and the entire Kaua‘i community. As I mentioned above, I believe the greatest gift one can give children is a solid, well-rounded education. I’m going to endeavor to make ISPA more accessible for all families, so it can serve as a parent forum and information center. This will allow parents to easily access where, when, and how they can assist with projects and volunteer events, and how they can participate in the development of Island School. 5) What new initiatives do you think ISPA should undertake? My first initiative is to make ISPA meetings more accessible. The challenge of a commuter school is that people can’t always physically be at meetings. This year we are going to set up a live audio stream of ISPA meetings so everyone can participate by listening in and typing in questions and comments. A link will be set up within MyVoyager to an ISPA page with recordings of meetings and any relevant information. The live stream and ISPA page will allow parents to participate from anywhere. I am always open to ideas, suggestions, and advice, so please talk to me about other initiatives you think ISPA should undertake this year! 6) Explain how a successful parent association should run, and what it looks like. ISPA should serve as an open and accessible forum for communication, and should inform families about projects and volunteer opportunities. Every Island School parent is automatically an ISPA member and is welcome to take on whatever role feels most comfortable. A simple executive structure will streamline communication, so ISPA will have eight executive board members: President Vice President Secretary Treasurer High School Representative (HSR) Middle School Representative (MSR) Elementary School Representative (ESR) Island School Administration Representative (ISAR) There will be Classroom Representatives from each grade who will talk with HSR, MSR, and ESR. A successful ISPA should have cordial and informative interactions, and short, productive meetings to assign
duties to the appointed project leaders. I am available anytime to discuss ISPA related topics, so please don’t be shy, stop by to say hi! 7) What do you consider the family’s role is in a child’s education? I believe families should be involved in their children’s education. Involvement takes many forms, such as picking a good school and making payments and/or donations, interacting with faculty and staff and helping with projects and fundraisers, or selecting classes that improve your child’s love of learning. Whatever your type of involvement, I believe (1) families should provide a home environment where students can study and be supported, and (2) parents should come to campus when they can and connect with administration, staff, other parents, and students. This is our school and we all are a part of it. The fact that every family here has chosen to send their children to Island School shows a desire to provide them with an excellent education. 8) What can the Island School community expect from ISPA this year? This year is exciting because we are reorganizing ISPA, so it can be anything we, as parents, want it to be. Anyone who wants to can have an impact on our structure, projects, volunteer opportunities, organization, goals, etc. We are going to create a friendly, open environment, establish and simplify the lines of communication, provide easier access to meetings and information, work together with enthusiasm, and have fun! If you have any questions, comments, or just want to talk story, please contact Matt at (808) 778-9128, or email ispa@ischool.org. www.ischool.org 27