Hiring Overview & Procedures

Innovations Public Charter School is dedicated to providing students a non-traditional environment that meets each individual learner's needs through interdisciplinary, inquiry and project-based curriculum infused with technology in multi-aged classrooms.

Staff at Innovations includes credentialed, non-credentialed and community educators and support personnel. Their role is to directly provide for the means and the atmosphere that enable students to learn. Their relationship to one another is non-hierarchical in the sense that every staff person (with learners) shares in the responsibility for the educational process. The governing procedure is flexible, maximizing opportunities for consensus decision-making, and assuring that those most responsible for specific aspects have the authority and resources needed to carry out their mandates.

Innovations staff believes that each student's education is strengthened by the partnership of families with school staff. All families are encouraged to participate by assisting in the classroom, organizing and participating in school activities, sharing talents and hobbies, participating in school governance and more. This participation is critical to the success of our students and our school.

Our community is our biggest resource. Innovations invites all community members to become involved in education by providing resources and opportunities for our students.

Hiring Procedure:

A Personnel Committee comprised of educational staff and the Local School Board oversee the hiring process which is as follows:

• advertise
• applicant submits job application / resume with references
• screen applications for qualified applicants
• set up and conduct interviews with most qualified applicants
• hands-on session for applicants at IPCS if applicable
• personnel committee reviews all data and makes recommendations to Board
• Local School Board reviews recommendations and makes selections; applicants are chosen on the basis of fit with required job duties
• reference and background check
• notify all applicants
• orientation and induction

Applying for a Position:

1. Request a Job Application from Jennifer Hiro (contact information above) or print out and fill in a Job Application located at http://www.ipcs.info/jobap.html

2. Submit application and resume with references to Jennifer Hiro at address above.

3. Applicants that best meet the qualifications and needs of the position will be notified regarding an interview. 

Information for Prospective Charter Employees

Governance and Hiring: Charter schools are governed by a Local School Board that is responsible for the hiring of staff. The Local School Board is comprised of teachers, support staff, administrator, parents, and community members. A Personnel Committee will screen, interview and make recommendations to the Board for approval. A majority vote of the Board is required to confirm a recommendation of the PC panel.

Types of Positions: Most positions at IPCS are in a bargaining unit and eligible for benefits:

• HSTA (Hawaii State Teachers Association),
• HGEA (Hawaii Government Employees Association)
• UPW (United Public Workers).

Innovations hires

• Certificated Teachers,
• Educational Assistants (EA),
• Business Manager,
• Secretary,
• Clerks,
• Facility Manager
• Room Cleaner.

Casual Hire Employees (hourly) are not in a bargaining unit and do not receive benefits. Casual hire positions at IPCS include

• Resource Instructors
• Tutors

TEACHING POSITIONS:

Department Of Education (DOE) Status of Charter Teachers:
Charter schools are public schools of choice. They are subject to the collective bargaining law. All certificated teachers hired by a charter school are state employees with the same salary structure, benefits, and rights as any other DOE teacher.

All Charter School Employees are considered temporary hires. Contracts are for one year. Employees are evaluated yearly and those with satisfactory performance are invited back for rehire by the Local School Board.

DOE Teacher vs Charter Teacher:
The DOE has two categories for teachers: Regular DOE employee and Charter School Employees. Employees in these two categories receive fringe benefits and are paid through the state Financial Management System (FMS).

DOE: Teachers who were initially hired by the DOE and have taught in a Hawaii DOE school before transferring to a charter school are in the DOE category. Former DOE teachers who are employed by a charter school retain all of their benefits (tenure, years of service and retirement) but do not gain additional years of seniority service while working in the charter school.

Charter School Employees (CSE): New teacher hires who work at a charter school are not DOE employees (they are Local School Board employees), therefore do not accrue probation and tenure within the DOE system. CSE do not have transfer rights to regular DOE schools. CSE who leave the charter school and want to work for a DOE school need to apply to the DOE as a new teacher. Likewise, non-certificated teachers who work at a charter school do not accrue probation and tenure.

Transfers: DOE teachers may move to charter schools by following the regular transfer procedures. If a DOE tenured teachers completes their paperwork during the first posting, no resignation from DOE is required. If a DOE teacher accepts a charter school teaching position outside of the first posting of the DOE transfer period, a resignation is required. If a DOE teacher working for a charter school decides to move back to a DOE school, they may do so following the DOE transfer procedures and timelines.

Qualifications: The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) mandates that teachers in all public schools be Highly Qualified. To be HQ, you must be licensed by the State of Hawaii and be certificated to teach in your content area. Credentialed teachers who come from out of state must obtain a Hawaii Teaching License through the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board. Out of state teachers working for a Hawaii charter school have four years to obtain Hawaii Certification and pass all necessary requirements for HQ. Visit the HTSB website for complete details about licensing procedures at http://www.htsb.org/news/minakami.html

Paraprofessionals - which include Educational Assistants (EAs), Part-Time Temporary Teachers (PTTs), and Para-Professional Teachers (PPTs) - must have a minimum of 2 years of college or 48 credits. For more details, visit Hawaii Teachers Standards Board at http://www.htsb.org/news/minakami.html

Current Make-up of School Population, Staff, and Instruction:
Innovations is located in the heart of Kailua-Kona. The school services 185 students in grades 1-8 with a team of 40 staff members. Core staff is certificated and Part Time Teachers (PTTs/ Tutors) are all college experienced. Math and Language Arts class size average is 22-24. The part-time teachers assist with instruction allowing for small group instruction and team planning time during the day. PTTs tutor small groups or individual children and help with lunch supervision.

Elementary students are placed in multiage groupings of first-second graders, third-fourth graders,and fifth-sixth graders. Students work in homeroom classes and receive resource services throughout the week (Music, PE, Drama, Hawaiiana, Garden). Visual Art specialists are invited to teach throughout the year.

Middle school students are multi-aged and work in groups to attend Humanities, Math and Science classes. Each trimester, students sign up for two wheel (resource) classes - one physical and one in the arts.

Student hours are 7:45 to 2:45 daily except Fridays which has early dismissal at 12:45. Daily schedule for the elementary campus includes language arts and math, resource for students / team planning for core teachers, lunch and projects. On Fridays, students attend Interest Groups where they are given an opportunity to pursue special interests. The middle school students attend core classes and advisory "talk story" daily Monday - Thursday. On Fridays, students work out in the community with mentors or provide community service.

Administration: Shared Leadership is the model in place at Innovations. Teaching staff make curriculum decisions and a Leadership Team comprised of administration and teacher representatives facilitate all other decision making.

Employees who work at Innovations are dedicated to helping the school be the best that it can be and give generously of their time to the goals of the school.

A+ COORDINATOR

A+ Coordinator Position Starting August 11, 2010 to May 25, 2011

 

After an exciting day at school, children of parents who work stay at school to participate in our After School Care Program. We offer a variety of activities that make their extended stay enjoyable. They have a snack, do their homework, participate in free play and organized play, and are involved in structured activities in music, art, drama, P.E, garden and Cooks Kitchen.

 

The Program services about 40 children in grades 1-6 and is staffed with an A+ Site Coordinator, A+ Group Leader and an A+ Program aide.
These positions start August 11, 2010 and end May 25, 2011.

 

 

A+ SITE COORDINATOR - Starts August 11, 2010

Coordinates the after school program. Responsibilities include oversight of the Group Leader and Program Aide, financials (parent payments and program supplies), record keeping (parent forms and daily attendance), creating weekly activity schedules (program guides available with lots of ideas) and working with the children in small groups.

Position requires adult who

• enjoys working with children
• has high energy
• is reliable and can be counted on to report to work daily
• is self-motivated and enjoys planning and implementing fun and interesting activities for children
• is able to multi-task - i.e. lead children in activities, help parents sign out, keep an eye on safety of all, etc.

Expectations:

• Assist in creating and implementing a creative, educational environment and opportunity for learning;
• Work in a team approach with community, parents, educators, and learners;
• Encourage creativity and experiential learning;
• Supervise learners in a variety of activities and tasks.
• Guide learners in daily activities and challenges;

Hours:

• Mondays - Thursdays 2:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Fridays 12:30 - 5:30 p.m.

How to Apply:

Print application: http://www.ipcs.info/jobap.html
and
Mail / fax resume to

Innovations Public Charter School
75-5815 Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy
Kailua Kona, HI 96740

Fax: (808) 327-6209 or
E-mail jennifer_hiro@notes.k12.hi.us