Managing misconduct: Big Island schools see uptick in most serious types of offenses

Offenses such as bullying and harassment were on the decline last year in Hawaii Island public schools, though the number of more serious misconduct cases — such as fighting and use of illicit drugs — increased slightly.

Big Island schools tallied at least 1,654 Class B violations in the 2016-17 school year, down from 1,755 the school year prior, according to data provided to the Tribune-Herald last week from the state Department of Education.

Class A violations, meanwhile, increased from at least 734 in the 2015-16 school year to 839 last year.

Class A violations include 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.

Class B violations include cyberbullying, hazing, theft, disorderly conduct and inappropriate use of the internet.

Schools are required to track the student misconduct statistics each year and report them to the DOE.

The data provided to the Tribune-Herald isn’t necessarily all-inclusive because the DOE redacts totals under 10 to protect student privacy. Schools also have discretion to categorize and report offenses as they see fit, which can lead to inconsistency in reporting, some administrators said.

“Look at the numbers not so much as something that’s good or bad,” said Art Souza, superintendent of the Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area. “But rather, as something that creates a real sense of urgency that, whatever the numbers are, we need to get better at it. And we need to create better conditions for the kids. I’m not going to get so caught in the degrees but rather look at, ‘Are we doing enough?’”

Schools in the Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area reported more than half of all Class A and Class B offenses islandwide last year. The complex area contained just under one-fourth of the island’s public school student population.

Schools in the Hilo-Waiakea Complex Area — which contained roughly 33 percent of students — accounted for about 21 percent of misconduct cases.

The Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area — which had about 43 percent of students — accounted for about 23 percent of violations.

Mountain View Elementary School tallied more Class B violations than any other school on the island during the past three years, though the school also showed a large drop in the number of instances last year. It lowered its Class A tally from 45 in the 2015-16 school year to 36 last year, and its Class B violations from 208 to 123 in that same time.

Mountain View Principal Wilma Roddy called the downward trend “encouraging.” She said she thinks improvements are partly a result of a “character-based education” the school uses which teaches students appropriate social skills and behaviors.

“And I also think a lot of it is working with our staff, teachers and families to make sure we’re all on the same page,” Roddy said. “It’s our job to continue to teach our kids the behaviors we expect of them. It’s not hardwired in every child. … And we try to be more proactive rather than reactive and punish. It’s a work in progress; we’re still going to work on that next year.”

Kealakehe Intermediate School was among a handful of schools that saw a spike in Class B violations, from 54 in the 2015-16 school year to 125 last year. Its Class A count also increased from 30 in the 2015-16 school year to 47 last year.

Kealakehe Principal Mark Hackelberg told the Tribune-Herald he saw some issues last year with vaping and inappropriate use of technology.

Hackelberg said the school has implemented a new corrective process aimed at “correcting the behavior more so than punishing the action.” Kealakehe also hired a school resource officer in March, he said, which has seemed to mitigate some issues.

“It seems all of our kids have a smartphone,” Hackelberg said. “They’re on Instagram and Snapchat, and when they’re mean to someone or targeting someone on campus, it gets blasted out. That’s the kind of thing we’ve seen an increase in — technology not being used ethically.”

Inappropriate social media use also is often an issue at Waiakea Intermediate School, Principal Lisa Souza said, adding middle school is a “very typical time to see a rise in those behaviors.”

Souza said Waiakea is starting an all-girls group aimed at helping female students deal with self-esteem issues caused by negative effects from social media.

The school also is continuing a positive behavior intervention support program that rewards good behavior, she said.

Waiakea reported a decline in Class B violations, from 134 in the 2015-16 school year to 62 last year.

“We hope it continues,” Souza said Thursday of the downward trend. “… Our overall incident rates have drastically declined over the past four years, and I think our Class A and Class B offenses were the most resistant to our efforts to improve. And now they’re starting to improve as well.

“We look very closely at the numbers. Class A and B are pretty criminal (offenses) in nature, and we can’t let that go without consequences. So our only way is to be as proactive as possible.”

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

BY THE NUMBERS – BIG ISLAND SCHOOLS

Class A and Class B offenses are defined in the state’s administrative rules, Chapter 19, and guide student misconduct and discipline.

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.

Class B offenses include bullying and cyberbullying, disorderly conduct, harassment, hazing, theft and inappropriate use of the internet. A full list can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/DOEMisconductDefinitions

Only traditional public schools are included in this chart. All information is provided by the state Department of Education. The DOE redacted totals under 10 to protect student privacy.

Number in parentheses is reported student enrollment that year.

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)

2016-17: 10 Class A, 45 Class B (458)

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)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (190)

Hilo High School

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

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

2016-17: 53 Class A, 39 Class B (1,134)

Hilo Intermediate School

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

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

2016-17: 18 Class A, 14 Class B (484)

Hilo Union Elementary School

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

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

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 20 Class B (394)

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)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (303)

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)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 13 Class B (338)

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)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 19 Class B (271)

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)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 15 Class B (406)

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)

2016-17: 21 Class A, 77 Class B (829)

Waiakea High School

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

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

2016-17: 38 Class A, 19 Class B (1,253)

Waiakea Intermediate School

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

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

2016-17: 41 Class A, 62 Class B (848)

Waiakeawaena Elementary School

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

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

2016-17: 11 Class A, 21 Class B (829)

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)

2016-17: 57 Class A, 66 Class B (481)

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)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 38 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)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 10 Class B (797)

Keaau High School

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

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

2016-17: 65 Class A, 51 Class B (973)

Keaau Middle School

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

2015-16: 37 Class A, 250 Class B (668)

2016-17: 75 Class A, 242 Class B (698)

Mountain View Elementary School

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

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

2016-17: 36 Class A, 123 Class B (505)

Keonepoko Elementary School

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

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

2016-17: 52 Class A, 178 Class B (595)

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)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 47 Class B (438)

Pahoa High and Intermediate School

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

2015-16: 93 Class A, 111 Class B (576)

2016-17: 81 Class A, 116 Class B (528)

Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area

Honokaa Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 28 Class B (339)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, 25 Class B (361)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 32 Class B (366)

Honokaa High and Intermediate School

2014-15: 65 Class A, 122 Class B (671)

2015-16: 56 Class A, 60 Class B (679)

2016-17: 92 Class A, 82 Class B (683)

Paauilo Elementary and Intermediate School

2014-15: 32 Class A, 55 Class B (228)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, 27 Class B (213)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (196)

Waimea Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 30 Class B (525)

2015-16: 15 Class A, 25 Class B (530)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 20 Class B (527)

Holualoa Elementary School

2014-15: 48 Class A, 23 Class B (479)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (489)

2016-17: 26 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (486)

Kealakehe Elementary School

2014-15: 22 Class A, 113 Class B (1,003)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, 100 Class B (1,014)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 11 Class B (956)

Kealakehe High School

2014-15: 33 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (1,299)

2015-16: 19 Class A, 16 Class B (1,237)

2016-17: 20 Class A, 17 Class B (1,281)

Kealakehe Intermediate School

2014-15: 54 Class A, 82 Class B (709)

2015-16: 30 Class A, 54 Class B (694)

2016-17: 47 Class A, 125 Class B (724)

Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School

2014-15: 11 Class A, 14 Class B (784)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (742)

2016-17: 15 Class A, 32 Class B (792)

Kohala Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (350)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (347)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (335)

Kohala High School

2014-15: 20 Class A, 42 Class B (265)

2015-16: 27 Class A, 28 Class B (251)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 28 Class B (249)

Kohala Middle School

2014-15: 16 Class A, 37 Class B (181)

2015-16: 11 Class A, 23 Class B (189)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, 29 Class B (178)

Honaunau Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (137)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (149)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (150)

Hookena Elementary School

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 10 Class B (132)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (117)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (114)

Kahakai Elementary School

2014-15: 13 Class A, 26 Class B (691)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (690)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (727)

Ke Kula O Ehunuikaimalino

2014-15: fewer than 10 Class A, 14 Class B (222)

2015-16: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (225)

2016-17: fewer than 10 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (218)

Konawaena Elementary School

2014-15: 23 Class A, 54 Class B (548)

2015-16: 18 Class A, 56 Class B (553)

2016-17: 12 Class A, 36 Class B (544)

Konawaena High School

2014-15: 48 Class A, 39 Class B (730)

2015-16: 30 Class A, 37 Class B (759)

2016-17: 31 Class A, 17 Class B (822)

Konawaena Middle School

2014-15: 25 Class A, fewer than 10 Class B (549)

2015-16: 24 Class A, 14 Class B (564)

2016-17: 38 Class A, 10 Class B (584)