SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - The Hawaii Department of Education has proposed boundary changes that will affect Army families who live in the Aliamanu Military Reservation, or AMR, community and those living in nearby Navy communities.
If approved, the changes will go into effect for those families moving into the area and registering for the 2011-2012 school year.
"One important factor that parents need to remember is that their child(ren) will be able to remain at their current school, if they so choose," said Byron Nagasako, school liaison officer, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii.
A team conducted a yearlong study to examine current school attendance boundaries. Members included the area superintendent, South Central Complex; the assistant superintendent, Office of School Facilities and Support Services; the director, Facilities Development Branch; a school renewal specialist; and a support specialist, Information Management.
The team examined data regarding school enrollment numbers, school capacity numbers, proximity, transportation time and complex feeder patterns, or moving from elementary to middle and high school levels within the same complex.
This redistricting will support the complex's focus of becoming part of a kindergarten through 12th grade Seamless High Performing Complex, which includes foundation learning, stretch learning, learner engagement and personal skills development, as well as the state's focus on the "Vision of the High School Graduate."
"The proposal, in the long run, is intended to make better sense of the school boundaries, so that, ultimately, it will lead to greater learning experiences for students," said Dr. Teri Ushijima, area superintendent, South Central Complex.
The DOE hosted two community meetings in January to share information about the proposed boundary changes and to gather input from affected families.
Issues discussed included "grandfathering" in siblings who are not yet school-aged and the added cost of bus transportation for those parents whose children will need to catch the bus in the future, but currently reside within walking distance to their school.
"If the process (the Hawaii DOE) described is done correctly, only new personnel coming in would be affected," said Col. Dewey Ranger, a parent with two students at Radford High School. "This could be implemented over a four-year period with little impact on families already residing here."
The Hawaii DOE will notify parents of the approved changes via an official notice sent to all affected families.
"Why are only the military families being targeted for this redistricting'" asked one concerned parent.
"The issues that needed review happened to be in the area where the military homes are currently," Ushijima said. "Other boundary changes have been made in the state, and more boundary studies will be occurring in other areas.
"In fact, considerations that are not common in other boundary changes have been included in the (South Central Complex) proposal to ease transition for our military students," Ushijima said.
The proposed boundary changes will affect these AMR neighborhoods:
--Skyview (Makalapa Elementary to Pearl Harbor Elementary);
--Bougainville (Nimitz Elementary to Makalapa Elementary);
--Rim Loop (Mokulele Elementary to Pearl Harbor Elementary);
--Ama (Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary to Pearl Harbor Elementary); and
--Hibiscus Loop (Moanalua Middle to Aiea Intermediate, and Moanalua High to Aiea High).
If you live in Navy housing:
Call the U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii's School Liaison Office at 808-655-9818, for questions concerning Army families living in Navy housing communities that may be affected by proposed boundary changes.
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