Hawaii State Assessment 2012 - Round 1 Coming Up in January!

Our King students will soon be taking Round 1 of the Hawaii State Assessment (HSA) in reading (7th & 8th), math (7th & 8th) and science (8th grade). The 2012 HSA is done completely on-line. Students may have up to three attempts to take the HSA in order to improve their scores. Their best score is taken.  The assessments will be done via their English, math and science classes. As an on-line assessment, the testing sessions have the flexibility to adjust to the student's  performance level, thus eliminating frustration and “I give up” situations. Students receive their score results immediately after completion of the session. A score of 300 or better "meets proficiency." Teachers and students see the test results and make the necessary adjustments in curriculum and instruction.

Our teachers have been making sure that their students are involved in optimal learning activities. Teachers have refined their curriculum and assessments, employed student engagement strategies, and collaborated with administration, service providers and resource personnel to improve the rigor and relevance of their courses. We have emphasized to our students the importance of these tests to our school. King achieved Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) for 2010-11, and need one more year of "meet proficiency" in reading and math to be out of  the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) "restructuring" status. HSA Parent Information booklets were sent home with your child in November 2011. Please take the time to read the booklet and familiarize yourself with the HSA.

IMPORTANT: HSA scores are used by King and Castle High School to determine class placement and elective course selection (reading and math support classes).

You can help your child perform at his/her best on the HSA and other tests by doing the following:

         - Have your child get a good night’s sleep

         - Provide a healthy and nourishing breakfast for optimum performance

         - Ensure daily, on-time attendance. 

         -Talk to your child about putting forth his/her best effort and taking the tests                                seriously 

Although make-up testing days will be available, we strongly encourage daily attendance on testing days. Make-up testing will require us to take time from your child’s other classes to administer the missed sessions. Also, please schedule non-emergency appointments before or after testing dates.

        

HSA 2012 Testing Schedule:

Jan. 23-27 - HSA Round 1/Reading/Gr. 7 and 8
Jan. 30-Feb. 3 - HSA Round 1/Math/Gr. 7 and 8
Feb. 6-10- HSA Round 1/Science/Gr. 8

March 19-23 - HSA Round 2/Reading/Gr. 7 and 8
March 27-April 2 - HSA Round 2/Math/Gr. 7 and 8
April 16-20 - HSA Round 2/Science/Gr. 8

April 30 - May 4 - HSA Round 3/Rdg/Gr. 7 and 8
May 7-May 11- HSA Round 3/Math/Gr. 7 and 8

If you have any questions about the HSA, please contact Pamela Kino, Test Coordinator, at pamela_kino@notes.k12.hi.us or call 233-5727, ext. 231.

Registration for 2012-13 is coming up in January!

Planning for the next school year 

is coming up!

All King students will receive their registration packets on January 17, 2012 via their Advisory class. Our current 7th grade students will receive their King course manual and registration card and 8th grade students will receive registration materials from Castle High School. Our 8th grade students will receive instruction and information on Castle courses and registration instructions in their advisory class (via closed-circuit broadcast).

Parents: Please read all registration information thoroughly and help your child decide on his/her electives and their priority. You may not always get your first choice, so please choose wisely. Teacher assignments and class schedules are based on selections made at registration, so class changes after student schedules are made may not always be possible. King and Castle registration cards are due on January 24, 2012 (Tues) to their advisory teacher. Students who do not turn in a registration card will have their classes selected for them.

8th grade parents - please see the King Connections article (below) on the upcoming Castle Informational Meeting on 1/18/12 for incoming 9th grade parents and students.

December "Cobras of the Month"

We are pleased to present our December "Cobras of the Month." They were selected by their team teachers as students who "live the 5Rs" everyday. Our outstanding Cobras were recently recognized and honored at our December 7, 2011 grade level assembly. Congratulations! Cobra Pride lives!

We are pleased to present our December "Cobras of the Month." They were selected by their team teachers as students who "live the 5Rs" everyday. Our outstanding Cobras were recently recognized and honored at our December 7, 2011 grade level assembly. Congratulations! Cobra Pride lives!

November "Cobras of the Month"

We are pleased to present our November "Cobras of the Month." They were selected by their team teachers as students who "live the 5Rs" everyday. Our outstanding Cobras were recently recognized and honored at our December 7, 2011 grade level assembly. Congratulations! Cobra Pride lives!

King Connections Winner!

Thank you to all who read our online newsletter, answered the 5 questions correctly and entered our King Connections holiday prize drawing. Congratulations to Christine Pabillano, mom of Raevyn, gr. 7th. She won a $25 Longs gift card.

King Connections is updated frequently so stop by often. More news coming out during the winter break.

Happy Holidays to all our King ohana. Wishing you a safe and restful season with family and friends.

The Faculty and Staff of King Intermediate School

Guess Who Came for Lunch? Hint: Ho! Ho! Ho!

Santa greeted students as they came for lunch in the cafeteria

Elf Yamada helped pass out treats to K-I-N-G-O winners.
Holiday centerpieces and table covers made it a festive lunch for all!

Wrapping up the 1st Semester with Holiday Fun!

Our students are in the holiday spirit (restless!) as we head into the last week of the 1st semester. We have an activity filled week for them before we let them loose. Here's the line up for the week:

Monday: Lunch with Santa - A jolly fellow will be visiting our students during lunch time in the cafeteria. They will be surrounded by the wonderful Christmas decor created by our 8th grade Set and Design students. A beautiful living room will be set up to greet Santa. A fast and fun game of K-I-N-G-O will also be played by the students.

Tuesday: Holiday Ninja Christmas - This is our monthly Tuesday Team Showdown with a holiday twist. Students can sign-up in the cafeteria at lunch to represent their team in this game of skill and dexterity. They will race against time to decorate a Christmas tree....with chopsticks! Team points will be awarded!

Wednesday: Holiday Hats Day - Here's a chance for our students to show their holiday spirit....just decorate your head. Santa hats, reindeer antlers, elf ears, garland in their hair or any other holiday accessory can be worn on their head only. King uniform shirt is still required. Regular caps or hats are not allowed, must have a holiday theme. Team points will be awarded!

Thursday: Team Competition - Polar Express - It will be a loud and high-energy crowd in our gym as teams compete in a game of strategy and teamwork. With parachutes and boxes, it's will be unpredictable fun. It's the last chance to earn team points for the quarter!

School ends at 1:15 p.m. on Thursday! Have a safe and relaxing holiday season!

The Holidays are in our King Hallways!

Thirty four doorways of our school have been festively decked-out for the holidays. A door decorating contest was held this past week to kick-off next week's holiday activities. The theme was "A Cobra Christmas," and students in their Advisory class creatively interpreted this theme with colorful scenes. Judging was a tough job. The winning advisories will get a "cool" treat next week. Team points were also given for team participation. It was a great showing of Cobra pride and holiday spirit!

1st place - Advisory C5, Ms.

                                                                                                                                      

2nd Place - Advisory C6, Ms. Schmeding

3rd Place - Advisory A2, Ms. Mumaw/Mr. Yamada

King Builders "Litter Patrol" on the Go!

The King Builders is a community service group sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Kaneohe.

 The King Builders hit the streets again in the Kaneohe Christmas Parade on December 3, 2011. The Builders have a unique role. We don't march as a unit in the parade, instead we are the "Litter Patrol," collecting trash from parade spectators. The Builders have been doing this community service activity for the past 4 years and each year we get a lot of "thank yous" and appreciation from the crowd. The Builders like it too because they get to be "in the parade" and also lend a helping hand to our community.

Megan, Chloe, Hannah and Lorilynn are ready!

A truckload of rubbish is the goal!

A Holiday Tip for Parents...

Attendance Matters! Weekly Attendance Data Now Posted

Student Achievement Matters!
And to make that happen...Attendance Matters! Our students' daily, on-time attendance is crucial to their learning and overall success in school. Thank you to all parents who make sure their child get's a good night's sleep, wakes up on-time and leaves home prepared for the day. Your efforts are greatly appreciated by all of us at King. A new sidebar has been added to our King Connections site. Look to the right hand side for the weekly percentages of 7th and 8th grade students. It will be updated weekly. The Hawaii Board of Education has set a goal of 95% or better daily attendance for all schools. Let's keep up the good work at King!

Coming Up...A Holiday Event for our Families in the Free/Reduced Lunch Program!

The Great Match-Up: Cobra Volleyball Team vs. King Teachers!

Mr. Yamanouchi looks on as Mr. Takahashi slams one over!

The teachers were ready! The students were ready! And the crowd roared! It was our annual Staff vs. Students Volleyball showdown on November 23, 2011. Both sides put on a good show with great rallies, keen serves and deadly digs. Each side won some and lost some. We are proud of our teachers and hope their aches and pains have gone away by now. But we are especially proud of our awesome Cobra Volleyball team and coaches who played through their season with pride, sportsmanship and spirit!

2011 King Cobra Volleyball Team

7^th GIRLS

Aiwohi, Mele

Altoon-Apilando, Mariah

Balgas, Kassity

Johnson, Cailee

Kapihe, Teila

Koki, Angel

Kunioka, Camryn

Lynch, Riley

Masaki, Syenna

O’Neil, Sydney

Rivera, Serena

8^th GIRLS

Akiona, Kayla

Anduha, Bobbi

Aweau, Makaylah - Hakipu’u Charter School

Butler, Autumn

Callahan, Cera

Carlisle, Nise

Davis, Mahealani

Esperas, Sierra

Fernandez, Sydney

Finch, Victoria

Freitas, Sharae

Gallegos, Alyssa

Gary, Michel

Hayata-Ano, Jiana

Houpo, Khalia

Kahumoku-Neves, Tanea

Lum, Ayla

Matsumoto, Julianne

Nabua, Selena

Polenday, Jenai

Souza, Lisharay

Vinoya, Kanoe

Zamora, Teah

BOYS - 3

Olds, Onipa’a - Kamakau Charter School

Ridgner, Tim

Villalobos, Koby

STAFF

Head Coach:    Kelii Waiolama

Asst. Coaches: Brandee I, Hoku Akana, Nell Yanagida.

Volunteers: Kekoa Pili-Rumosod, Justen Kamalu-Grupen, Nathan Benevente

Sports Director: Fran Bellinger

Principal:         Sheena Alaiasa

S.A.M. at King!

Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, Principal Sheena Alaisa, Kasi Chirieleison (St. Gov't President), Edna Narimatsu (Curriculum Coordinator), Kana Naipo (math teacher), Rochelle Tavares (English teacher), Gwynne Staton (math teacher), Chris Tom (math teacher) and a representative of Frito-Lay Hawaii

Our motto at King has and continues to be "It's All About S.A.M!" S.A.M is "Student Achievement Matters." And this was greatly evident on October 27, 2011 when Mrs. Sheena Alaiasa and members of the King ohana received a "Continuous Growth Award" at the Dept. of Education's  Hawaii Distinguished Schools awards event held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Tower Ballroom.  

The Hawaii Distinguished Schools Program honors elementary and secondary schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap, or whose students achieve at the highest levels. Frito-Lay of Hawaii established the Hawaii's Outstanding Public Schools Program in 1985, which evolved into the Hawaii Blue Ribbon Schools Program in 1988. It was renamed the Hawaii Distinguished Schools Program in 2003. The Hawaii Distinguished Schools Program is evaluated by a panel of judges on criteria based on academic accountability targets and acceptable growth in reading and mathematics as required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). (from Hawaii Public School website)

King is proud of our teachers and students who put forth 100%+ effort to reach the No Child Left Behind goals. Teachers are continually working on aligning their curriculum to state standards, developing meaningful assessments, and engaging students in their learning. High standards of rigor and relevance in all our classes are the daily expectation. We are confident that we will continue our upward trend and will continue to meet the annual yearly progress of NCLB because "It's All About S.A.M!"
 

Bus Port is Finally Here!

King's long awaited bus port will be open very soon. It has been years in the planning and funding. Now our students have a safer and weather-protected school bus area for drop-off and pick-up. Students will soon be informed of these new procedures:

1.  The bus port area is restricted to only students who ride the school bus. It is not a place to hangout with friends, loiter or play. Students who are walking on the way out of campus should stay off the road and walk within the fenced area.
2.  The bus will pick-up students in the same bus route order as the current site. First round is the same 5 buses in the same order, followed by the next 3 buses.
3.  Students enter from the sidewalk that leads up to the holding area and wait on the raised cement platform. Do not wait near the entrances or on the bus roadway.
4.  Students must line-up in a single line, extending towards the back wall of the bus port.
5.  No personal vehicles (parents/guardians) for student drop-off or pick-up is allowed in the bus port area.
6. No loitering in the bus port area before or after school.
7. Please use caution when crossing the roads. Use the crosswalks.

King Campus Gets High Marks

Our yearly campus inspection was held on 11/14/11 by a team of school staff, district personnel, parents and a legislator. They walked through our campus and inspected the school grounds, buildings (interior/exterior), and furnishings to identify any possible sanitation, safety or maintenance concerns. Mr. Robert Lockyer, Vice Principal, proudly reports that our campus was rated a "3 - very good" in each category, for a perfect total score of 18 points. That is the highest rating a school can obtain. There are some areas that do need attention (missing ceiling tiles, peeling paint, dripping faucet), and requests have been put in for their repair. However, overall, King campus was found to be "very good" shape. The hard work of our custodial staff to keep our school safe and beautiful is applauded. And our students and staff who continue to have great pride and concern for "our home" makes King a very special campus.

Bottle Cap Recycling is a Success!

Our Bottle Cap Recycling Team Competition ended with a whopping 122 pounds of plastic bottle caps! Students, teachers and staff got into the spirit of "taking care of our environment" by making the easy effort to save their bottle caps. We even had students picking up bottle caps as they walked to and from school. Students were informed via morning commercials about the hazards these caps pose to our environment and wildlife. Dead birds as far away as Midway Island have been found to have stomachs full of these harmful plastic caps.

We have succeeded in creating an awareness among students about how their actions can impact the environment. We'd like our King families to continue this project in their homes too. Go to this site and watch a video on how your family can continue this effort: http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=12618518 Also, more info on the Goodwill redemption centers is at this site:  http://www.higoodwill.org/shop-donate/hi5

Attendance Matters!

S.W. King Intermediate School has recently made some positive changes regarding our Attendance Procedures.  Parent notes excusing their children for illness, three days or less will now be accepted as “excused.”  Previously S.W. King Intermediate had required a Doctor’s note in order for a student to receive an “excused” absence, even for one absence.  Any absence beyond three days of illness, S.W. King Intermediate requires that parents obtain a doctor’s note.

S.W. King has a positive attendance record of over 94% student present in school. These attendance figures demonstrate that our students support and enjoy the programs provided at King. A positive parent/school partnership requires that parents inform the school by 9 a.m. of the day of child’s absence (233-5727).  The safety of our students requires that we know that they are at home and cared for properly. 

100% on-time attendance is our high goal for on-time attendance. Being late to school disturbs the learning environment.  We also understand that sometimes, traffic patterns, personal issues occasionally interfere with on time attendance.  Students will be allowed “amnesty” for the first two unexcused tardies.  When a student is unexcused tardy to school three times or beyond, there will be a “learning opportunity” via lunch-time detention.  This detention involves sitting in a designated area during lunch and then helping to clean the common areas of the cafeteria.  Chronic “late to school” behavior will require a parent conference(s). Please help your child manage his time in the morning by allowing adequate time to wake up, get ready, and travel to school. Being prepared the night before with books, supplies, and clothes is also a great help to the morning routine.

Attendance matters!  On-time behavior is an important ingredient for success in school, at work and in the home. Let’s start developing this good habit in our children. Please continue your positive partnership with S.W. King Intermediate by your close personal attention to these attendance issues. If you have any questions/concerns regarding your child's attendance, please call James Frisbie, Attendance Counselor, 233-5727, ext. 233.

HSA Parent Information Booklets On the Way Home...

Take the test! Parents, you can try out some sample HSA questions in the HSA Online Parent Information Booklet.
Your child received their HSA booklets in advisory class on 11/15/11. Accompanying the booklet was a letter advising you of the upcoming testing dates. Students may have up to 3 opportunities to take this statewide test. Your child's highest score will be kept as their measure of proficiency in reading and math.

King proudly made AYP (adequate yearly progress) in the 2010-11 school year. Our teachers and students are working diligently and rigorously to make it happen again this year.
We are confident that WE CAN!

The dates for the HSA rounds of testing are:
    Jan. 23-27 - HSA Round 1/Reading/Gr. 7 and 8
    Jan. 30-Feb. 3 - HSA Round 1/Math/Gr. 7 and 8
    Feb. 6-10- HSA Round 1/Science/Gr. 8

    March 19-23 - HSA Round 2/Reading/Gr. 7 and 8
    March 27-April 2 - HSA Round 2/Math/Gr. 7 and 8
    April 16-20 - HSA Round 2/Science/Gr. 8

    April 30 - May 4 - HSA Round 3/Rdg/Gr. 7 and 8
    May 7-May 11- HSA Round 3/Math/Gr. 7 and 8

Please make every effort to avoid family travel, appointments or any type of absences during these testing periods. Make-up testing is available, however it does require having your child come out of one of their classes (core and/or elective).

King Campus Takes a Hit

Students and staff arrived on campus to a solemn site on 11/9/11. Vandals had defaced our beautiful campus with ugly graffiti. Walls, stairwells, windows and murals were spray painted with various tags and pictures. Police were called and they gathered evidence that will hopefully result in the apprehension of these criminals. Many students expressed shock and dismay at the thoughtlessness of these individuals and truly felt the impact of "their school" being violated. Maintenance crews quickly cleaned up the mess and restored our campus to it's beauty. There will be heightened security and surveillance by both the police and school personnel. We will not let these individuals dampen our Cobra spirit and pride!

King Cross Country Team Rules!

S. W. King Intermediate School 2011 Cross-Country Team

 The 2011 King Cross Country team wrapped up a solid and successful season with their team wins at the 13th Annual King Cross Country Meet on Oct. 21, 2011. The girls team took 1st place and the boys team took 2nd place. Throughout the season these dedicated runners practiced daily by putting in long miles and hours. Their hard work paid off with multiple great finishes by individual members in the season's races. Along with coaches, Mr. Brian Viola and Mr. Ross Takahashi, the Cross Country team members were recognized and appreciated by their teachers and classmates at our 11/2/11 school assembly. Congratulations to our running Cobras! Cobra Pride Lives!

Boys 7th Grade

Liko Aiwohi
Ginwell Agustin
Caleb Carter
Christian Castillo
Tyler Ebisuya
Kai Zimmerman

Boys 8th Grade

Josh Carter
Steven Garrett
Makana Hurr
Luke Ikeda
Dustin Imanaka
Nainoa Kanoho-Vasques
Michael Murakami
Dylan Silva

Girls 7th Grade

Taylor Garan
Mia Hawelu
Kayla Nekonishi
Sheridyn Usagawa
Macy Uyehara
Soroya Ventura

   Girls 8th Grade
Betty Angulo
Samantha Carter
Kasi Chirieleison
Jennifer Chinen
Emily Hata
Janice Hata
Haley Hendricks
Jinbo Hunter
Chelsey McCallum
Deandra Muraoka
Brenda Nekonishi
Jewels Oliquiano
Lauren Takasato
Tara-Jean Watts

Iolani invitational at Kualoa Ranch Sept 17: Medal winner Tyler Ebisuya 4th Place
Kaiser Invitational Meet at Kaiser HS Sept 24: Medal Winners Tyler Ebisuya 1st Place; Macy Uyehara 17th Place
Punahou Invitational Punahou, Oct 8: Medal winner Tyler Ebisuya 1st Place
Iolani Intermediate Meet, Kapiolani Park, Oct 14:Medal Winners Tyler Ebisuya 2nd Place; Christian Castillo 4th Place
King Intermediate Meet  Oct 21: Medal Winners Girls: 5th Brenda Nekonishi; 6th Macy Uyehara; 7th Lauren Takasato; 14th Jewels Oliquiano; 16th Kasi Chirieleison; Boys: 2nd  Tyler Ebisuya; 6th Christian Castillo; 10th Josh Carter; 15th Dustin Imanaka

September "Cobras of the Month"

We are pleased to present our September "Cobras of the Month." They were selected by their team teachers as students who "live the 5Rs" everyday. Our outstanding Cobras were recently recognized and honored at our November 2, 2011 grade level assembly. Congratulations! Cobra Pride lives!