Innovations school needs new homeBY TRAVIS LOOP Friday, November 5, 2004 9:04 AM HST The 120 students and 17 staff members of Innovations Public Charter School could be homeless by next June. At the end of the current school year, Innovations must leave the campus of Kahakai Elementary, where it occupies six classrooms and has been located since the school opened in 2001, said Innovations Director Barbara Woerner. Administration and parents are actively searching for a new location for the school and hope a community member or business can step forward to help soon. Woerner said the situation has become urgent because it can take six to eight months to acquire necessary permits and remodel buildings, and the next school year begins August 1, 2005. |
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"The worst-case scenario is we are unsuccessful at finding a new location and we have to close Innovations," Woerner said. Students would then attend the public school in their district, which for most is Kahakai. In 2001, several teachers including Woerner founded Innovations and reached an agreement with Kahakai's former principal James Palmer that allowed the charter school to use space. When Jessica Yamasawa became Kahakai principal in 2002, she took over a school in a rapidly growing community and immediately informed Innovations they should actively pursue relocation off campus. Woerner said, "With all the development going on in the community and no new facilities to accommodate that growth, the principal of Kahakai is feeling the pinch and will run out of space because her enrollment is growing, so we need to find a new place to occupy for next school year." Kahakai's current enrollment is about 660 students and in 2003 the school had a population boost about 80 students greater than DOE projections. Yamasawa expects the trend to continue considering the construction of homes in the district. "Innovations caps their enrollment at 120 students, but we take everyone and our numbers keep increasing," Yamasawa said. "We have some classes with 30 students, expanded classes being held in the library and our Primary School Assistance Program in the cafeteria. We want to have a computer lab, reading lab and tutoring room, all things that necessitate more space." Woerner said Innovations would ideally be remain as close to Kahakai as possible, but could relocate anywhere from the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii to just south of Keauhou. "Because we are down to the wire, we will consider any and all locations," Woerner said. "But if we go too far north or south, it will be a hardship for parents because of transportation." The school is looking for three to five acres of land, with 5,000 to 9,000 square feet of classroom space and 300 to 600 square feet of office space. The school would need room for 20 to 30 parking spaces, plus a few handicapped stalls. Woerner said they hope for one-half to one-acre of playground space and require about 10 toilets for students. Innovations is able to pay monthly rent, although they are hoping for someone who can subsidize or donate space because the Department of Education does not provide charter schools with any funds for property. "Charter schools have to take money for property out of the amount given to run the whole school," said Jim Shon, executive director of charter schools administrative office in Honolulu, who added that some charter schools pay up to $20,000 per month in rent. "We are going to the legislature to ask for money for facilities next spring, but nobody has been anxious to provide that type of funding for charter schools," Shon said. Innovations will consider space from developers or private land owners, partnerships with existing businesses or educational groups, and community or public facilities that may not be used during the day. Unused state or county buildings, office or retail space and donated lands are other possibilities, Woerner said. Since April, Innovations has been in negotiations to relocate to the Fuku Bonsai Center on Mamalahoa Highway, but the owner recently postponed the permitting process because of a dispute over the construction of a storage facility on the property. Students at Innovations speak highly of the education they are receiving and are all aware their school needs a new home. "There are more activities here and they teach you in different ways, not just with textbooks," said Nicole Nakakura, a fifth grader. "We will probably find a new place for our school because there are a lot of parents that are helping." For more info To help, call the school at 327-6205 |
Updated Novemeber 2004
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