2019-2020
Annual Report
HAWAI'I ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS Table of Contents
Page COVID-19 Response 02
Page Programs 03
Page Collaboration 09
Page Services 12
Page Accreditation 16
Page Hawai'i Council of Private Schools 18
Page Financial Report 20
Page Mahalo Nui Loa 21 Executive Director's Note
Aloha Friends of HAIS and HCPS –
2019/20 was a very unusual year for the Hawai'i Association of Independent Schools (HAIS) and its subsidiary, the Hawai'i Council of Private Schools (HCPS), as I am sure it has been for all 112 of Hawa'i's private schools. On the following pages I am happy to provide you with just a brief overview of what was accomplished by HAIS and HCPS during the past year.
On July 1, 2019, Paul Singer, President Emeritus of Assets School, took over as President of the HAIS Board and Jyo Bridgewater, Principal of Holy Nativity School, became Chair of the HCPS Board. Their respective board meetings began with the usual in-person gatherings in the fall of 2019, but pivoted to virtual sessions in the spring of 2020.
The licensing of all private schools became mandatory in 2019/20 with the passage of Act 227 and this created a significant increase in work for the licensing and accreditation team as dozens of small private schools hidden away across the state suddenly emerged and had to be vetted for first-time licensing.
The 2019 Schools of the Future (SOTF) Conference at the Hawai'i Convention Center was very successful and once again broke previous attendance records. Planning for a similar 2020 event was well underway by March when the pandemic shut in-person gatherings down and forced the HAIS programs team to completely reimagine and reprogram SOTF 2020 as a virtual event.
Beginning in March of 2020, HAIS became an information and resource center for its member schools, providing daily updates on state and county government emergency orders, CDC and Department of Health medical information and guidelines for reopening schools, as well as a variety of resources and information for implementing and managing remote learning programs. HAIS also organized a variety of webinars with national and local speakers to provide insight and support for school leaders, as well as dozens of “constituency group” virtual gatherings to allow informal discussions among COVID-isolated school heads, business officers, admissions directors, etc. This service has continued into the 2020/21 school year as the pandemic continues to constrain what is possible for Hawai'i’s private school learning environments.
I hope you will enjoy reading the much more detailed information on the following pages and, if you have any questions or would like additional information about any aspect of HAIS’s and HCPS’s efforts in support of private education in Hawai'i, you can email me at [email protected] or call me at 808-203- 9097.
Philip J. Bossert, Ph.D. Executive Director COVID-19 Response
Webinars and Meetings
Webinars April 3 - Leading In a Time of Crisis Presented by: Rob Evans and Michael Thompson Participation: 28 Heads of School
April 14 - CARES Act for Retirement Plan Sponsors Presented by: Mutual of America
April 20 - Managing a Remote Workforce Through a Crisis Presented by: Future Design School Participation: 20 Attendees
April 21 - Independent Schools on the Brink (HAIS partnership with Southern Association of Independent Schools) Presented by: Debra Wilson (President of SAIS), Ari Betof, John Gulla, Jim Hulbert, & Kristen Power
April 28 - What Parents Really Want From Schools During COVID-19 (HAIS partnership with Florida Council of Independent Schools, California Association of Independent Schools, Independent Schools Association of the Central Schools) Presented by: Devorah Heitner
April 30 - The Head of School and Board Partnership During COVID-19 Crisis Presented by: John Littleford, Littleford Associates
May 7 - Maintaining SEL During Distance Learning (HAIS partnership with Hawai'i Community Foundation) Presented by: Steve Barrett, Maddie Bradshaw, Alex Stern, and Chris McKenna from The Wildwood School Participation: 105 Attendees
Meetings (Constituency Groups Meetings between March 2020 and June 2020) Heads of School Roundtables - 6 Chaplains and Spiritual Leaders - 2 Economic Sustainability Roundtables - 5 Elementary School Principals - 2 Admissions Directors - 5 Advancement Directors - 3 Early Learning Roundtables - 3 Summer School Directors - 2 Total: 28 Constituency Group Meetings PROGRAMS
Conferences
Schools of the Future Conference Presented By: HAIS, Hawai'i Department of Education, Pillars of Peace at Hawai'i Community Foundation, and Hawai'i Society for Technology in Education.
The 2019 Schools of the Future Conference marked the 11th anniversary of the initiative, with the conference taking place October 2 - 4 at the Hawai'i Convention Center. As in previous years, the conference grew in both size and scope, once again experiencing greater attendance than in any previous year.
The conference program opened on October 3, with a keynote presentation by Dr. Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy, a nonprofit organization with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone anywhere. Highlighting the fifth year of the conference’s collaboration with the Omidyar Pillars of Peace Fund, the Social and Emotional Learning track was keynoted during lunch by Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, Professor of Education, Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Southern California. The second day of the conference began with a keynote by Jennie Magiera, Chief Program Officer for the EdTechTeam, who delivered a keynote about how “untold stories” can empower educators to change the world by starting in their own classrooms.
PAGE 03 PROGRAMS
2.06% The conference hosted 17 featured speakers, 160 PARTICIPATION INCREASE breakout sessions and 171 presenters. Seven 2,177 participants during the two-day interactive playgrounds provided attendees the opportunity for hands-on learning experiences conference. centered around Early Childhood Learning, 2,500 Computer Science, Arts and Digital Media, Project-
2,000 Based Learning and Augmented and Virtual Reality. Apple and Microsoft also hosted playground spaces 1,500 focused on STEM and student-centered learning environments, respectively. A new addition to the 1,000 conference was 15 student-led sessions presented by seven public, five private, one non-profit and two 500 charter schools – all of which were well attended.
0 2017 2018 2019 The 2019 conference once again experienced a ATTENDANCE BY ISLAND record number of attendees, with total participation over 2 days of 2,177, of which 1,574 were paid participant registrations and 131 were paid sponsor Moloka'i or exhibitor registrations. HAIS membership was 9 well represented with 44% of all HAIS member Kaua'i O'ahu Mau'i schools participating and 33 of 51, or 65%, of all Full 61 1,637 107 Member schools in attendance. 54 schools and districts sent groups of 10 or more attendees, making up nearly a third of those in attendance. 11 Hawai'i schools – four private, two charter and five public – 90% 180 sent their entire staff for at least one full day of the HIGHLY SATISFIED conference. There were 12 sponsors and a total of 53 exhibitors in the exhibit hall this year. In addition, The SOTF Feedback Form yielded a 22% seven non-profit organizations were invited to share response rate with 340 attendees providing information with attendees free of charge. input.
PLANNING COMMITTEE The feedback received from attendees was extremely positive. The SOTF Feedback Form Hilary Apana-McKee, Hawai'i Department of Education yielded a 22% response rate. Of the 340 attendee Shane Asselstine, HSTE responses 90% rated their overall level of Philip Bossert, HAIS satisfaction as either high or extremely high, and Deanna D'Olier, HAIS 82% indicated that they were either very or Nathaniel Evslin, HSTE Melissa Handy, Le Jardin Academy extremely likely to attend in future years. Mark Hines, Mid-Pacific Institute Robbie Ann Kane, Hawai'i Community Foundation Megan Polak, HAIS Brett Tanaka, Hawai'i Department of Education
PAGE 04 PROGRAMS
Conferences
Leading Schools of Future Pre-Conference The Schools of the Future Conference (LSOTF) was once again preceded by the Leading Schools of the Future Pre-Conference. Coupled with the LSOTF track, which featured leadership sessions throughout the two-day SOTF Conference, the initiative aimed to address school leadership needs and to serve as a catalyst for school transformation.
The Pre-Conference explored “Assessment for Deeper Learning” and was facilitated by 3 Hawai'i-based educators; Mark Hines and Leigh Fitzgerald, of Mid-Pacific Institute, and Lisa Mireles, from PBLWorks. Those who purchased the 3-day LSOTF ticket were encouraged to attend the many pre-identified leadership breakout sessions throughout the 2-day SOTF conference. Participants were also encouraged to visit the #808LeaderLounge, a networking space that featured seven “Talk Story” sessions offered by SOTF Featured Speakers.
Of the 163 Pre-Conference participants, 109 attended all three days of the conference.
The Planning Committee for the LSOTF Pre-Conference included: Deanna D`Olier, Hawai'i Association of Independent Schools Rebecca Eldredge, HSTE Board Member Leigh Fitzgerald, Hawai'i Technology Academy Mark Hines, Mid-Pacific Institute Karen Miller, HSTE Board Member Lisa Mireles, PBLWorks Janet Powell, HSTE Board Member Bobby Widhalm, HSTE Board Member
PAGE 05 PROGRAMS
Workshops
HAIS Early Learning Professional Development Series
The Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation once again allocated funding to HAIS in support of a workshop series for early childhood educators. Based on the attendance and survey results from the first series, which took place between fall 2016 and early 2019, HAIS staff and the Early Childhood Learning Committee determined that an unprecedented need for quality professional development continued to exist for those who work with our youngest learners.
The four workshops took place between November 2019 and February 2020, on four different islands, and featured local presenters. The content focused on the theme, “Essentials for Quality Early Learning,” which were determined to be “Play, Parents, and Place.” Participants gained a deeper understanding of the importance of play, family engagement, and classroom environments and equipped them with tools that could be implemented in their own classrooms. The sessions were led by Maile Ostrem, M.Ed., teacher trainer and retired Hanahau‘oli School Early Childhood educator, Donna Reid- Hayes, M.Ed., a kindergarten teacher of more than 23 years at Punahou School, Robynne Migita, M.Ed. and early childhood educator at Mid-Pacific Institute and Leslie Gleim also an early childhood educator at Mid-Pacific Institute. # of Schools Date Location Participation Represented November 23, 2019 Mid-Pacific Institute, Oahu 90 Attendees 31 Schools
January 18, 2020 Montessori Community School, Maui 26 Attendees 7 Schools
February 8, 2020 Kamehameha Schools, Hawai'i 52 Attendees 15 Schools
February 29, 2020 Island School, Kauai 10 Attendees 6 Schools
Total: 178 Attendees 59 Schools Survey Results:
93% 5.7% Workshop Recommendation 97% Extremely Very Rate: Valuable Valuable
The four Early Childhood Workshops impacted 178 early childhood educators in the state of Hawai‘i. The demand for high-quality training remains apparent and is spurred- on, in part, by the DHS training requirements. All three workshop sessions were filmed during the Maui Workshop and have been made available on the HAIS website. These films can be accessed by any educator and incorporated into in-house professional development. Additionally, the work and attention given to this initiative further heightened awareness of the significant need for training opportunities for early childhood educators.
PAGE 06 PROGRAMS
Workshops
2019-2020 Workshops
October 29 - Heads and Trustees Workshop Speakers: Donna Orem (NAIS) & Arnold Laanui (FBI agent) 53 attendees
November 6 - Stanford Vaping Prevention Training on Oahu (in partnership with the Hawai'i Department of Health and funded by the Hawai'i Community Foundation) 75 attendees 7 - Stanford Vaping Prevention Training on Maui (in partnership with the Hawai'i Department of Health and funded by the Hawai'i Community Foundation) 28 attendees January 28 & 29 - Critical Thinking Workshop Facilitated By: Dr. Brian Barnes of the Foundation for Critical Thinking 18 attendees February 6 - Unlocking Learner Variabilities Workshop on Oahu (funded by the Oak Foundation and the Hawai'i Community Foundation) Facilitated by: Susannah Johnson 25 attendees 13 - Unlocking Learner Variabilities Workshop on Hawai'i (funded by the Oak Foundation and the Hawai'i Community Foundation) Facilitated by: Susannah Johnson 13 attendes
March 7 - Global Issues Network Conference (hosted by Maui Preparatory Academy) 33 students
PAGE 07 PROGRAMS
Learning Walks and Journeys
Learning Walks Learning Walks are intended to improve practice through observation and reflection, while building collaboration among colleagues from HAIS member schools. Each thematic walk was designed by the host school to ensure open-ended sharing of best practices among colleagues from HAIS Member Schools.
Date Location Theme/Topic Participation November 20 Punahou School Competency Based Learning 12 Attendees
November 22 Hanahau'oli School Collaborative Civic Spaces 9 Attendees
December 12 Le Jardin School Inquiry and Interdisciplinary Learning 10 Attendees
February 18 Mid-Pacific Institute Project-Based Learning Framework 6 Attendees
Total: 37 Attendees
Learning Journeys HAIS Learning Journeys are a spin-off of the Learning Walks, which have run periodically over many years. During a Journey, participants are able to take a “deeper dive” into a particular topic or theme. This past year, the focus was that of makerspaces. Over the course of several months, participants had the opportunity to visit makerspaces at several schools, observing how they are being utilized and learning about how they are being integrated into student learning. The experience gave participants the opportunity to reflect on how their school’s makerspaces are being used, while connecting with other like-minded individuals. A resource bank was also created, populated with photos, strategies, and takeaways from each site.
Date Location November 8 Assets School - Lower School Campus
November 9 Punahou School
December 6 Le Jardin Academy
February 21 Kamehameha Schools - Maui Campus
Total: 15 Participants from 7 Schools
PAGE 08 ZCIMCOOREL SOCLIALA MEBDIAO SERRVICAES TION
HENC
The Hawaiʻi Educational Networking Consortium (HENC) is a collaborative relationship among the University of Hawaiʻi, the State Department of Education, and the Hawaiʻi Association of Independent Schools. HENC aims to facilitate and coordinate Hawaiʻi-based cooperative activities relating to the development, promotion, and support of telecommunications technology in education and research. The funds received by HENC are a portion of the CATV “PEG Access” franchise fees collected by Oceanic Time Warner Cable and Hawaiian Telcom Cable, and are distributed to UH, HIDOE and HAIS for producing and purchasing video programming. These videos are broadcast on the dedicated education channels provided by ‘Ōlelo - UHTV, EDUTV, and TEACH – and/or on Hawaiʻi Public TV.
The range of programming produced by HAIS includes educational subject matter such as 21st Century teaching & learning, new thinking around assessment strategies, and topics relevant to early childhood educators. Many of the films aim to incorporate narratives that create a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between students, schools, and community.
The early education films produced this past year are intended as a resource to teachers and directors seeking required DHS credit hours. These films can be screened as part of in-house professional development administered by program or school directors, and a set of guiding questions have been created to accompany each film and assist with leading in-house professional development following a film screening.
More information about HENC, including a Video Library, can be found on the HENC page on the HAIS website.
Films Produced During the 2019-20 School Year
Schools of the Future Conference 2019: Children are Capable Now, Not Just in the Future The Toddler Brain: Nurturing the Skills Today that will Shape our Children’s Tomorrow
Early Education Series: The Importance of Play and Inquiry Developing Executive Function Skills in Early Childhood Teaching to the Child’s Learning Level Working with Multilingual Children Principles for Designing an Early Learning Environment
Early Learning Essentials Workshop Series: The Importance of Family Engagement The Importance of Play The Importance of Place
PAGE 09 ZCIMCOOREL SOCLIALA MEBDIAO SERRVICAES TION
Digital Media Grants
During the 2019-20 reporting period, the Hawai'i Educational Networking Consortium approved $110,000 in funding for 45 Hawai'i Schools Digital Media (HSDM) grants which ranged in size from $1,000 - $3,000 per school. The grants were awarded to Hawai'i public, private, charter, and parochial schools to support student video and digital media activities in school video production clubs or courses. These funds are used to develop and expand the capacity of elementary, intermediate, and secondary schools to produce video programming appropriate for cablecast on the Educational Access channels, on Public Television's HIKI NŌ Program, and for submission to local and national K-12 video media contests. All grants are tied to minutes of video programming that were submitted during the 2019-20 academic year.
$110,000 Approved Funding for 45 Grants
Private School Guide
The Private School Guide is a collaborative endeavor between HAIS and HONOLULU Magazine, and is included annually in the August publication of the HONOLULU Magazine. The Guide serves as an essential resource for Hawai'i families, as they consider the many private school choices in the State. The magazine sections include an admissions timeline and explanations about the significance of accreditation and licensing. The feature article explores how Hawai'i Private Schools offer a variety of settings, experiences and opportunities for students. As in past years, the magazine was distributed to all HONOLULU Magazine subscribers, as well as professional offices on Oahu and Maui.
PAGE 10 ZCIMCOOREL SOCLIALA MEBDIAO SERRVICAES TION
Education Cheat Sheet
HAIS was thrilled to enter into its fourth year of partnership with HONOLULU Family to produce the “Education Cheat Sheet” blog. This collaboration continues to serve as a mutually beneficial partnership between HAIS and the Magazine, with the dual purposes of highlighting the efforts and unique qualities of independent schools while providing high-quality content to the magazine’s readership. Articles are written by teachers and administrators from HAIS member schools, as well as by HAIS staff. Topics are identified by the magazine and HAIS based on relevance to current trends in education and interest to the target audience. Articles are posted on honolulufamily.com and also promoted through HONOLULU Family’s social media and eNewsletter. They can also be found on the HAIS website and are included in e-news.
39 articles have been published between January 2017 and June 2020, with 23 schools serving as contributors thus far:
June 2019 August 2019 December 2019 Why You Should Still Read To The Power of Play Matching Family and Your Child Through Middle School By: Lia Woo, Hanahau'oli School Values By: Lynn Dagli, Hongwanji Mission School By: Dan White, Ret. Head School of School July 2019 November 2019 Getting Ready for The Quirky Kid Kindergarten By: Jyo Bridgewater, Holy By: Cari Suzuki, Montessori Nativity School Community School
January 2020 March 2020 May 2020 How to Win at Homework Embracing the Challenge of How to Teach Your Child Empathy Input by: Ka'ipo Bailey Walsh - The Priory, St. Distance Learning During the Coronavirus Pandemic Andrew's School, Eric Dustman - Montessori School By: Deanna D'Olier, HAIS By: Michiko Sugiyama, Hanahau'oli of Maui, and Lia Woo - Hanahau'oli School School By: Sophie Halliday, HAIS February 2020 April 2020 What is a Makerspace Managing Screen Time During the By: Leah Magaña, Le Jardin Coronavirus Academy By: Leigh Fitzgerald, Mid-Pacific Institute
PAGE 11 ZSIMCEORRE SOVCIAIL CMEDEIA SERVICES
Education Fair
The 2019 Education Fair included member schools Advertising Efforts on the islands of Oahu, Maui, and Moloka'i. Each event featured learning demonstrations, hands-on Print Advertisements keiki activities, give-a-ways, and the opportunity to Star Advertiser - 6 Ads meet with admissions representatives from the Midweek - 2 Ads Honolulu Magazine - 1 Ad participating schools. Heather Hyslop from the Hawai'i Parent Magazine - 1 Ad Enrollment Management Association, Anita Harper Pacific Business News - 2 Ads from Schools and Student Services, Phil Bossert & Deanna D'Olier from the Hawai'i Association of Radio Advertising Independent Schools, hosted informational breakout HPR, 61 spots between 8/26 - sessions. 10/2
Breakout Sessions: Movie Theater Advertising All About the SSAT Admission Test and the New Consolidated Theater Ad - 76 Character Skills Snapshot (for students applying to spots during a 4-week period grades 4-12) starting on 8/26 Using the SAO to Apply to Schools (for students applying to grades Pre-K-12) Digital Advertising Kindergarten & Elementary School Admission Facebook - 1 Ad, 9/9 - 9/23 Financing an Independent School Education Pacific Business News - 2 dedicated emails and 1 morning edition banner, 9/15 - 9/21 Hawai'i News Now - Advertising on both website and App
TV Advertising Hawai'i News Now - 2 segments on KGMB, 1 segment on KHNL, and sponsorship recognition during education week
Education Fair Attendance 1,250
1,000 e l
p 5.8%
o 750 e P
f 500 o
# Percentage 250 Growth
0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 PAGE 12 Year SERVICES
Reporting
Enrollment Study Hawai'i's 100 licensed and/or accredited private schools reported an overall decrease of 2.72% in total enrollment during the 2019-20 school year. Oahu schools saw a decline of 1.61% (429 students) and Neighbor Island Schools experienced a 6.48% (509 students) dip. The complete enrollment report can be found on the HAIS Website.
Island # of Schools Oahu and Neighbor Island Comparison Oahu 68 Schools
Hawai'i 14 Schools
Maui 13 Schools
Kauai 4 Schools
Molokai 1 School
Total: 100 Schools
Oahu - By District Neighbor Island - By Island
Tuition Study The tuition report was created using tuition amounts from 92 independent schools for the 2020-21 school year (standalone preschools and kindergartens were not included).
Tuition for Hawai'i Private Schools (2020-2021) Tuition Summary by District
PAGE 13 SERVICES
Communication
Constituency Groups In 2019 - 2020, HAIS continued to bring together leaders from their respective fields to foster collective action. The onset of the pandemic resulted in a significant demand for constituency-based meetings.
The HAIS listservs help to support communication and collaboration among staff and faculty working in similar positions at member schools. Members of a listserv group can send an email to that listserv, and every other member of that listserv will receive it and be able to reply either to just the sender or the entire listserv group. Only a member of the list is able to send to the list and only persons in relevant positions are able to join a list. A complete list of all HAIS listserv groups is available on the HAIS website.
Constituency Groups Meetings Heads of School Roundtables - 6 Chaplains and Spiritual Leaders - 2 Economic Sustainability Roundtables - 5 Elementary School Principals - 2 Admissions Directors - 7 Advancement Directors - 3 Early Learning Roundtables - 3 Summer School Directors -3 Total: 30 Constituency Group Meetings
e-news HAIS continues to distribute e-news twice a month. This newsletter consists of announcements, information, and opportunities that are relevant to HAIS membership. These events specifically benefit private school educators, parents, and students. The HAIS e-news is sent out to more than 1,000 recipients, and is then distributed to faculty and staff within HAIS member schools.
Social Media This past year, HAIS continued to use Facebook, Twitter, and Vimeo to promote events, attract followers, and bring awareness to HAIS Member Schools.
Facebook Page: Vimeo Channel: Twitter Handle: Hawai'i Association of Hawai'i Association of @HAISConnect Independent Schools Independent Schools
PAGE 14 SERVICES
Advocacy
Until the pandemic closed down the Hawai'i State Legislature in March of 2020, HAIS spent quite a few days testifying on the Governor’s major early childhood learning plan. This initiative, rolling out over a ten-year period, is planned as a public-private venture that involves State support for the expansion of private preschool programs in order to meet the goals of universal early childhood education in Hawai'i by 2030. HAIS also testified in support of legislation that would create a new, optional private school teacher certification opportunity within the Hawai'i Teacher Standards Board.
Transcripts
HAIS continues to offer its High School Transcript Request Service for closed HAIS member Schools. 101 requests for high school transcripts were received during the 2019-2020 year.
Criminal History Record Checks
HAIS performed 906 Criminal History Record Checks, which is a 18.08% decrease from the previous year. The decrease is partly attributed to the government shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 47 HAIS Member Schools continued to utilize this service.
# of Appointment from July 2019 - June 2020 250
200
150
100
50
0 y t r r y h il y e l s e e r r ry r c r a Ju u b b e e a a r p n g o b b u u a A M Ju u m t m m n r A te c e e a b M p O v c J e e o e F S N D
PAGE 15 SERVICES
Accreditation
The comprehensive HAIS accreditation process plays an important part in advancing education in the State of Hawaiʻi by providing the opportunity for member schools to deeply reflect on all aspects of their practices. Through this process, schools identify their strengths and opportunities, challenges, and needs to chart a path forward towards continuous school improvement. An incredibly valuable and validating experience, HAIS aligns its professional development offerings to the needs identified in the self-study reports.
Accreditation At-A-Glance:
1 8 6 5 1
Full Mid-Cycle Substantive Special Probationary Self-Study Visits Change Progress Visit Visit Visits Reports Congratulations to the following schools for successfully meeting the accreditation requirements this year and reaffirming their status as accredited by HAIS, ACS WASC.
Carden Academy Christian Liberty Academy Damien Memorial School Hongwanji Mission School Honolulu Waldorf School ‘Iolani School Kamehameha Schools - Kapālama Campus Malamalama Waldorf School Maryknoll School Maui Preparatory Academy Montessori School of Maui Our Savior Lutheran School Pacific Buddhist Academy Punahou School Saint Louis School Saint Mark Lutheran School Trinity Christian School Waimea Country School
PAGE 16 SERVICES
HAIS accreditation efforts were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three full self- study visits were postponed until fall of 2021. Additionally, two special progress report extensions and one visit postponement requests were granted, as schools focused their efforts on shifting their operations to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
In addition to successfully coordinating the visits above, the HAIS staff and Accreditation Committee worked to refine the guidelines, procedures and templates used by member schools and visiting committee members to clarify the expectations for the various aspects of accreditation. The Independent School Dashboard was refined to make it more streamlined and user-friendly, as well. Finally, the HAIS Accreditation web page was extensively revised to be more visually pleasing, comprehensive, and user-friendly.
HAIS continued its collaborations with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA), Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), American Montessori Association (AMS), and the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) to hold joint accreditation visits.
We offer a big mahalo to Ms. Melissa Handy, Director of Education Technology at Le Jardin Academy who has finished her term this year as the WASC Commissioner representing Hawaiʻi’s private schools. Our congratulations to Dr. R. David Gaudi, Head of School of Saint Mark Lutheran School, who has been appointed as the Vice Chairperson of the WASC Commission.
Finally, mahalo to our Accreditation Committee members who offer guidance and support to accreditation efforts.
Accreditation Committee
Dr. R. David Gaudi, Jr.* Head of School Saint Mark Lutheran School Ms. Jyo Bridgewater Principal Holy Nativity School Dr. Ruth R. Fletcher Head of School St. Andrew's Schools Mr. Joshua Hernandez Morse Head of School Pacific Buddhist Academy Dr. Robert G. Peters Head of School, Ret. Hanahauʻoli School Mr. David Randall Head of School Hongwanji Mission School Mr. Mark Sugimoto Head of School Hanalani Schools Ms. Patsy Tom Head of School, Ret. Montessori Community School Dr. Daniel White Head of School, Ret. Island Pacific Academy Dr. Llewellyn Young Superintendent Hawai'i Catholic Schools
*Accreditation Committee Chair
PAGE 17 THE HAWAI'I COUNCIL OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS
HCPS Licensing
The Hawaiʻi Council of Private Schools (HCPS), established in 1996, is authorized by the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to license all private schools offering K-12 educational programs in the State of Hawaiʻi in order to verify that they meet and maintain minimum safety and health requirements set by the State. HCPS’s mandate was further solidified with the passage of Act 227 during the 2019 legislative session. This law, which went into effect on July 1, 2020, required that all private schools in Hawaiʻi, both not-for-profit and for-profit, be licensed by HCPS or accredited by one or more nationally recognized accrediting agencies.
In addition to fulfilling the above responsibilities, HCPS serves as an advisory group, particularly for smaller schools, providing advice and assistance to develop safe, healthy, and sustainable academic programs and school operations. Licensing helps ensure that a school's learning environment is safe, healthy, secure, and financially sustainable. Moreover, HCPS oversight ensures that private schools will be able to maintain their autonomy in providing a mission-driven education unique to each school.
Much of the 2019-20 school year focused on preparing the groundwork to implement Act 227. HCPS engaged in a comprehensive communication campaign with all private schools regarding Act 227 and actively worked to assist and support schools with their licensing requirements. Licensing policies, procedures, and processes were refined, and new annual requirements to maintain licensure were created. Additionally, in order to meet the needs of a growing number of virtual schools on our islands, a virtual licensing checklist was developed that clarifies the definition of ‘virtual school’ for the purposes of HCPS licensing, and to provide clear licensing requirements to operate as a virtual school in the State of Hawaiʻi. Finally, the HCPS Licensing page of the HAIS website was extensively updated to be more visually pleasing, comprehensive, and user-friendly.
A list of all licensed schools can be found on the HCPS Licensing page (hais.us/licensing) of the HAIS Website.
PAGE 18 THE HAWAI'I COUNCIL OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS
HCPS Licensing At-A-Glance (As of June 2020)
84 23 5 3 112
Licensed Compliant Unlicensed Pending Private Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools (PK-12)
Mahalo to the HCPS Board, which provides guidance and support for the licensing efforts. In addition to continually reviewing licensing procedures and criteria, the Board also serves as a think tank aimed at informing the safety and programmatic aspects of the licensing process. Their efforts ensure that HCPS remains in line with addressing the conditions faced by schools. Additionally HCPS Board members conduct all licensing visits on behalf of the Council and HAIS.
HCPS Board Members Ms. Jyo Bridgewater* Principal Holy Nativity School Ms. Miki Akeo-Nelson Superintendent Seventh-Day Adventist Schools Ms. Roberta Bishop Admin. Director, Ret. Honolulu Waldorf School Mr. Eric Dustman Head of School Montessori School of Maui Mr. Joshua Hernandez Morse Head of School Pacific Buddhist Academy Dr. Edna Hussey Elementary Principal Mid-Pacific Institute Mr. Steve Ross Elementary Principal Island Pacific Academy Ms. Amy Salling Head of School Waimea Country School Mr. Mark Sugimoto Head of School Hanalani Schools Ms. Florence Teruya Principal, Ret. Waolani Judd Nazarene School Mr. Russell Valente Admissions Director Saint Louis School
*HCPS Board Chair
PAGE 19 FINANCIAL REPORT
2019-2020 Income and Expenses
Financial Breakdown Income
HAIS Income Member Dues & Fees $722,127 Professional Programs $699,685 Grants & Contracts $438,898 Other Income $42,713 $1,902,423
Expenses
HAIS Expenses Member Services $464,397 Professional Programs $735,133 Grants & Contracts $438,898 Management & General $243,810
$1,882,238
$20,185 Net Revenue
PAGE 20 MAHALO NUI LOA
The HAIS team extends our gratitude for your continued membership and support, especially during this particularly precarious year. We hope that the support provided by HAIS during the COVID-19 crisis has helped you meet some of the challenges you have faced more effectively. In the coming year, know that we will remain committed to advocating on your behalf, facilitating opportunities for ongoing opportunities for collaboration, and ensuing that you remain informed. Additionally, HAIS will remain steadfast in its promise to fulfill its accreditation, licensing and programmatic services on behalf of the schools it serves. Just as you have had to innovate and pivot, the HAIS team is hard at work ensuring that it will continue to be responsive and forward- minded in all that we do in service of our members. To that end, we look forward to offering programs and services that are relevant and reflective of the world in which we now find ourselves. Thank you for your commitment and partnership and, more importantly, mahalo for your ongoing dedication to those you serve.
The work of HAIS would not be possible without its dedicated Board members. Thank you for your oversight and guidance this year and always.
Officers Mr. Paul Singer Head of School, Ret. Assets School Mr. Gerald Teramae Head of School Island Pacific Academy Dr. Timothy Cottrell Head of School 'Iolani School Dr. Philip Bossert Executive Director HAIS
Directors Ms. Jyo Bridgewater Principal Holy Nativity School Dr. Ruth Fletcher Head of School St. Andrew's Schools Dr. R. David Gaudi Head of School Saint Mark Lutheran School Mr. L. Shannon Graves Head of School Island School Dr. Mike Latham President Punahou School Ms. Kahealani Naeole-Wong Headmaster Kamehameha Schools - Hawai'i Ms. Lauren Nahme VP Strategy & Innovation Kamehameha Schools Hon. Wes Porter Magistrate Judge U.S. District Court - Hawai'i Mr. David Randall Head of School Hongwanji Mission School Mr. Ron Shiira Head of School Hawai'i Baptist Academy Dr. Tim Spurrier Administrative Director Honolulu Waldorf School Ms. Patsy Tom Head of School, Ret. Montessori Community School Dr. Paul Turnbull President Mid-Pacific Institute Dr. Llewellyn Young Superintendent Hawai'i Catholic Schools
HAIS STAFF
Dr. Philip Bossert Executive Director Ms. Deanna D'Olier Associate Director Ms. Sophie Halliday Director of Accreditation and Licensing Ms. Myrna Medeiros Business Officer Ms. Megan Polak Programs Manager Ms. Kelley Rahn Licensing and Membership Manager
PAGE 21