INFO FLO
December 7, 2004,  Volume 2 #15
P.O. Box 845, Volcano, HI 96785  Phone 985-9800

Dates to Remember
Add these dates to your calendar!!!!!
Wednesdays………………..School gets out at 1:00 pm
Thurs. Dec. 9 - Fundraising meeting 5:00pm………At the school……..All welcome
Fri. Dec. 10……..Trip to Petroglyphs…BRING LUNCH……All Middle Schoolers
Thursday, Dec. 16………Trip to Senior center……All middle school
Thursday, Dec. 16. 5:30 pm………….Board Meeting Mr. L.’s tent………..All welcome
(Dec. 17……….School gets out at 11:00 am) NO A+
Dec. 20 To Jan. 3……………Christmas Vacation

No A+: There will be no A+ on Dec. 17, right before Christmas vacation.

Surplus yearbooks: If you'd like to get a copy of last year's yearbook, there are extras in the office, discounted to $10 each.

Don’t forget: Grades 3-5 Christmas Music Performance at KMC Theatre.  Dress rehearsal Dec. 21 at 6:30 pm.  Performance will be Dec. 22 at 7 pm. Please provide a red shirt.  Details to follow.

More about performances:  Friday Dec. 17 at 8:30 and 9:00 am: the 3-5 grades are performing for the students at school.  Parents welcome.

Board of Directors Updates:
            The board welcomes the new VSAS Educational Director, Dr. David Rizor who arrived on campus last week.  Dr. Rizor has been a curriculum development specialist in Wyoming and is now settling in with his wife Tina in their new home on the golf course.  Keep watching the InfoFlo for information on a school-wide event to welcome them.
             Mahalo to retiring board chair Fia Mattice.  Her leadership and dedication during the 2004 term has been superb.  Fia even continued to serve as board chair during the transition period after her son graduated last June, until the new board could be elected.  Mahalo Fia.

Welcome to the newly elected members of the VSAS board who were seated at last week’s meeting.  These are our board members for 2005:
            Lisa Louise Adams (parent rep)
            Lisa Barnard (teacher rep alternate)
            Kathy Brooks (parent rep, fundraising chair)   
            Jeff Halford (parent rep, facilities chair)
            Melissa Heiser (parent rep)
            Don Lawrence (teacher rep)
            Star Mullins (teacher rep)     
            Dina Kageler (parent rep, board chair)
            Jenny Krauss (parent rep alternate)
            Vanessa Livingston (parent rep, treasurer)
            Linda Pratt (community rep, secretary)
            David Rizor (Ed director)
            Tricia Solimeo (staff rep)
            Julie Williams (community rep, vice-chair)
            Student rep, to be announced

Any parent who has a question, comment or concern about the school is invited to contact a parent representative.  Parent reps provide the avenue by which issues can be brought to the board. The next board meeting will be Thursday, December 16, at 5:30 p.m. in Mr. Lawrence’s tent.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

Other Board News:
            The Facilities committee reports that many of our classrooms are about to expand.  Permitting is in place (at last!) and a contractor is lined up to enclose the lanais in the Quonset hut classrooms.  The work will begin over Christmas break. 
            Four VSAS board/staff members recently attended a statewide gathering of folks from Hawaii’s 27 charter schools.  The two-day event was sponsored by the new Charter Schools Administrative Office (CSAO) that has been established to support charters in Hawaii.   This new office is good news for all us charters.  The leadership is energetic, focused on charter needs, and knowledgeable on issues.
            FYI, I am including a list of Charter School Facts (separate sheet) that we received at this conference.  Good news is that the CSAO group is helping to get all charters the funding we are entitled to.  (Check out the “Financing” paragraphs.)  I found this insight fascinating and hope you do too.   
--Dina Kageler

Life After School:  Kindergarten, First and Second grade students explored Life After School options in our community Friday.  We had super enrichment experiences with the generous people of Kilauea Lodge, Volcano Fire Department volunteers, and parent scientists at the park.  (Volcano Garden Arts and Ira Ono expected us but we ran out of time!)  Thank yous to our caring community.
 
If you are considering alternative Christmas gift giving, keep our fire department in mind for donations. 

Inserts:  Lunch bills, Bus ride bills, homework for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade, form to host Japanese students,
Charter School fact sheet.