Pahoa High and Intermediate School
| School ID - 383 | |
 pahoahis.org
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15-3038 Pahoa Village Road
Pahoa, HI 96778 Phone: 808.313.430
Fax: 808.965.2153 |
| PRINCIPAL | Mr. Kim Williamson |
| VISION PHIS is a kīpuka of safety, learning, resource, and guidance for our community. We honor the values of our school and wahi pana wherever our futures may lead. |
MISSION With this vision, we are aligning to four core values: pilina, pono, kuleana, and mālama. This vision and these values consistently were brought up in various focus groups with all stakeholders and aligns with what we all know and love about Pāhoa and Puna |
Pāhoa High and Intermediate School (PHIS) is located in the Puna District of the Island of Hawaiʻi with the nearest city, Hilo, 26 miles away. The school serves 243 intermediate students and 481 high school students and is part of the Keaʻau-Kaʻu-Pāhoa Complex (KKP Complex). The school was established in 1913 and encompasses 23 acres of land. PHIS serves a rural community with a median income of $39,000 well-below the state average. The surrounding communities are underdeveloped in the areas of standard community infrastructure such as county water, electricity, telephone services and easy access to public transportation. Many of the roads are unpaved and become overwhelmed by flooding in the constant rain experienced in this region of the island.
Student enrollment continues to increase, a trend that was not anticipated six years ago. In 2017, the enrollment was at 528 students for both the intermediate and high school. In October 2022, the enrollment is 721 with a projected enrollment for SY 23-24 to be at 761. This is also reflected in the growth of the surrounding community. Due to the more affordable options for housing, easy access to Hilo, and the stateʻs relative safety during the COVID pandemic, more people have been moving to the islands and in particular the Big Island.The student population comprises a wide variety of ethnic groups with Native Hawaiian students comprising 43.49% of the population, making up the majority of the students. Other sub groups include: White (16.9%), Filipino (14.27%) and Micronesian (8.59%). PHIS participates in the Community Eligibility Provision, allowing for all of our students to receive free breakfast and lunch during the school year. At PHIS, 64% of students fall into the low Socio Economic category versus 44% for the state. Twenty percent of students are eligible for special services - a number that has been consistent for the past five years. Nine percent of students are classified as English Learners (EL). In the past five years, the number of EL students has increased from 19 students to 65 students in 2022-23.
Pāhoa High & Intermediate School provides a comprehensive education for students in a vast geographic area. PHIS emphasizes core values of *pono* (righteousness), *mālama* (caring), *kuleana* (responsibility), and *pilina* (relationships). The school offers a well-rounded education, integrating traditional coursework with career and technical education programs and partnering with local institutions like the University of Hawai'i at Hilo and Hawai'i Community College. PHIS will implement an academy model in the upcoming school year to further promote 21st-century skills. Beyond academics, PHIS is dedicated to supporting student growth through a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports programs, tutoring, and enrichment programs. Students have access to 28 varsity sports, four unified team sports, and after-school tutoring. Intermediate students benefit from a variety of programs designed to further their academic and personal development.
Based on the Smarter Balanced Assessments (2022-2023) in Reading and Math for grades 7, 8, and 11, achievement in Math was 15% and Reading scores indicated a proficiency rate of 36% which indicated an increase of 2% from the previous reporting year. Science achievement increased by 2% with 18% reaching proficiency. . Science, Math and Reading are equal to or greater than the Complex Area’s results. The readiness data measured how well the students graduated on-time and were ready to pursue their college or career goals. 63% of 8th graders read near, at, or above grade level. 83% of 9th graders are promoted to 10th grade on-time. 89% of students completed a Career and Technical Education program by 12th grade. The rate of students graduating on-time was 75%.
The town’s proximity to the University of Hawaii-Hilo has provided opportunities for our students that the school has implemented. PHIS’s college-going rate, as determined by the state, was 27%. PHIS is working to develop additional opportunities for students to achieve dual credits (both high school and college credits) while attending high school.
We continue to focus on helping underrepresented populations achieve post high school career and education goals. Pacing guides for all courses continue to be aligned to content standards and additional planning takes place to incorporate literacy skills, behavioral strategies to increase academic performance, and to build depth of knowledge in the lessons being taught.
Chronic absenteeism continues to be a factor as the percentage of students who missed 15 or more days was 53%, which was an improvement of 8% from the previous year. The state average was 28% and the complex area’s average was 50%.
Overall, students reacted less favorably to the school climate as measured by the Panorama Survey which indicated that 50% of students feel positively about their school.
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