PUHI — A Kaua‘i pilot program to give school custodians advanced repair-and-maintenance skills could soon be going nationwide.
Not only are officials from state Department of Education districts across the state taking a long look at the program, but national education officials and federal elected officials are examining the program’s exportability.
In the unique setting of the Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School here, students peered from over the tops of computers they were working to watch the gathering of people at one end of the school’s library.
The collection of people snapped to attention with the arrival of U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawai‘i, who shook hands as he made his way to the front row of the group, his movements being recorded by a corps of middle-school students under the direction of Kevin Matsunaga.
Inouye’s entrance marked the start of a unique graduation ceremony for custodians who converged from schools around the island for the occasion, most being accompanied by their school’s principals who bore lei of congratulations.
In a collaborative partnership between the Rural Development Project, the state Department of Education, Kaua‘i Community College, the state Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS), and the United Public Workers union, the participating custodians had successfully completed a unique four-week training program that resulted in the upgrading of the custodians’ skills designed to enhance and develop their basic facilities maintenance skills in the areas of carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and painting.
“The program brought out good things,” said Diane Okuno, one of the graduates.
With thanks to Inouye who obtained funds that drove the program, Okuno said they “developed more confidence (in their jobs), and a better working relationship with DAGS.”
“DAGS has always been there when we needed them,” Okuno said as she outlined their involvement in the program when approached by Kaua‘i DOE school Superintendent Daniel Hamada and Gail Nakaahiki, the administrative services assistant for the DOE’s Central Kaua‘i Complex.
Okuno said that people don’t realize the scope of a custodian’s job responsibilities, and as teachers undergo training, the custodians also need to have upgraded training.
Through this custodian-training program, Okuno said the custodians who maintain close contact with one another learned to do things beyond just turning off the water and fencing off areas.
Okuno cited an example of how you need to turn off the electrical switch box when dealing with an electrical problem. It is an aspect of their job that may sound elementary, but if you are unaware of how to work with it, may have severe consequences.
“And, when we have a problem,” Okuno concluded, “there is no 9-1-1. (We) call DAGS!”
Peggy Cha, KCC provost, echoed Okuno’s sentiments, adding that everyone involved in the education of Kaua‘i’s youth has the right to be able to do things to the best of their ability.
This program is an example of how three bureaucracies, DOE, DAGS, and KCC, were able to collectively come together to work out a good solution.
Hamada, also sharing Okuno’s sentiments, said that through this program, preliminary data from the participating schools show cost savings of about $40,000 excluding the cost of labor.
Once the final data is prepared, Hamada said the program will show the true impact it has had so far.
Inouye told the group that this program is the pride of the state, its origins stemming from a discussion he had with legislators, who told him about a $600-million repair-and-maintenance backlog existing at public schools across the state.
This started the ball rolling on the 3 R’s program (repair, replace, repaint), where students, parents and other volunteers come out to provide labor, construction-industry people supply materials, and the military comes out in force to help paint in the spirit of volunteerism.
“Custodians are not just janitors,” Inouye said. “They are in charge of, and supervise, the structures. You take away the custodians, and the schools will crumble. They hold very important positions.”
Inouye expressed his happiness and pride at being in attendance, noting that personnel from Maui Community College were also present to see how it works so they can initiate a similar program there.
Inouye also said that the program works because other people from across the nation have also expressed strong interest in trying to establish similar programs, labeling this program “The Kaua‘i Program” because it was on Kaua‘i where the people made it work.
Participants include Helen Aki (Kapa‘a Elementary), Tenley Amaki (‘Ele‘ele School), Clayton Ancheta (King Kaumuali‘i), William Arthur (Waimea Canyon), Phillip Atiga (Wilcox), Eduardo Avita (Chiefess Kamakahelei), Philip Delos Reyes (Kaua‘i High), Ali Domingo (Kapa‘a Middle), Suela Esteban (Kapa‘a Middle), Leila Fernandez Cardozo (Koloa), Leah Fernandez (Kalaheo), Norma Fernandez (King Kaumuali‘i), Jaselyn Garcia (Kapa‘a Elementary), Susie Gusman (Wilcox), Denise Ham Young (Hanalei), Alreda Hookano (Waimea High), Abraham Huddy (Kapa‘a Middle), Dean Hugo (Waimea High), Rosemarie Koerte (King Kaumuali‘i), Dean Kuboyama (DAGS), Sandy Lewis (Waimea Canyon), Abraham Machado, Jr. (Chiefess Kamakahelei), Carlson Manoi (‘Ele‘ele), Charlene McGee (Kapa‘a Elementary), Diane Okuno (Kapa‘a Elementary), Don Okuno (OMS), Terry Okuno (Chiefess Kamakahelei), Estrella Pasion (Wilcox), Celeste Poe (Kilauea), Doris Ragudo (Kapa‘a Elementary), Gerald Rapozo (Kilauea), Derrick Reis (DAGS), William Silva, Jr. (Koloa), Leilani Suenaga (Kaua‘i High), Bernadette Taniguchi (Kekaha), Floratina Tomas (‘Ele‘ele), Rose Vaivao (Waimea Canyon), Jaime Villon (Chiefess Kamakahelei), Vallendee Wong (Hanalei) and Roswell Yokotake (Kilauea).
Sports Editor Dennis Fujimoto may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or mailto:dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
