Talk Story
As Sam Cooke used to sing, "Don't know much about history; don't know much biology; don't know much about a science book; don't know much about the French I took." Kapolei is reinventing
the public high schoolBut I do know a little about how high school is taught these days in the state's newest public secondary school, Kapolei High School. This week I taught three classes there myself.
I owe the opportunity to Karen Ginoza of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, the union that represents public school teachers in Hawaii, and to principal Al Nagasako, the guiding spirit behind a school on the leading edge of education reform, parent involvement and innovation.
On Tuesday morning, Nagasako was among the first to arrive at the campus, where two of four planned classroom buildings are in operation. Behind one of Leeward Oahu's ubiquitous tarpaper fences, a third is under construction. The administration building, cafeteria and library are complete also, while the fourth classroom building, gym and stadium are still to come.
Nagasako says with a gleam in his eye if there's enough money left over there will be a pool, too.
So far, only ninth- and 10th-graders attend the school. Each year, as they complete a new classroom building they add another class.
Last year's founding freshman class had about 500 students but, since Kapolei itself is still growing, Nagasako expects 800 freshmen next year. Eventually, the student body will number about 3,000.
With huge, territorial-style metal roofs and small, metal-framed window grids, the buildings look a bit like a modern penitentiary, but handsomer and without the chain-link fences and razor wire.
"Yes, we have our own little Oz thing going here," said my guide for the day, English teacher Joan Lewis, referring to the HBO TV series.
Once inside, the penal impression evaporates. The walls and hallways are splashed with colorful student work.
Lewis tells me her work group of teachers and students are called the Hanohano team. Hanohano means respect and they've ingrained the concept on the kids.
She says the posters in the corridor, each an autobiographical student portrait, have hung for weeks now without being defaced, an indication that the Hanohano theme is working.
The air-conditioned classrooms are huge, 60 feet on a side. On each floor three of these large bays, housing more than 60 students apiece, surround a windowed staff office where teachers have their desks, laptop computers and telephones. Each floor also has several smaller classrooms for teaching electives to classes of 30 or fewer.
At the center of each bay are tables and chairs for lectures and group work. Around the perimeter are "pods" where each student has a small desk for working individually. These desks have built-in lockers for books and backpacks and are a big hit with the kids, Lewis says.
Everything seems to be on wheels -- desks, whiteboards, bookshelves, storage cabinets -- so the spaces can be rearranged to adapt to changing needs.
Kapolei fields teams in sports that have junior varsity events already. Next year, when the founding class will be juniors, they'll begin varsity competition.
I notice the parking lot is mostly empty while the bike racks are crammed. Lewis reminds me this is temporary; sophomores are still too young to drive.
Kapolei's incoming teachers (Lewis taught at Nanakuli last year) gave up their weekends working to prepare the newest building to open on time. It did, but some equipment, books and materials are still on order and some furniture doesn't quite fit as originally planned.
Although incomplete and evolving, these pleasant new surroundings reflect an effort to reinvent the shape of the high school. Simultaneously, new performance standards reinvent what is taught and the Felix decree changes who it is taught to.
Lewis' 60-student Hanohano team, for example, includes 15 special-education students and two special-ed teachers. Overall, about 12 percent of Kapolei's students are in special-ed, Nagasako said.
Teachers are hardy and adaptive by nature, but some chafe being pioneers as well as educators. Still, the atmosphere at Kapolei is upbeat and positive. There's important work being done there.
Human beings are learning.
John Flanagan is the Star-Bulletin's contributing editor.
He can be reached at: jflanagan@starbulletin.com.