2024 TRANSITION CENTERS BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE

april 3, 2024
hawaii convention center

The Hawaii Business Roundtable in collaboration with the Hawaii Department of Education, military partners, and the K. Mark Takai Foundation held its Seventh Annual Transition Centers Best Practices Conference on April 3, 2024, at the Hawaii Convention Center. The event showcased guest speakers, school and student presentations, a resource table fair, and Q&A sessions. Notable participants included the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) Pacific Region and the Department of the Air Force (DAF) School Liaison Program Department, reflecting the conference's broad reach.

Transition Center Personnel from Hawaii and beyond gathered to exchange insights and enhance programs serving children with transient living circumstances. A panel featuring school administrators, Transition Center Coordinators, and Student Ambassadors from Mokapu Elementary School, Aliamanu Middle School, and Kalaheo High School shared their experiences implementing and expanding Transition Center Programs, offering valuable advice on student engagement strategies.

Brigadier General Christopher K. Faurot of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command provided insights into U.S. Indo-Pacom. Ms. Lois Rapp, Director of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) led discussions with DODEA Pacific Region, highlighting successes and challenges in adopting Hawaii Transition Center models. Despite facing limitations in securing financial support, DODEA Pacific showcased innovative approaches to ensure vital transition program components.

The conference also emphasized the importance of strong partnerships with businesses, communities, and the military in enriching student experiences. Ewa Makai Middle School Principal Kim Sanders facilitated discussions with key figures like Ms. Lori Phipps, Chief of the Department of the Air Force (DAF) School Liaison Program Division and Dr. Keith Mispagel, President of the Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA) who underscored the benefits of collaborative efforts in preparing students for future success.

The conference boasted a record-breaking attendance of over 235 participants, including 40 from out of state!

Thank you to our continuing sponsors!

2023 TRANSITION CENTERS BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE

march 29, 2023
japanese cultural center of hawaii & zoom

The Hawaii Business Roundtable, in partnership with the Hawaii Department of Education, our Military partners, and the K. Mark Takai Foundation held its sixth Annual Transition Centers Best Practices Conference on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, in-person and virtually; Featuring guest speakers, school and student presentations, and Q&A sessions. 

Due to the pandemic, the conference was done virtually for the last two years.  It provided us with an unexpected opportunity as we had international participants from Department of Defense Schools in Korea, Japan, Okinawa and Guam as well as across the mainland US.  This year we were happy to welcome out of town guests from Alaska, California, and Japan.

The Conference is focused on the students themselves.  The Student Ambassadors, who staff the Transition Centers, were able to share their best practices and insights during the resource table fair.  The program this year began with a school panel featuring School Administrators, Transition Center Coordinators, and Student Ambassadors from Admiral Arthur W. Radford High School, Leilehua High School, Kalaheo High School, and Campbell High School on how they successfully run their Transition Center Programs as well as tips on engaging students.  Aliamanu Middle School’s Panther Academy students talked about their program designed to support our new students in their acclimation process to AMS.  Attendees were able to participate in a collaborative discussion and hear from Transition Center Coordinators and an Administrator as they shared their challenges and successes on how to build and sustain a Transition Center Program.

The conference also held its first student-interactive breakout session.  This session allowed the students to gain hands-on experience with ice breakers/activities using beach balls and rubber ducks. And share skills, discussed common issues, and collaborated on ideas to help bring new and fun ideas into Transition Centers!

Click Here to view the conference program.

Click Here for Aliamanu Middle School’s PDF Presentation. 

Thank you to our continuing sponsors!

2022 TRANSITION CENTERS BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE - A 3-day virtual conference

march 30 - aPRIL 1, 2022
Via Zoom

The Hawaii Business Roundtable, in partnership with the Hawaii Department of Education, held its fifth annual Transition Centers Best Practices Conference. The purpose of the conference is to create a community of support for schools interested in creating, enhancing, and sustaining transition centers on their campuses for newly enrolled students and help them acclimate into their new school community. Transition Centers in Hawaii have a history of preparing and providing a safety net for our newly arriving military-dependent students. One of the major focuses of the conference this year is how our Transition Centers are continuing to operate post the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conference this year was held virtually via Zoom on March 30, March 31 and April 1, featuring guest speakers, school and student presentations, and live Q&A sessions. Participants from schools with established transition centers, or those that are thinking about starting one, will find valuable information and guidance from this conference.

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools, Osan Middle High School, Korea and Kadena Highschool, Okinawa Japan joined the conference for an afternoon session and shared their program components that are mirrored in all DoDEA Pacific Region’s middle and high schools; The components, modeled after Hawaii Department of Education School Transition Centers, are implemented and are critical to minimizing the stressors of a highly mobile population. Hear from the student ambassadors from Admiral Arthur W. Radford High School and Leilehua High School as they joined the DoDEA team for a roundtable discussion.

DAY 1 - WEDNESDAY, March 31, 2022 - JAMES CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL

Day 2 - Thursday, March 31, 2022 - MAJOR SHELDON WHEELER MIDDLE SCHOOL

The Transition Center provides an orientation experience that is designed to support the needs of students and families who are new to Wheeler Middle School.  In the "Spirit Of Aloha", we want to make their recent move to our school as comfortable and informative as possible. The Transition Center is responsible for placement testing, familiarizing students with regulations and procedures, and conducting campus tours.  While it is mandatory that students come through The Transition Center, it is a fun and lively environment that will make students feel welcome on their first day of school.  The Transition Center is not limited to new students, our doors are open to all students who need help finding a class, need a duplicate ID or to log in to their accounts, and more. We enjoy spending time and seeing our students and families throughout their journey at Wheeler Middle School.

dEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE education activity (dOdea)
OSAN MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL, KOREA

The Osan Middle High School’s Student Transition Program serves to welcome incoming students, help them find their footing, and supports departing students as they transition away from OMHS and into their new school setting. This program incorporates student leadership training, increased responsibilities for students, and conducts school-wide social activities to promote cohesive social support for all students. Participating in this program fosters civic engagement, build social support networks for students, develops leadership and organization skills, and help students meet their college and career readiness goals.

Kadena High School, Japan

The Kadena High School Student Transition program happily assists all new students transitioning into our school. Our goal is to bring students together by welcoming newly arriving students to create a positive environment, student academic excellence, and ease with transitions.

day 3 - friday, april 1, 2022 - ala wai elementary school

As a Leader In Me School, Ala Wai Elementary believes that all students have genius and are leaders that enrich our community. Ala Wai Elementary Transition Center is a program that is designed to help welcome all students  and families to our school. Our transition center is made up of three main components: Aloha CREW, newcomers services, and family engagement. The Aloha CREW ambassadors, comprised of student leaders from all grade levels, help with transitioning new students to our community. We have  incorporated a newcomers program to help our international students acclimate to a U.S. education system. Our center will also be used as a resource for our families to help with school to home connection.  It is in this space that we will nurture relationships with our families and create a sense of belonging with our Ala Wai `ohana.  Join us as we share our journey to design a space that empowers students to lead, learn, and thrive.

Thank you to our continuing sponsors!

2021 TRANSITION CENTERS BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE - A 3-day virtual conference

march 3 - 5, 2021
Via Zoom

The Hawaii Business Roundtable, in partnership with the K. Mark Takai Foundation, and the Hawaii Department of Education, held it’s fourth annual Transition Centers Best Practices Conference. The purpose of the conference is to create a community of support for schools interested in creating, enhancing, and sustaining transition centers on their campuses for newly enrolled students. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference was moved to a virtual platform. This year a major focus of the conference was on how our Transition Centers are continuing to operate under the pandemic’s restrictions. One of the silver linings of this pandemic is the learning and using of virtual platforms. School teams of administrators, teachers, support staff, students and community partners were encouraged to attend. Participants engaged with Hawaii DOE school teams of staff and students currently operating transition centers through social distancing.

Day 1 - WEDNESDAY, March 3, 2021 - Mōkapu Elementary School

Day 2 - Thursday, March 4, 2021 - Ewa Makai Middle School

The Ewa Makai Middle School Takai Transition Center (TTC) provides a space for students new to Hawai’i or Ewa Makai to be introduced to the school and the culture of the Aloha State. The TTC offers a gathering place for returning and new students alike to meet, get to know one another, and have a safe space in school to unwind a bit. Our TTC also provides peer-to-peer support through our student Aloha Ambassador Program. Aloha Ambassadors ensure that every new student that joins the Ewa Makai Ohana is welcomed, knows the ins and outs of their new school all while making new friends. Throughout the school year Aloha Ambassadors organize lunch bunches and become a resource for new and existing students, all while developing their leadership skills through community service projects, project management, and team building – Ambassadors truly champion leading with kindness!

day 3 - Friday, March 5, 2021 - ADMIRAL ARTHUR W. RADFORD HIGH SCHOOL & Leilehua High School

Thank you to our continuing sponsors!

2020 TRANSITION CENTERS BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE

february 20, 2020
Pomaika’i Ballrooms at Dole Cannery - Iwilei

In a joint effort with the Department of Education, Military partners and the K. Mark Takai Foundation, the Hawaii Business Roundtable held its 3rd Annual Transition Centers Best Practices Conference on Thursday, February 20, 2020 at the Pomaikai Ballrooms.

The purpose of the Transition Centers Best Practices Conference is to provide school participants with the resources and information they may need to create, enhance and sustain a successful transition center. Although the Transition Centers were created to support Military students, they have expanded their roles to support a large segment of local children.

This year, the conference hit a record number of participants from our public schools with a total of 260 attendees.  The work that is being done at Transition Centers to support Hawaii’s Military Children and Families is being recognized beyond Hawaii, participants from Alaska, Japan, Okinawa and Korea attended the conference.

Conference attendees engaged with past school presenters who were invited to participate in student-led resource tables to share their resources and promising practices. Click Here to view the conference program.

This year the Best Practices Conference featured school presenters from Lehua Elementary School, Lt Horace Meek Hickam Elementary School and Kailua Intermediate School. Followed by an open panel Q&A session for Students, Administrators and Transition Center Coordinators. The student mentors and faculty advisors shared their best practices to promote and improve Transition programs at primary and secondary level schools.

• Click Here for Lehua Elementary School’s PDF presentation.

• Click Here for Lt Horace Meek Hickam Elementary School’s PDF presentation.

• Click Here for Kailua Intermediate School’s PDF presentation.

Thank you to our continuing sponsors!

2019 TRANSITION CENTERS BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE

march 28, 2019
Pomaika’i Ballrooms at Dole Cannery - Iwilei

​Working with the Department of Education, the K. Mark Takai Foundation and our Military partners, The Hawaii Business Roundtable held the second Transition Centers Best Practices conference on March 28, 2019 at the Pomaikai Ballrooms.

• Click Here to view the conference program.

• Click Here to view Solomon Elementary School’s PDF presentation.

• Click Here to view Ewa Makai Middle School’s PDF presentation.

• Click Here to view Kalaheo High School’s PDF presentation.

Thank you to our continuing sponsors!

2018 TRANSITION CENTERS BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE

MARCH 29, 2018
Hawai’i okinawa center

The Hawaii Business Roundtable and the State of Hawaii's Department of Education held its first annual Transition Centers Best Practices Conference in March 2018. Take a look at the video below for highlights from the conference.

About 14,000 children enrolled in Hawaii’s public school system are military-dependent children - the highest per capita in the nation. Joint Venture Education Forum (JVEF), a partnership between the United States Pacific Command (PACOM) and the Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE), work together to ensure relocation for military-dependent children receive the support they need during their school transition. 

Newly arrived military-dependent students are introduced to School Transition Centers to help them acclimate into their school community. The Centers conduct student orientation and campus tours for the students and their families; allowing the students to express their concerns, ask questions, familiarize themselves with school policies, services, and get to know the staff. 

Transitioning to a new school can be a challenge for many children. Leaving everything they are accustomed to and the uncertainty of making new friends can take a toll, emotionally and socially. These centers provide a safe and stable foundation for all students. As a way to make students feel comfortable, they are able to have their lunch in the center until they are well adjusted to their routine. In addition, some centers offer peer-to-peer mentoring, where the student is introduced to a peer partner who will help them get acquainted with other students and make new friends. 

In 2017, partnerships between Hawaii 3R’s, the Military Affairs Council, the Hawaii Business Roundtable and the Hawaii State Department of Education announced their transition center initiatives will be in honor of late Congressman K. Mark Takai, who was a staunch advocate for Hawaii's students and supporter of military-dependent students throughout his career. 

Future transition centers that benefit from this effort will be known as a “Takai Transition Center” and will feature the following pledge. 

As a member of the K. Mark Takai Transition Center Network, we: 

• Click Here to view the conference program.

• Click Here to view Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary School’s PDF presentation.

• Click Here to view Kapolei Makai Middle School’s PDF presentation.

• Click Here to view Leilehua High School’s PDF presentation.

• Click Here to view Radford High School’s PDF presentation.

A special thank you to our sponsors!