Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 5, 1 May 1990 — KS reply [ARTICLE]

KS reply

The foltowing response to the open letter is by Dr. Miehael Chun, president of Kamehameha Schools. The admissions policy that selects Hawaiian children at random for enrollment in the Kamehameha Elementary School (KES) was started in 1978. The decision to make this change from a selective process was not made lightly. Trustees and education administrators considered many factors, including the favorabie experiences of "KEEP," Kamehameha's comprehension-based reading project whieh was designed to find the best ways to teach all Hawaiian youngsters, regardless of ability, to read. Also considered was the desire and need to share Princess Pauahi's legacy with more children. While this random enrollment policy has allowed many children to attend Kamehameha Elementary School who might otherwise never qualify under a selective process, it has undoubtedly been the source of great distress and unhappiness. The anguish of a child who is not accepted "back" to Kamehameha for grade seven, the frustration and helplessness parents feel during this crisis, and the anxiety of teachers and administrators who want to see every child they work with succeed and feel good about themselves have been major factors in the review of this policy during the past> few years. As we shared i(n correspondence to Mr. Brown (in Apnl) this issue is of the utmost importance to

Kamehameha Schools trustees and administrators. There is a structured program of eommunieahon and counseling that keeps KS staff and parents informed of student progress throughout their stay at Kamehameha. Unfortunately, there are no simple answers, but the trustees, administrators and teachers have spent many hours discussing alternatives to this policy. Until changes ean be implemented, it is hoped that students, parents and others who care about the education of Hawaiian youngsters, will eonhnue to support our efforts to provide the best educational opportunities possible.