Amy Kawatani
Angie Hashimoto
Ardis Eschenberg - Higher Education Partner : Promoting educational opportunities for community members is important to Ardis, who works as the principal investigator for three Title III DOE grants and a Harold K.L. Castle Foundation grant that increases educational access for Native Hawaiians. Ardis works as the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at Windward Community College. Previously, she was its dean of Division I for one year. At Nebraska Indian Community College, the mother of two served as the counselor and learning coordinator for two years, followed by a post as its academic dean.
Recently, the Kaneohe resident began attending Castle Redesign meetings to understand how it may affect students entering WCC and to promote greater alignment between Castle and the college. Most WCC students come from Castle. Ardis’ connections to Kaneohe and the Castle complex include her children’s school, which is the Hawaiian Immersion School at Puohala Elementary. She serves as treasurer of the Hawaiian PTA there. In addition, she is a member of the Windward American Association of University Women and treasurer of Women Leaders in Higher Education. Ardis earned a doctorate and a master’s degree in linguistics, and bachelor’s degrees in Russian and Psychology.
Recently, the Kaneohe resident began attending Castle Redesign meetings to understand how it may affect students entering WCC and to promote greater alignment between Castle and the college. Most WCC students come from Castle. Ardis’ connections to Kaneohe and the Castle complex include her children’s school, which is the Hawaiian Immersion School at Puohala Elementary. She serves as treasurer of the Hawaiian PTA there. In addition, she is a member of the Windward American Association of University Women and treasurer of Women Leaders in Higher Education. Ardis earned a doctorate and a master’s degree in linguistics, and bachelor’s degrees in Russian and Psychology.
Ayada Bonilla
Derek Minakami
Ian Kitajima
John Au - Community: Two generations and two decades connect John to the Castle Complex area. His three daughters attended Kapunahala Elementary. He’s lived in Kaneohe for almost a quarter of a century. And his wife went to Ahuimanu Elementary, King Intermediate and Castle High. With eight years of School Community Council experience under his belt, John believes that the C4’s benefit is the members’ different perspective provide valuable input for a thorough approach to challenges.
“I love my Kaneohe community and want to see the next generations to thrive and continue making this the greatest place to live,” Au said. He added that having families understand that they play a pivotal role in nurturing successful and lifelong learners is an area that fuels him. A lesson John said he’s learned is to always keep student achievement as the priority. He enjoys learning and describes himself as “a very curious person,” – qualities he says will best serve the C4.
“I love my Kaneohe community and want to see the next generations to thrive and continue making this the greatest place to live,” Au said. He added that having families understand that they play a pivotal role in nurturing successful and lifelong learners is an area that fuels him. A lesson John said he’s learned is to always keep student achievement as the priority. He enjoys learning and describes himself as “a very curious person,” – qualities he says will best serve the C4.
Kanani Kihara
Karen Kimura
Katie Tanaka
Matt Ho: Complex Area Superintendent Matt Ho began his education career at Kailua High in 2001 as an English teacher for grades nine and 10. He went on to serve in several leadership positions including Kailua High School vice principal (2003-2009) and Laie Elementary School principal (2009-2015). While at Laie Elementary, he created viable health and wellness programs through partnerships with the UH and Department of Health. Ho received his bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in teaching from the UH-Manoa.
Matt Lorin - Non Profit Partner: Characteristics that cover a wide spectrum – understanding education reform, access to resources, experience with the Redesign process and familiarity with Hawaii’s schools are the professional qualities that Matt says may best help him serve the CA. Currently, Matt is the vice president of Honolulu-based the learning coalition, a nonpartisan, nonprofit dedicated to assisting Hawaii’s public school system. He is also a member of the Kapolei High School Community Council, where his daughter is a freshman.
A member of the Small Learning Community’s advisory board, Matt was also a stakeholder in School Community Council strengthening and principal leadership development during his time at the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation. He has served on the C4 for two years “because Lea Albert asked,” he said, adding that the forum could be beneficial in “the realization of the P-20 vision of uninterrupted and aligned education.” When it comes to family-school partnerships and communication, the formal substitute teacher and senior project judge is passionate about insuring a welcoming and respectful relationship among all families, staff and teachers. He hopes this promotes excellent teaching and learning. Finally, the hakipu’u learning center board member believes that the compassion he’s developed through his experiences and for a broad set of keys stakeholder in education will help him in his C4 role.
A member of the Small Learning Community’s advisory board, Matt was also a stakeholder in School Community Council strengthening and principal leadership development during his time at the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation. He has served on the C4 for two years “because Lea Albert asked,” he said, adding that the forum could be beneficial in “the realization of the P-20 vision of uninterrupted and aligned education.” When it comes to family-school partnerships and communication, the formal substitute teacher and senior project judge is passionate about insuring a welcoming and respectful relationship among all families, staff and teachers. He hopes this promotes excellent teaching and learning. Finally, the hakipu’u learning center board member believes that the compassion he’s developed through his experiences and for a broad set of keys stakeholder in education will help him in his C4 role.
Nathan French - Windward District Office Administrator: Having trained as a mental health clinician yet working un the Castle Complex gives Nathan a unique perspective into the strengths and needs of Kaneohe’s schools and community. He merges the two fields to help serve the neediest students-experience that he believes will help most in the C4. Nathan also lists working with others to find solutions to public-education challenges, leading the 5 R’s project and building relationships with various communities as helpful experiences.
His affiliation with the Castle Complex involves his two sons, who attend Kaneohe Elementary, coaching kids’ sports and joining the C4. Nathan’s work includes being program manage for school-based behavioral health services in Castle Complex for the past 11 years. Organized, strategic, caring, and passionate about kids’ success and the Kaneohe community are his personal traits that Nathan says will best help the C4. The C4 is beneficial as an “opportunity for families and community members to shape and influence the future of our Castle Complex schools,” he noted. Nathan added that consistent and open conversations between schools and homes are areas he feels strongly about. Email is an effective mass-communications tool while phone calls or personal contact is practical for issues regarding individual students, he said.
His affiliation with the Castle Complex involves his two sons, who attend Kaneohe Elementary, coaching kids’ sports and joining the C4. Nathan’s work includes being program manage for school-based behavioral health services in Castle Complex for the past 11 years. Organized, strategic, caring, and passionate about kids’ success and the Kaneohe community are his personal traits that Nathan says will best help the C4. The C4 is beneficial as an “opportunity for families and community members to shape and influence the future of our Castle Complex schools,” he noted. Nathan added that consistent and open conversations between schools and homes are areas he feels strongly about. Email is an effective mass-communications tool while phone calls or personal contact is practical for issues regarding individual students, he said.
Phyllis Ida - Early Childhood Partner: The woman who in 2010 secured the largest grant ever awarded for Hawaii’s preschool-through-third grade initiative $1.1 million- has lived in Kaneohe for 33 years. Phyllis Ida’s children attended Puohala, King and Castle. Her grandchildren attend Kapunahala and Castle. Phyllis believes that her knowledge about early childhood and its related community will best serve the C4. She coordinated the Windward District’s special education preschool programs for 16 years and has overseen the Windward District’s P-3 programs for three years, earning the nickname “Million Dollar Baby.”
The P-3 coordinator serves on this forum to ensure a voice for schools and families with youngsters. Her passion regarding communications is to guarantee children a smooth transition from him to school as well as seamless move from school to school. Phyllis thinks that the C4 could benefit the building of relations between all schools and the community from 0-20, helping to secure the best educational opportunities for the Castle Complex. Her experience in “meeting, learning and sharing with others who are also concerned and passionate about our community” is most helpful for her role she said.
Richard Pettit
Stephen Terstegee - High School Parent: Stephen cares about education, has children at three Castle Complex schools and is committed to bettering student outcomes. A member of the C4 for two years, Stephen simultaneously served on Castle High’s and Kahaluu Elementary’s School Community Councils, including as Castle’s chair. He was also the vice president of Families and Friends of Castle, a parent-teacher student association.
The collective experience of the C4 group is a benefit, he said, that offers insight and expertise. Not only can the team drill down to detail, but it also understands the issues and how to address them. He says feels passionate about schools and teachers who excel in communicating with families by using language and methods that resonate with their target audience. “I’ve seen change happening during the time I’ve served in the C4, but we’re not there yet,” Stephen said. “My education and experience in thinking about how P-20 is going to become a reality in the Castle Complex and a model for Hawaii’s public schools” might be most helpful in his C4 role, he said. “I’m tenacious in this pursuit and will apply my full potential to this endeavor.”
Sydney O'Neal
Tracey Murata
Wendy Matsuzaki