Bill Text: HI HCR209 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Department of Education; Childcare Services; Hana School Infant and Toddler Program

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-20 - (H) Referred to EDN/HUS, FIN, referral sheet 50 [HCR209 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-HCR209-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	209
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE ADEQUATE FUNDING TO THE HANA SCHOOL INFANT AND TODDLER PROGRAM FOR THE HANA COMMUNITY.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, there are no licensed childcare homes in the greater Hana community, including the area from Keanae to Kaupo; and

 

     WHEREAS, for nearly three years, Hana School has been working with the Maui early childhood community, which is acknowledged to be the best in the State, as well as non-profit organizations; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Maui County Early Childhood Community Coordinator has been coordinating with other organizations to address the childcare needs of the Hana community, including the Early Childhood Services Department of Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc., PATCH Maui, the Parent-Community Facility of Kamehameha Schools Early Childhood Education for Maui and Moloka‘i, the Maui Family Support Services (a non-profit organization with two Early Head Start infant and toddler centers), and Friends of Hana Keiki; and

 

     WHEREAS, a few years ago, the results of a survey conducted in the Hana community by Hana School revealed that every role group indicated that early childhood education was one of their top three need areas; and

 

     WHEREAS, in response to the need for early childhood education, Hana School created a preschool program; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hana School Preschool meets the needs of students who were unable to have a preschool experience because Kamehameha Preschool had reached its capacity; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hana School Preschool was established to absorb the overflow from Kamehameha Preschool; and

 

     WHEREAS, as a result, every preschool-age child in the Hana community will be provided a preschool experience; and

 

     WHEREAS, the next step in the development of this early childhood program would be an infant and toddler program; and

 

     WHEREAS, recently, three students of Hana School failed to graduate because they had to stay home to care for their newly born children due to the fact that they did not have access to childcare and other family members had to work during the day to provide for the family; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hana School has one teacher on leave who also lacks access to appropriate childcare because there are no licensed childcare services available in the Hana area; and

 

     WHEREAS, the second grade class of the teacher who is on leave is being taught by a substitute teacher; and

 

     WHEREAS, there are three elementary school teachers who are currently expecting to give birth at approximately the same time this year; and

 

     WHEREAS, four of the eleven elementary teachers will be out during parts of the 2011-2012 school year due to pregnancy and are having difficulty in finding appropriate licensed childcare services in the Hana area; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hana School has obtained a certificate of occupancy for an infant and toddler program in an elementary school classroom on the Hana School campus; and

 

     WHEREAS, this classroom has met all of the requirements for a certificate of occupancy; and

 

     WHEREAS, there are many benefits to having an infant and toddler program working out of an elementary school classroom, including the fact that a health aide and a school resource officer, who is a Maui police officer, are located on the property in case of an emergency that may occur during the hours of childcare service; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to support and provide adequate funding to the Hana School Infant and Toddler Program for the Hana community; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; the Chairperson of the Board of Education; the Superintendant of Education; the Mayor of the County of Maui; the Maui Early Childhood organizations that are named in this Resolution; and the Principal of the Hana School.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Department of Education; Childcare Services; Hana School Infant and Toddler Program