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 our students' 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.

Qualifications of individuals to be employed by Innovations:

All individuals to be employed by the charter school must possess the personal characteristics, knowledge base and successful experiences in the responsibilities and qualifications identified in the posted job description.

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
• 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 Barbara Woerner (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 Barbara Woerner at address above.

3. Applicants that 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 and interview applicants. The panel will interview and rate each applicant, and then make recommendations to the Board for approval. A majority vote of the Board is required to confirm a recommendation of the PC panel.

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.

Teaching Positions:
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 during the months of February through May. 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.

Qualifications: The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) mandates that teachers in all public schools be licensed by the State of Hawaii. 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. 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 126 students in grades 1-6 with a team of 20 staff members. Core staff is certificated and Part Time Teachers (PTTs/ Tutors) are all college experienced. Math and Language Arts class size average is 20. 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.

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, Art, PE, Drama, Hawaiiana).

Student hours are 7:45 to 2:30 daily except Fridays which has early dismissal at 12:45. Daily schedule 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.

Administration: Innovations is a Team-Managed school. Decisions are made as a team during team meetings. The teacher/director helps coordinate administrative duties; discipline and other administrative duties are shared by the staff.

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.

 

All teaching, resource and tutor positions have been filled for SY 08-09.

 

 

AFTER SCHOOL ROOM CLEANER

 

 

 

 Room cleaner(s) are needed to do daily maintenance of classrooms and administative offices at the charter school.

Minimum Requirements: 2 years experience cleaning as a profession

Expectations: person takes pride in their work and is able to follow directions as well as take initiative to keep offices and rooms clean; has knowledge of cleaning products and cleaning techniques / routines; able to move quickly to do a thorough and quality job.

Overview of position:

• 19 hours a week: approximately 3.5 - 4 hours daily
• Hourly Range: $9.to $12 an hour (depending on skills and experience);
• No benefits (position is hourly; hourly positions do not qualify for benefits)
• Hours: afternoons / evenings after 4:00 p.m.
• Deep cleaning during school vacations and summers

 

Responsibilities:

• Daily: Empty trash, sweep / vacuum / mop rooms
• Weekly: clean administrative offices
• Take direction from Facility Manager / Custodian to maintain clean working environment

How to Apply:

Submit 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 barbara_woerner@notes.k12.hi.us