Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 12, 1 December 2012 — Congratulations, Molokaʻi Middle School! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Congratulations, Molokaʻi Middle School!

Mo 1 o k a ' i M i d d 1 e School has a lot to be proud of. In the last school year, Moloka'i Middle School made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and was named the most improved puhlie school in the state. Moloka'iMiddle School separated from the high school in 2004 and has not made AYP until last

school year. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 is a federal law requiring elementary and secondary schools to demonstrate proficiency and progress according to accountability standards set by the state and approved by the U.S. Department of Education. The law requires states to implement an accountability system and report on performance measures related to Adequate Yearly Progress in math and reading, participation and proficiency, graduation/retention rates, as well as other educational indicators, such as teacher qualifications. Not only did Moloka'i Middle School make AYP, it was the most improved puhlie school in the state last year. The school improved test scores in math, reading and science. Moloka'i Middle School will need to make AYP again this year so that its federal Title I money will revert back to the school instead of going to EdisonLearning Ine. to pay for the service of working with the school to improve test scores. According to school principal Gary Davidson, whose first year as principal was last year, the school made the commitment to focus on its students, recognize their successes and celebrate them at every ehanee. The school focused on setting high expectations for the students and rewarding the students onee it was achieved and then raising the expectations even higher. With the help of OHA and a matching grant from Mycogen Seeds, school leaders removed technology barriers for the students. This was a turning point for the middle school. In addition, the school was

able to receive other grants and increased its capability of putting rolling computer labs throughout the school. Moloka'i Middle School's goal for this year is to be the best middle school in the state. At the end of last school year, it made a commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, one of the prineipal goals in the state DOE strategic plan. Moloka'i

Middle School is the first and only school in the state to dedicate a full-time teaching position and class to the project-based STEM curriculum. The projects and ideas that students are generating in their STEM class are changing their school. Students learn and demonstrate real, integrated 21 st century skills in their STEM classes. Students have had mueh success outside the classroom with competitions in robotics, engineering and mathematics. At the Maui County Engineering competition last year, the girls' team built a bridge that withstood 250 pounds. More recently the Robotics Team took first plaee in the Maui competition and will be going to states. This success has brought eonhdence back to students as well as teachers, and has infused the student body with more energy and focus. The community and parents have also eome to support both the school and students in attending parent nights and other activities. Principal Davidson has a lot of enthusiasm and confidence in his teachers, staff, students and the community. According to Davidson, "I understand that our rural, loeal students, including our Native Hawaiian students, are natural problem solvers and ean compete with any students in the nahon if the barriers in front of them are removed. The effects of poverty, substance abuse, abuses in history, and low expectations have all combined to mask the real potential of these students. When they are removed or mitigated, these young children of Hawai'i take off like rockets." ■

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