Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 3, 1 March 2000 — Page 18 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

Taking the Next Step

February 1 marked the beginning of Phase II of Kamehameha's strategic plan development whieh is expected to extend through May. The first part of this phase was spent organizing the massive amounts of input gathered from staff, students, parents, alumni, the Hawaiian community and educational experts during Phase I. As a result, a number of issues emerged as possible strategic topics. These issues were evaluated against the following criteria to determine their strategic value. A strategic issue should: • Relate to Kamehameha's unique mission and goals • Relate to Kamehameha's values, including Hawaiian values • Focus on the future rather than on operational processes • Impact the greatest number of Hawaiian individuals and communities as possible Issues that met the above criteria became the topics for the working groups listed below. Working Groups 1. Early Childhood Education Strategic Issue: How do we best enhanee learning in the pre-natal to kindergarten populahon? 2. Empowering Communities Strategic Issue: How ean we connect with and build on strengths that will empower communities to assist in their children's education? 3. Hawaiian Culture & Language Strategic Issue: How do we ensure the preservation, perpetuation, appreciation and respect for Hawaiian culture and language? 4. K-12 Campus-Based Programs: Kapālama, Maui & East Hawai'i Strategic Issue: How ean we ensure that all KS campuses connect as a unified institution at systemic levels and support eaeh other's specific focus? What other campusbased options should we explore? 5. Literacy Strategic Issue: How ean we support the development of literacy skills at all age levels? 6. Outreach: Enrichment Programs Strategic Issue: How do we serve educational enrichment needs at all levels? 7. Outreach: Lifelong Strategic Issue: In what ways ean KS promote lifelong learning for our Hawaiian community? 8. Outreach: Isolated Communities Strategic Issue: How do we serve the educational needs of our less accessible Hawaiian communities: Ni'ihau, Hāna, mainland, etc.?

9. Outreach: Special Needs Strategic Issue: What should our role be in addressing special educational needs (e.g., at-risk to gifted and talented)? 10. Research & Development Strategic Issue: What should KS' role be in supporting research, development and dissemination of information regarding educational methods and materials? 11. Resource Development Strategic Issue: Should KS actively seek new sources of funding for educational programs? If so, how would this be accomplished? 12. Stewardship Strategic Issue: How best do we care for and use Pauahi's gift of land and resources? 13. Supporting & Engaging Families Strategic Issue: How do we best engage Hawaiian families/ 'ohana in the education of their children? 14. Teacher Training & Staff Development Strategic Issue: What role should KS play in ensuring that Hawaiian children have access to quality instruction? 15. Hawai'i Land Retention Strategic Issue: How do we determine what lands we retain, what new lands we aquire and how we use our lands? How do we approach leasehold conversion? 16. Measures of Return, Values & Investment Criteria Strategic lssue: What constitutes highest and best use of our assets and what are our benchmarks for assessing the effectiveness of our management? Throughout the month of March, more than 200 working group volunteers from the Kamehameha 'ohana and the community will study these issues further, evaluate their potential for meeting the educational needs of Native Hawaiians and devise ways Kamehameha ean address them. On March 31, eaeh working group will turn in a comprehensive report on the issue it studied. Kamehameha Schools education and endowment core planrting groups will review the reports and draft a proposed strategic plan. Beginning in June, the draft plan will be shared with KS stakeholders and the Hawaiian community before being submitted in September to the KS trustees for review and action. To learn more about the strategic plan process and input, visit Kamehameha's website: http://www.ksbe.edu (eliek on Stratigic Plan). Or, if you have questions or comments, you ean eall our toll free number: 1(877) KS-KOKUA (1-877-575-6582).