Schools battle bad behavior: Complex areas take steps to reduce student misconduct

Administrators in the Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area say they’re “not surprised” by data that shows students in the region’s schools committed more misconduct offenses last school year than students in the two other complex areas on the island, combined.

In the 2015-16 school year, schools in that complex area accounted for about 50 percent of the Big Island’s 2,433 Class A and Class B offenses, which are defined in the state’s administrative rules, Chapter 19, and guide student misconduct and discipline. The Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area contained about 26 percent of the island’s public school student population that year.

Class A offenses include violations such as possession or use of a dangerous instrument or substance, possession or use of illicit drugs or drug paraphernalia, fighting, property damage or vandalism, sexual offenses, and terroristic threatening, among other things.

Class B offenses include bullying and cyberbullying, disorderly conduct, harassment, hazing, theft and inappropriate use of the internet, among other offenses.

The Hilo-Waiakea Complex Area — which contained roughly 33 percent of students — accounted for about 24 percent of misconduct cases. The Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area — which had about 43 percent of students — accounted for about 26 percent of violations.

“This data does not surprise us,” said Chad Keone Farias, Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area complex area superintendent, adding that his area’s students hail from the most “highly traumatized” communities on the island. “Our kids bring some baggage to school, and we handle it. Adults are there to meet those kids and their needs and to provide them love and support and structure.”

Farias said the problem is longstanding in Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area schools. But he thinks the numbers are very gradually “inching down” in part because of several tools and strategies the complex area has implemented through the years, including a grant that brought additional support and social workers into schools and programs which reward positive behavior.

At Keaau Middle School, which reported 286 instances of Class A and B student misconduct last year, Principal Elna Gomes said the school has “strongly implemented” various programs in recent years aimed at reducing behavioral problems, and incidents are tracked “very diligently — we put in all our incidents, no matter what,” she said.

Gomes thinks numbers also can be slightly skewed if incidents are “stacked.” For example, a single fight might constitute multiple misconduct offenses and be reported as such.

“That’s not to say that those numbers are not real,” Gomes said. “We do work with a very challenging community and age group. But we try and strive to address the behaviors in a positive way.”

Close behind was Mountain View Elementary School, which reported 253 incidents last school year, up slightly from 244 the year before.

Mountain View Principal Wilma Roddy said she thinks many offenses are the result of “repeat offenders.” In the current school year, more than 90 percent of Mountain View students have not committed a single offense, Roddy said.

“Our high fliers are between 5 to 10 percent of our students,” Roddy said. “I don’t think we celebrate enough that 90 percent of our kids are doing what they’re supposed to do and being respectful and safe. It’s just a few we have to continue to provide support for.”

Pahoa High and Intermediate School reported 205 offenses last year, an increase from 123 the year before. The school’s enrollment dropped from 684 students in the 2014-15 school year to 576 students last year.

Principal Darlene Bee said in an email the school is “well aware” of the misconduct increase. She also attributes at least part of the jump to lava flow impacts that created “a very unstable state” and “generated a lot of uneasiness” as students and staff were shuffled around. Bee said she thinks Pahoa incidents overall have trended downward until the past two years.

Keonepoko Elementary School also reported 205 incidents, followed by Waiakea Intermediate School, which reported 175 — up from 151 the year before.

That slight increase is “not surprising,” Waiakea Intermediate Principal Lisa Souza said, adding she thinks behavior “overall on campus has improved a lot” but the school is still working to lower its number of Class A and B violations.

Souza said the school also has been implementing a program that recognizes positive behavior and helps students “socialize and interact with their peers in a positive way.”

“So, I think we’ve made a lot of improvement in those areas,” Souza said. “Classroom referrals have gone down a lot, but we are still struggling with Class A and B (violations). We did notice those went up a little more … I wouldn’t say significantly — it’s practically remained the same — but a little more.”

Hilo Intermediate School was “pretty excited” this year to see numbers drop from 70 in the 2014-15 school year to 24 last year, Principal Heather Dansdill said, because the school has been “working super hard” to lower the number, also by implementing positive behavior programs, among other strategies.

“We really try to push the positive on the students and encourage them to stick up for what’s right, do the right thing and treat others with aloha,” Dansdill said. “We were pretty excited it took hold with the students. Hopefully, it continues to work this year.”

Waiakea High School was similarly pleased to see a low number of cases, Principal Kelcy Koga said. Waiakea High reported 60 offenses last year, up from 55 the year prior, but overall low — constituting about 5 percent of its student population. Koga attributes the low number to Waiakea’s “school culture” which he said is focused on “academics and college and career readiness.”

“With the culture we’ve established over the years, one of the byproducts is it brings down discipline because kids have things to do that they’re focused on and they’re getting ready for after high school,” he said. “That’s a big part of bringing it down.”

Hilo High School reported a slight increase — 110 in the 2014-15 school year compared to 118 last year, constituting about 10 percent of its student population. Hilo High students this week said misconduct at the school seems to be largely kept at bay.

Freshman Jade Malia said she’s seen fights “but not many,” and freshman Julian Nelson said he hasn’t experienced — or seen — much misconduct himself.

Hilo High freshman Jasmine Naldoza, who said she was bullied multiple times during her middle school years, agreed the atmosphere at Hilo High seems amicable and “more mature.”

“School should be a place where you’re getting an education to go to college and get a good job, instead of having to worry and not know what people are going to do next,” Naldoza said. “If kids get bullied, and they don’t tell an adult, it just keeps getting worse and worse. I think it’s good teachers keep track of it because then everyone feels safe.”

Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.

By the numbers in East Hawaii schools:

The exact number for a school with fewer than 10 misconduct cases is redacted which the DOE says is to protect student privacy.)

Number in parentheses is reported student enrollment that year. Information from DOE’s website.

Hilo-Waiakea Complex Area

E.B. de Silva Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 20 Class B (441)

2015-16: 15 Class A, 55 Class B (454)

Haaheo Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (192)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (182)

Hilo High School

2014-15: 60 Class A, 50 Class B (1,224)

2015-16: 52 Class A, 66 Class B (1,160)

Hilo Intermediate School

2014-15: 31 Class A, 39 Class B (470)

2015-16: 10 Class A, 14 Class B (481)

Hilo Union School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 65 Class B (452)

2015-16: 18 Class A, 42 Class B (427)

Kalanianaole Elementary and Intermediate School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 12 Class B (277)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, 18 Class B (299)

Kapiolani Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 13 Class B (334)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (337)

Kaumana Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (290)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (270)

Keaukaha Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 22 Class B (381)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, 12 Class B (399)

Waiakea Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 15 Class B (806)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, 17 Class B (804)

Waiakea High School

2014-15: 31 Class A, 24 Class B (1,219)

2015-16: 40 Class A, 20 Class B (1,197)

Waiakea Intermediate School

2014-15: 38 Class A, 113 Class B (848)

2015-16: 41 Class A, 134 Class B (858)

Waiakeawaena Elementary School

2014-15: 19 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (657)

2015-16: 11 Class A, 10 Class B (701)

Ka’u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area

Ka’u High School/Pahala Elementary School

2014-15: 59 Class A, 93 Class B (550)

2015-16: 40 Class A, 55 Class B (506)

Naalehu Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 43 Class B (385)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, 66 Class B (338)

Keaau Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (789)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (800)

Keaau High School

2014-15: 96 Class A, 64 Class B (871)

2015-16: 39 Class A, 32 Class B (988)

Keaau Middle School

2014-15: 91 Class A, 291 Class B (629)

2015-16: 37 Class A, 249 Class B (668)

Mountain View Elementary School

2014-15: 49 Class A, 195 Class B (493)

2015-16: 45 Class A, 208 Class B (507)

Keonepoko Elementary School

2014-15: 23 Class A, 78 Class B (591)

2015-16: 63 Class A, 142 Class B (547)

Pahoa Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 45 Class B (450)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, 38 Class B (423)

Pahoa High and Intermediate School

2014-15: 50 Class A, 73 Class B (684)

2015-16: 93 Class A, 112 Class B (576)