: Third-grade reading, 47 percent, compared with state average of 51.8 percent; math, 24 percent, compared with 28.5 percent. Fifth-grade reading, 47 percent, compared with state average of 55.6 percent; math, 22 percent, compared with 25.5 percent. Computers: The school has one Macintosh computer lab and one PC computer lab. It also has two portable labs that contain 30 laptops and a printer. Every classroom has one teacher computer and at least one student computer for the children to share. Enrollment: 1,150 Low-income enrollment: 49 percent
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They may not be your average badge-wearing, street-patrolling law enforcers, but they do have a responsibility to their school and community and take their job seriously.
Lihikai Elementary School's junior police officers won the Most Outstanding JPO Program of the Year for Maui County this year.
When the students heard the news, "their jaws dropped and their eyes were wide open. They were clapping and smiling, and I was beaming," said JPO program coordinator Rosa Stone. "I was proud of them."
Lihikai won the award for putting up awareness banners such as "Click It or Ticket" around campus, writing essays and participating in extra community service activities.
"We didn't know that this was the criteria; we just did it anyway," Stone said.
Stone, who is also the parent community networking center facilitator for the school, has been in charge of the program for four years.
The program is highly competitive. Every year, 70 to 90 students apply for the 35 spots. Once the students are selected, they are trained in the importance of safety, but also community service, courtesy and reliability.
The junior police officers' most important responsibility, according to Stone, is the safety of all the students, parents, teachers and community members crossing the crosswalks on or near the school. They are also responsible for putting up and taking down the flag every morning and afternoon.
They make sure "everyone is conducting themselves safely," Stone said. "They are the positive role models in our school."
Lihikai's JPO program is an example of how students can excel inside and outside of the classroom, Stone said.
"Anything a student does to service their school or community can be tied into their education," she said.
Lihikai also was awarded several Math Matters awards this year. The school also raised more than $27,000 for the American Heart Association and was named Most Outstanding School in Maui County for the "Jump for Heart" program. Stone was named Most Outstanding Coordinator by the American Heart Association.
What are you most proud of? "I'm most proud of the quality of the teaching staff and their movement toward a standards-based education," Lihikai Elementary principal Mike Pollock said.
Best-kept secret: "The way the teachers care about the children. And the relationship between students, teachers and parents," Pollock said.
Everybody at our school knows: "Shannon Cabinilla, the vice principal. She's really out among both the students and the teachers," Pollock said.
What we need: "We need parents and grandparents volunteering more time to learn and keep up with their children's learning. To be more involved," Pollock said.
Special events: Lihikai Bazaar, first-grade literacy night, Harvest Fest and Movie Night.
Reach Brittany Yap at byap@honoluluadvertiser.com.
