Jana Fukada, a curriculum coach for K–2 students at Mililani Uka Elementary School, epitomizes everything you’d like to imagine about an educational leader—kind, knowledgeable, encouraging and willing to go the extra mile.
In her seven years as a teacher, she was a force for education both locally and at the state level. When she was a kindergarten teacher, she co-taught for inclusion and developed plans and assessments for Common Core.
Colleagues point to her ability as an elementary educator to weave the curriculum together to create and teach interdisciplinary lessons. Her work certainly speaks for itself: 70% of students were at or near grade level in English; 93% were proficient in math, 94% were proficient in science and 100% met social studies goals.
Fukada knows that the home to school connection is important, which is why she created homework activities to support students and parents in the development of their skills in reading and mathematics. Her efforts go so far as to offering tutoring and assistance after school to the students who need it.
Fukada is committed to her students, the school and being an educator for the long term. She’s been a grade level chairperson for three years and was the only teacher selected to serve on the state’s Student Information Systems Evaluation Committee. Additionally, she has presented at the consortium for the Hawaii Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Hawaii Writing Conference and has visited other islands to help train teachers on math curriculum.
Fukada is currently working on earning her doctorate from the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education. No doubt she will use her findings to strengthen education in Hawaii and elsewhere.
“It is the educated who will be able to adjust to our..." (read more)
