the island school
a tri-annual publication Winter, 2012-2013
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Teaching & Learning in the Age of Technology What’s Ahead? Friday, February 1 Friday/Saturday, March 1 & 2 Monday, March 11 Saturday, March 16
March 29 - April 5 April 11 & 12
Island School’s 36th Birthday Treasure Island, 5th grade play, 7pm Island School Theatre Trimester 3 Begins Island School Auction A Pirate Ball Kaua‘i Marriott Resort 5:00 pm Spring Break
Wednesday, April 24
Senior Project Presentations Spring Concert, 6:30 pm at KCCPAC Midterm
Friday, May 3
May Day Celebration
Wednesday, April 17
peggy@ischool.org
(808) 246-0233
www.ischool.org
• Looking back to the 1980s … pg. 2 • Technology Timeline … pg. 3 • Off the grid while the sun shines … pg. 6 • Avast, me hearties! A Pirate Ball on March 16 … pg. 7 • James Massaro shares the excitement of robotics … pg. 8 http://www.facebook.com/IslandSchoolVoyagersKauai
A Look Back to the 1980s You’d be hard pressed to find a computer at Island School much before 1983. Computer use in schools was becoming affordable and popular by the late 1970s and Island School was definitely interested in their potential use in the classroom. In 1982, principal Cristy Peeren remembers purchasing the school’s first computer, a TRS-8-, for $200. “I took it home and taught myself how to use it,” she recalled. Fortunately, two mathematician parents, Bev and Randy Kim, offered to help the faculty and administration learn. By March of 1983, Cristy reported in The Island School Bulletin that “the computer is being used more and more by the students.” Reading, spelling and vocabulary software was purchased and our students were “giving up their recess time to work on it.” School opened in August, 1983, with a new principal, Leslie Dunbar, who enthusiastically reported, “The Computer Revolution has hit Island School.” Four Commodore 64 computers were purchased, “each with a disc drive and a TV or monitor!” Another parent, Milton Cha, who was chair of the Computer Department at KCC, worked with Cristy to develop a computer curriculum for our students. $1,500 was raised at the Parade of Homes fundraiser, organized by parents and board members (including current Island School grandparents Micki Evslin, Tim King, Sally Wilson and Lucy Kawaihalau, ) to help pay for these expensive new teaching aids. By Island School’s 7th birthday, Island School students in K-8 were using a variety of software and learning BASIC programming. Our curriculum proudly offered Computer Programming “as a supplementary tool in academic areas.” Island School had entered the digital age.
Island School Celebrates 36 Years Each year, Island School marks the anniversary of its founding, which was on January 25, 1977. Our annual birthday assembly was held on February 1. It involved the entire school and offered entertainment from our chorus and halau, as well as meaningful musings from our Head of School, Bob Springer. Afterwards, our students departed for various ho‘okupu projects. Ho‘okupu is the Hawaiian word for gift or offering. Birthdays are indeed a time for presents, but at Island School, we see it as a time for giving back to our community. For some students, it meant helping their school with special projects. Other students left campus to volunteer their labor helping others.
Ho‘okupu Projects
Seniors moved a lot of rocks (and their science teacher, Ms. Mink) at Makauwahi Cave
Several elementary classes worked on class projects to be auctioned off at A Pirate Ball on March 16th. PK/5 - Picked up trash on KCC bypass road. K/3 - Read to the elderly at Regency at Pua Kea. 2nd - Cleaned up around campus. 4th - Made Valentines to go with care packages bound for the KEO homeless shelter. 6th: Volunteered at the Humane Society. 7th - Beach clean-up at Lydgate Beach Park. 8th - Assisted Malama Na ‘Apapa with a
beach clean-up at Nukoli‘i Beach . 9th - Planted orchids and did maintenance at Lawai International Center. 10th - Built and refurbished picnic tables on campus and assisted elementary students with their projects. 11th - Mended fences, planted native trees and shrubs, and cared for horses at Hanchett Ranch in Moloa‘a. 12th - Built a rock wall, removed invasive species and planted native trees at Makawauhi Caves in Maha‘ulepu.
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Technology at Island School Where have we been?
1982 - Island School purchases first computer (TRS-80) 1983 - Several Commodore 64 computers purchased for student use; “Computer” added to curriculum. 1984 - Newsletter and accounting data computerized 1989 - Apple 2 computers replace Commodore 64s 1989 - Student computer lab opened; part time computer teacher position filled. 1992 - All computers replaced due to Hurricane Iniki. 1996 - Campus wired for Internet, ischool.org domain established; @ischool.org email addresses set up for faculty and staff. 1997 - Digital photography replaces film for school publications. 1998 - Mac platform replaced with PC platform. 1998 - ischool.org website launched. 2000 - First yearbook produced entirely on a computer. 2003 - Implementation of RenWeb. 2006 - Digital projectors installed in every classroom. 2007 - Google Suite for staff phased in. 2007 - Electronic Google Calendar set up. 2008 - Robotics program launched. 2009 - PC laptops issued to 6-12 faculty. 2010 - Netbooks purchased for shared classroom use. 2010 - Parent Connection newsletter distributed via email. 2011 - Koa Lab created w/ Mac platform. 2011 - New policy allows high school to use personal electronic devices for educational purposes. 2011 - Campus-wide wireless network installed. 2011 - ischool.org website revamped. 2011 - Digital “magazine” format used for Island School publications. 2012 - IslandSchoolVoyagersKauai Facebook page created.
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Where are we now?
• PC computer lab (Maile) »» Elementary tech classes »» Journalism,Yearbook • Mac Computer Lab (Koa) »» HS Video Production class »» College counseling classes »» Elementary standardized testing »» Resource for students • RenWeb in middle and high »» Accessing lesson plans, assignments and resource documents »» Reporting grades and progress »» Family directory and emailing »» Taking and tracking attendance • All students in grades 6-12 have @ischool.org email addresses and access to Google Suite »» Share documents & presentations in the Cloud »» Communicate with teachers easily via email • Classroom Digital Projectors »» Videos, document sharing, slide presentations, Internet content sharing • HS/MS policy reflects value of the use of personal electronic devices for educational purposes »» Classroom research, using educational apps • Robotics programs during and after-school »» Elementary - FIRST Lego »» MS - VEX Robotics »» HS - VEX and FIRST Robotics • Portable Netbook cart »» 24 computers available to share among classrooms • iPads in every elementary classroom »» Used for daily announcements, practice with handwriting, reading • Smartboards/Smart Response devices »» Used in some classrooms with educational software
Alumni
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2012 - Teddy Rose is studying at Quest University in British Columbia. He reports that the University has “exceeded my expectations considerably!” His classes are small and engaging and he is surrounded by hiking, biking, skiing, and (yes) surfing opportunities!
2010- Christy Mayfield is in her second semester at the School of Travel Industry Management at University of Hawai‘i, Manoa. She hopes to get an internship at a hotel this summer. Annalea Brown-Clay has been studying botany Jeremy Randolph-Flagg, ‘11, Dylan Morrisonand ornithology in New Fogel, ‘12, Hayley Uliana, ‘11, Kyle Lee, ‘10, Caycie Zealand and Thailand with Pascual, ‘11, and Bailee Morrison-Fogel, ‘10, at the a program called Wildland 2012 Alumni Reception Studies, offered through California State University Monterey Bay. 2009- Alison Taylor is finishing up a degree in aerospace at Middle Tennessee State University. She’s also teaching at a flight school. 2008 - Johannes Gorrisen-Busse is working as a free-lance photographer in the San Francisco area. He started a business and you can see some of his work at http:// shootjg.com. Phillip Davidson graduated in December from Hawai‘i Pacific University, in Honolulu, with a degree in business. He has been interning at an international Gaia Scotti, ‘08, was on Kaua‘i visiting finance firm for the past year and a half. her favorite spots and people. Gaia Scotti was on Kaua‘i last October, visiting her host parents, Layne and Eric Torgerson and her friends. She is working on her Master in Tourism Management degree at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Kim Mayfield graduates this spring from University of Hawai‘i, Manoa, with a BS in Global Environmental Science. She’s been studying groundwater pollution, and recently made a presentation at the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Aquatic Trevor Bloom, ‘08, (front) and Rory Marsh, ‘08, Sciences Meeting in New (back left) shared a South American adventure last fall. Orleans. Kim has been accepted to the Ph.D. program in biogeochemistry at University of California, Santa Cruz, with Dr. Adina Paytan, and is waiting for the final decision to be made by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, where she would be working for Dr. Bernhard Peucker-Ehrenbrink in geochemistry. Trevor Bloom traveled to Peru and Chile last fall with Rory Marsh. They hiked to ancient Incan ruins, slept on islands in the middle of Lake Titicaca and, of course, body Noah Randolph-Flagg and boarded south Christina Atkinson, both ‘07, reconnect of the Equator! at the Alumni Reception at JJ’s Broiler. Trevor is living in Jackson Hole, WY, waiting for his next biological expedition to the Caribbean in April, when he’ll travel to Barbados to collect spiders. 2005- Bianca Mendoza graduates in May from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs with a BA in Organizational Communication. She is applying to graduate school for a Masters in Student Advising in Higher Education. She hopes to study abroad.
Lawrence Sasaki, ‘05, and his wife, Betty.
Lawrence Sasaki surprised his wife, Betty, with a visit to Kaua‘i this month while visiting his mom and sister on O‘ahu. Lawrence is in the Coast Guard, stationed in Long Beach, California, working as an Operations Specialist.
2004 -Eimy (Escaño) Frampton and husband, Eric, have moved back to Kaua‘i after living in Texas for the year Eric played for the Dallas Cowboys! Eimy plans on spending most of the time here, except when she’s following her Sara Piano Tjarks, ‘04, with Island husband around during football season! School kindergartners They’re looking forward to attending the auction this year. Tiana Kamen works at Limahuli Garden and Preserve in Haena as the agriculture and education specialist. Three Island School classes have already visited her this year. She also runs her own program, Farm to Keiki - a nutrition and gardening based toolkit for improving wellness in preschools throughout Hawai‘i. “We just finished out first pilot year in 19 preschools on Kaua‘i,” she said (one of them was Island School’s Na Pua Keiki). She’s currently raising funds to revise the curriculum and take it statewide. Her goal is to raise enough money to make the training and curriculum free to every licensed preschool in the state. Sara Piano Tjarks is doing a senior practicum with Miss Shantelle in Island School’s kindergarten. She is pursuing a BA degree from University of Hawai‘i, West O‘ahu and will graduate in May. 2003 -Drew Goldsman has been hired as a Project Manager of Real Estate Development for a Eric Cannon, ‘09, Jori-Ann Jasper, ‘09, Clare non-profit organization in Jackson Petterson, ‘02, and Jett Jasper ‘06, at December’s Heights, Queens, NYC called Alumni Reception. Chhaya Community Development Corporation (CDC). The company works with the rapidly expanding South Asian community primarily around housing/tenants rights, electoral politics, and language/ job placement. His job is to manage affordable housing projects. 2002 - Lily (Dubey) Boyer and her sister, Eva, ‘99, both live in Portland, Oregon, are married, and have one son! Lily is working on another BA degree, this time in nursing. (The first one was in Environmental Science.) Mia Braverman has recently recorded a CD featuring her own songs, singing and guitar. It’s called “Cicada,” and can be listened to and purchased at miareikobraverman.bandcamp.com. Mia is still teaching in Kochi, Japan.
Mike Hubbard, ‘97, Milo Spindt, ‘94, and Dave Hubbard, ‘00, at the Alumni Reception.
2001- Timo Kauer has finished his medical degree and is currently a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, working on a business degree. 1993 - Congratulations to Jeff Hubbard, who won the world bodyboarding title 2012 International Bodyboarding Association World Tour Champion! He and his brother, Dave, ‘00, have launched their own business, aptly named Hubboards. Check out their website.
Maya, Kahn ‘95, and husband, Mike Vienhage, with daughter, Lyra, visited Island School last fall.
1989 - Sarah Rudinoff has co-written and is performing in a musical, These Streets, which spotlights the songs and stories of Seattle’s hardrocking women of the ’90s. It opens in Seattle’s ACT Theatre on February 21.
1982 - Brian Couch’s independent record label, Polygyp Records, has two new releases online. BCOUCH 2012 is a two-song acoustic set, while Up & Atom is a full length CD by Brian’s Seattle band Nuclear Suitcase. Listeners can stream for free, then purchase at http://polygyprecords.bandcamp.com/.
Going Solar! As of October 29, Island School is off the grid. It’s a 21st century solution to rising electricity costs. Over 1,200 solar panels have been constructed on the far east side of the property, converters installed, trenches dug and we’re producing our own power from the sun.
per hour. Any left over electricity is sold back to our electric company, KIUC. The ground was broken for this project on August 27, 2012. The solar farm was built in only two months, with almost no inconvenience to the running of the school.
Ground-Breaking Ceremony At the Ground-Breaking, Bob Springer explained that it took over a year and “the combined efforts of many hands” to get this project underway. Credit goes to Rick Fogel, parent of two Island School graduates, who, in April of 2011, introduced the idea of bringing solar power Students, parents, board members, faculty, to our administration, and county and project leaders campus attended a ground-breaking ceremony in August. to the Buildings The project is owned by former Island and Grounds Committee School parent and owner of Kapa‘a of our Board of Directors. Solar, Kurt Bosshard. Kurt’s company The Committee looked owns the equipment and sells all of the with favor upon this idea energy produced to Island School. We and, with leadership from pay less than half of the KIUC rate per Wade Lord and Kathy kilowatt hour. The solar farm produces Richardson, proceeded approximately 200 kilowatts of electricity with a plan.
A cooperative effort Joining in this effort were key community agencies and businesses. Permits were obtained from the County of Kaua‘i and agreement was reached with Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC). REC Solar was hired to build the project. The property was prepared by Kaua‘i Nursery and Landscaping and Esaki Surveying and Akinaka & Associates. At the center of all the activity was Island School’s Business Manager, Mike Goto, making sure all went smoothly. “This is a great thing,” said Mike. “It puts us on the cutting edge of green technology.” The solar farm provides all the electricity needed to power the school during daylight hours. At night, obviously, we must return to the grid until storage capabilities become a practical technology.
Our Solar Farm
What Else is Green Around Here? Thanks to grants from the Goodale Family Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, G. N.Wilcox Trust,Watumull Properties, and Elsie H. Wilcox Foundation, we’ve been able to reduce our energy footprint on campus. • Solar Parking Lot Lights • Recycled LED Lights rescued from the old Kaua‘i Athletic Club
• Skylights in Wilcox Gym and Teacher Workroom • Retrofitting to energy-efficient lightbulbs
• Updated air energy efficient air conditioning
• Recycling collection by Middle School
• Solar water heaters
• Elimination of plastic water bottles
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The School Community by Robert Springer Head of School Technology is becoming more and more embedded in education. As this happens, all aspects of school life are affected: subjects and the way they are taught; teacher and staff training; business operations and budgets.Yet, as Jim Scott, president of Punahou School, reminds us, technology is a tool, not the end of education but a means of assisting us in providing thoughtful, high-quality teaching and learning.
Development Update
34th Annual Auction
Avast, me hearties - ye won’t be wantin’ to miss this ‘un. Tickets - Call 246-0233
The transition from print to digital forms is not all that easy and is not accomplished uniformly. It is a process, and it takes time and effort to learn new skills and perspectives. For example, these days the information available and being created far exceeds our ability to assimilate it. This leads to pedagogical questions about how much to emphasize learning content versus learning processes. In today’s world, knowing how to acquire and organize information is as important as having a context within which such information is useful. Just the matter of acquiring technical skills is a challenge for older generations of teachers and administrators. In a short ten years, educators have had to become proficient with sweeping changes in technology. Requirements for the job now include: • Word processing and spreadsheet functions; • Server-based data processing – e.g., using RenWeb for entering syllabuses, lesson plans; taking attendance; recording grades and various reports, communicating with parents, and so forth; • Overhead computer projectors to show large-screen videos and connect with a myriad of applications on the Internet; • Google applications, including e-mail, calendars, and sharing documents; • Managing computer files; • Knowing about and using software related to subjects they are teaching or jobs they are performing. In addition, of course, in their own ways most students are familiar with electronic devices, in cases much more than we. This provides an imperative for us to figure out how to take advantage of their proficiency. It is an exciting new world, and technology is a driving force. This makes it necessary for us in education to consider implications and applications of new developments, while maintaining a sense of what really matters as we prepare our students for the world of their future, whatever that may bring.
Proceeds support tuition aid for Island School families. Look What’s Up For Bid (plus more) … Kamanu Composites Canoe 11’8” Handmade Koa Surfboard NYC Vacation Package w/ Tickets to “Motown” & Backstage Tour Ni‘ihau Helicopter Tour 20 Rounds Golf at Po‘ipu Bay San Francisco Vacation Package w/ SF Giants Game Texas BBQ & Beer for 12 Disneyland Package North Shore Stay ‘N Play Koa Chest, Couch, Tables Maui Vacation Outdoor Movie & Lappert’s Condo in Cabo San Lucas Cabin in Big Bear Fill Your Wine Cellar Hawai‘i Island Vacation Stay-Cation Kaua‘i Packages Waikiki Vacation
Hanalei Trimaran Sunset Sail w/ Hanalei Dolphin Picnic Penny Nichols Full- Length Pastel Portrait San Diego Vacation Package w/ Tickets to San Diego Zoo Seashore Paspalum Grass up to 8000sf Condo at Whistler King-Size Hawaiian Quilt 3-Nights at the Gillin Beach House in Maha‘ulepu Keiki Pool Party at Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa Cajun Dinner 6 Nights in Beachfront Cayman Islands Condo 3-Nights at Disney Aulani Resort + $200 Resort Credit Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa Presidential Suite Pkg.
Browse online at http://ischool.maestroweb.com/
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James Massaro Proudly displaying Thunder Chicken Coffee, which has raised over $4k for our Robotics Program
At the suggestion of his wife and I.S. math teacher, Susie, James came to us as a substitute teacher in the spring of 2004. A chemical engineer by trade, James was spotted by Bob Springer as a potential recruit to our high school math and science faculty. James was hired full time in 2004 and his job description hasn’t stopped changing since. Originally from Oklahoma, James was a manager for an oil company. His teaching
experience was in the industry, with adult students. “I thought this experience would be useful in the high school classroom,” James recalled. “It was not!” It didn’t take him long to become an effective classroom teacher. “I learned how to manage a class without being scary,” he joked. In the mid-2000s, robotics had become a buzzword in education. “Bob asked if I’d be interesting in starting a program at Island School,” said James. His first stab at it was with Botball. One student represented Island School in 2007 and he won an award for being “the most perseverant team!” A turning point in the program was when James implemented the FIRST and VEX robotics programs in 2008. Interest expanded, with more students coming out after school to learn. In 2009, James created Kaua‘ibots, the high school robotics team that includes students from all Kaua‘i’s high schools. Over 30 high school students are involved
this year, working side-by-side with engineers, marketing experts, machinists, accountants, attorneys and rocket scientists from the community. When asked why he thinks this kind of opportunity is so important, James points out that his students are learning mechanical, electrical, and software engineering and electronics at a more advanced level than would otherwise be available. “They’re seeing what it’s like to invent things,” he added. “The environment we’ve created is similar to what they might find in the business world.” Several of James’ students have gone on to pursue degrees in engineering and computer science. Island School has attracted a whole nest of Massaros. Besides Susie, two grandchildren are students, their son is a frequent IT trouble-shooter, and their daughter substitute teaches here. Not to forget - there is an imu in his backyard, waiting for next Thanksgiving turkey fund raiser to support robotics!
Island School 3-1875 Kaumuali‘i Hwy Lihu‘e, HI 96766