Kona School is going to be a private school.

Kona School’s Board of Directors is committed to designing the most innovative educational model available.  In order to stay at the forefront of teaching trends and technological advancements, school leaders need to be able to make any necessary adjustments immediately and not have to wait for decisions to work through bureaucratic channels.  Being a private school also opens doors to partner with other institutions and businesses in order to extend greater opportunities to students to learn and interact in real-world settings.

The exact cost of tuition for Kona School has yet to be determined, but it is anticipated to be between $8,000 and $9,000 annually.  Currently in Duval County there are 11 private schools and the average tuition is $9,512 per year.  According to 2010 figures, The Duval County Public School district spends $8,414 per student annually (http://www.duvalschools.org/static/aboutdcps/).

The Board of Directors is working to establish scholarship options for students that wish to attend Kona School.  There are also programs like Step Up for Students and the McKay Scholarship that parents will have the opportunity to work with.

Kona School will focus on middle and high school students grades 6 through 12.

Kona School is projected to open its doors to full-time students in the fall of 2014.

Applications for enrollment in Kona School are not currently being accepted.  A Parent Advisory Committee is being established at this time who will work with the school’s executive director to structure the application process and establish clear lines of communication between Kona School and interested parents.  For regular updates, follow Kona School on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KonaSchool and on the web at http://konaschool.org/.

Kona School is not hiring at this time. We are always accepting application to be kept on file, but won’t be actively recruiting Learning Coaches and other staff until the spring of 2014.

Since Kona School is a private school, students are not required to take the FCAT test.  However, families are encouraged to participate in the state test in order to demonstrate the learning gains and track student performance.

Yes! Kona School is designed to connect curriculum to whatever the students are passionate about. Kona School’s connection to action sports is more than just a shared name with America’s oldest skatepark. There are several important qualities of skating and surfing that are key elements in the development of Kona School’s innovative learning model. Skating and surfing teach collaboration and autonomy as well as providing students with opportunities to take innovative risks without a fear of failure.

No, there are no other schools that are combining all of the elements that make up Kona School’s learning model. This education model integrates project-based with blended learning to create opportunities for authentic learning as well as student, parent, and community engagement. Kona School also incorporates nutrition and physical wellness, enterprise and entrepreneurial training, sustainable campus design, and a positive school culture into the academic plan.

Yes, as soon as we start with our first class of students, we will apply for accreditation with SACS and AdvancED. Receiving accreditation takes two to three years and Kona School has already started putting a procedure in place to move successfully through the process.

At this stage in our development, teachers would be required to hold valid teaching certificates unless they hold comparable professional licenses.

Kona School has chosen a variation of the year-round school calendar because it meets the needs of our students and their families more than a traditional calendar would.

The term year-round makes it sound as though the students are in school for more days than students in regular schools, but in both cases, the number of days is right at 180. With year-round school, teachers don’t have to spend as much time at the beginning of each year reviewing the previous year’s material. There is a more cohesive flow to the learning schedule when you eliminate that huge summer break.

A year-round calendar also provides opportunities for students to participate in internships and travel for service projects throughout the school year, and Kona School will be providing those opportunities. Having hands-on and cross-cultural experiences enable students to make those vital connections between what they’re learning in the classroom and how it applies to real life. That connection is vital for cultivating a generation of innovators.

Since Kona School will be a blended project-based learning model, students have the opportunity to work through the curriculum at their own pace. They won’t be bound by the annual progression schedule of traditional schools, so a year-round calendar will lend itself to a more individualized approach to giving students ownership of their education.

Yes! As part of the Enterprise and Entrepreneurial trailing and in a continued effort to foster community engagement, Kona School staff will work toward offering specific enrichment programs during the summer, fall, winter, and spring breaks.

The specific details about Kona School’s learning model and the eight core elements can be found on this website. Each of the core element’s pages incudes a description as well as sources where additional information can be found.

Kona School will be ADA compliant and will accommodate students with special needs. Kona School will not have the resources to provide educational services to students with severe developmental exceptionalities.

Kona School’s learning model would actually be perfectly suited for students with ADD, ADHD, and certain spectrums of Autism. Mr. Adam Walker, a researcher from the James Cook University, in Cairns Australia, has done research on skateboarding as a means to manage the manifestations of ADD, ADHD, and Autism. Mr. Walker is in regular communication with Kona School’s executive director about collaborating on a research project demonstrating the positive impact of Kona School’s learning model on students with ADD, ADHD, and Autism.

Yes! Kona School welcomes a diverse student community.

At this stage of development, the board of directors is considering two potential campus locations; one is at Kona Skatepark, the other is in downtown Jacksonville. The exact location will be determined once additional development funds are raised.

Mission Statement: Kona School will inspire in each student a desire to learn creatively, think independently, and act responsibly.
Vision Statement: Learning is a continuous, expanding process that does not end when a student graduates from high school. Kona School promotes intellectual and personal growth, so our students become life-long learners and socially conscious problem solvers able to thrive in a global market. This is achieved by providing relationally based instruction and challenging curriculum, as well as addressing students’ individual learning styles, and taking advantage of progressive campus design.