Wednesday 1/25/12
An apology, and a way forward
When it comes to our public schools, there's no shortage of opinions about how to improve them. And when something goes wrong--like the overwhelming rejection of the latest teachers' contract last week--there's plenty of finger-pointing and howls of protest.
So it was refreshing to hear Wil Okabe, president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, do something different on Monday. He blamed himself.
"I am humbled," he said after teachers rejected the contract he recommended. "This wasn't the teachers' fault. It was mine."
The walls of mistrust and contempt that separate the education establishment and the public seem insurmountable. Perhaps Okabe has show how they can be breached.
post date 01/26/12
Praise for President Obama’s bold vision for America
Address focuses on ambitious roadmap to rebuild an economy that works for all Americans
WASHINGTON—Tonight, President Barack Obama delivered his third State of the Union Address to the nation before a joint session of Congress. NEA President Dennis Van Roekel praised the president’s vision and his roadmap to put more Americans back to work, rebuild the economy and help middle class families get back on their feet. The president again pledged to continue making education a top domestic priority in his administration.
post date 01/25/12 read more»
Radio Message from HSTA President
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(audio file - download speed varies)
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"...I want every parent and every teacher to know that I am committed to resolving this stalemate."...
"Teachers aren't against accountability. Teachers have told me they just want to make sure that accountability standards are clear and fair.
I am a teacher. I want every teacher to be respected"
Wil Okabe
President
(Message paid for by the Hawaii State Teachers Association)
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post date 01/24/12
Message from HSTA President
January 19, 2012
Dear Colleagues,
Mahalo to each of you who came out to vote on the proposed new contract. I talked to hundreds of you this week personally and at some of the polling locations. I could tell from the questions many teachers had that the vote would be against ratification.
Only 33 % of you voted yes, while 67% voted no.
When an organization like ours makes decisions by allowing everyone's voice to be heard, it is always a victory for a union democracy.
While I recommended the proposal to you, my real job is to carry out the decisions you make.
So beginning tomorrow, I will initiate a union-wide conversation about our options going forward, listen to your suggestions, roll up my sleeves, and get back to work.
Many of you have suggested that we return to the negotiating table. Others of you believe a strike vote should be our next step. And still others have suggested that we continue with our legal challenges. Each of these points of view should be considered and discussed.
We will do so, together.
Tonight I will rest easy knowing that as long as we stay together, we will achieve what is best.
For now, I ask that each of you - no matter how you voted - stay focused. We cannot grow tired or weary because our cause is just.
So after you get a chance to sleep on tonight's results, please join me in a constructive dialogue about what we should do next. It is our duty to one another and my pledge to you.
Mahalo,
Wil Okabe,
President
post date 01/19/12
Letters to the Editor
HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Praise of teachers was heartening
It was uplifting for this retired educator to see that Dr. Hingson M. Chun, a noted cardiologist, took the time to pay tribute to all his teachers at Lincoln Elementary, Stevenson Intermediate, Roosevelt High, the University of Hawaii and the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine ("All teachers deserve praise," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 13).
Over my 35-year public school career, I have seen that the public schools have often been a convenient whipping target by many who seem uninformed. There are those who should know better but yet pass anecdotal hearsay about how "dysfunctional" our public schools are.
One problem may be that many have never stepped into a public school classroom. Unfortunately they miss observing and knowing the many dedicated teachers in the classroom.
As an aside, three of our sons went to public schools and are upstanding, taxpaying citizens.
Ted Nishijo
Salt Lake
http://www.staradvertiser.com/editorialspremium/20120117_Letters_to_the_Editor.html
post date 12/31/11
Second jobs common among schoolteachers
The need for additional income highlights educators' financial struggles, their union says
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Two-thirds of Hawaii public school teachers who responded to a recent union poll said they hold one or more outside jobs, and 41 percent of those earning supplemental incomes said they started working another job in the last one to three years.
The teachers union said the survey, which was not scientific, helps illustrate the significant toll that furlough days, pay cuts and increased medical costs have had on teachers since 2009.
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post date 12/21/11 read more»
Waialua teacher wins Milken award and $25,000
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Waialua High and Intermediate School robotics teacher Glenn Lee was awarded the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award today during a surprise assembly at the school.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie presented Lee with the award and a check for $25,000 in front of more than 500 screaming and applauding students and teachers.
Nobody at the school, not even Principal Randiann Porras-Tang knew a teacher would be receiving the Milken Award today, or that Lee was the one being honored.
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post date 12/09/11 read more»
Hawaii teachers earn prestigious title of National Board Certified Teacher
Teachers at Hawaii public schools earned the highest credential available to American educators by becoming a National Board Certified Teacher through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).
post date 12/08/11 read more»
post date 12/01/11 read more»
News from Capitol Hill. . .
November 18, 2011
WE ARE THE 99 PERCENT--IS CONGRESS LISTENING?
If the choice about our nation's future comes down to choosing between continuing corporate tax breaks versus funding public education, what will your Members of Congress choose? There are just days left before the “Super Committee’s” Thanksgiving deadline. If the Committee does not reach a deal, automatic across- the-board cuts will be triggered – but will not go into effect until January 1, 2013. Democrats and Republicans on the Committee have been trading offers, but, as of November 18, no final deal had been announced. At issue is how much deficit reduction will come from spending cuts to critical programs versus revenue raisers that ensure those most able to contribute pay their fair share.
post date 11/18/11 read more»
Kailua High School Teacher to receive Teacher Tolerance Award
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Kailua High School teacher among first to receive award for culturally responsible teaching
Amber Makaiau is one of five educators to receive the first-ever Teacher Tolerance Award for Excellence in Culturally Responsible Teaching. The national award till be presented on December 9 in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes educators who have demonstrated excellence in teaching students from diverse racial, ethnic ,and cultural backgrounds. The winners were selected through a rigorous review process by an expert panel of teachers and researchers.
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post date 11/16/11 read more»
Castle Teacher Receives 2011 Teacher Excellence Award
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Bobby Duque received the 2011 The American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association Teacher Excellence Award. The Castle High School teacher was of one of only two teachers to receive this national award. Barbara Brody of Vermont was also honored with the award that honors outstanding driver and traffic safety educators. The award, sponsored by the National Road Safety Foundation, was announced at the ADTSEA annual conference.
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post date 11/15/11 read more»
National Board TAKE ONE!
Announcement for teachers in TITLE I schools:
Begin a journey to explore National Board Certification...a national symbol of excellence in teaching and leadership.
post date 11/08/11 read more»
Give teachers a tax credit
October 28, 2011
Editorial: The Maui News
There is an effort afoot to give teachers in Hawaii a credit on their state income tax for money spent on students' class supplies.
The only thing we can contribute is that this is an initiative way past due.
post date 10/28/11 read more»
2012 State Teacher of the Year
Chad Miller named Hawaii’s 2012 State Teacher of the Year
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Chad Miller, an English language arts teacher at Kailua High School, is Hawaii’s 2012 State Teacher of the Year. Governor Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii State Board of Education Chairman Don Horner, and Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi made the announcement this afternoon during a ceremony honoring seven District Teachers of the Year at Washington Place.
After receiving this year's honor, Mr. Miller told the audience that he went into teaching to make a difference.
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post date 10/28/11 read more»
Frito-Lay of Hawaii and Hawaii State Department of Education Name Three 2012 Hawaii Blue Ribbon Schools
Schools Will Represent Hawaii in the National Blue Ribbon Program
HONOLULU - Enchanted Lake Elementary, Heeia Elementary and Hokulani Elementary Schools were named Hawaii's Blue Ribbon Schools today by Frito-Lay of Hawaii and the Hawaii State Department of Education at the Hawaii Distinguished Schools awards event held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Tower Ballroom. The three schools were chosen based on their outstanding student achievements and are Hawaii's nominees to the 2012 national No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program. These selected schools will be considered for the coveted National Blue Ribbon designation along with other schools from across the country.
post date 10/27/11 read more»
Good Idea Grant Program
Success starts with a good idea and a great teacher
Sometimes, you just need someone to believe in you and your ideas. That's why we are committed to the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation's "Good Idea" grant program. Since 1985, over $3,000,000 grants have supported good ideas in public elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the State of Hawaii.
post date 10/24/11 read more»
Hawaii Teacher, Rexann Dubiel -- honored as Super Hero
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For more than 20 years, Rexann Dubiel has introduced the world and its many cultures and people to her third-grade students at Sunset Beach Elementary in Hawaii’s North Shore of Oahu.
Read more»
post date 10/20/11
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Kaneohe Educator to Receive National Education Award
Jonathan Gillentine to be Recognized by the NEA Foundation at its Salute to Excellence in Education Gala in February
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 5, 2011) – Jonathan Gillentine an educator at Rev. Benjamin Parker School in Kaneohe, HI will receive The Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence, $10,000, and recognition as one of the nation’s top educators at the NEA Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala to be held on Feb. 10, 2012 in Washington, D.C.
post date 10/05/11 read more»
Support public education by wearing red on Tuesdays
People in Hawaii are joining anyone who supports public education across the nation by wearing red on Tuesdays. Now, more than ever, with attacks on public education happening in states across the country, it's important to show support for schools, students, and teachers.
post date 05/08/11
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD FOR EDUCATORS AND WORKERS’ RIGHTS
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Support educators in Wisconsin, Idaho, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, and Tennessee as they battle their state legislatures and governors to preserve their right to collective bargaining and having a voice in improving opportunities for our students, better classroom resources, and improved teaching and learning conditions.
You can lend a voice to help educators and support quality education. Here are two things you can do right now:
- Sign the petition on Education Votes Web site: http://www.educationvotes.nea.org/nationalpetition
- " Wear Red for Ed " and ask your colleagues to
" Wear Red for Ed " to support public education beginning Tuesday, February 22, and every Tuesday this spring until the battle is won.
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post date 02/19/11
More Archived News Briefs here»
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