Week of 3/3/23
What's Happening at HPA This Week?
Message from the Head of School
Aloha HPA ʻohana,
On Monday, I returned from the National Association of Independent Schools annual conference with lots of notes, relevant research and data for our leadership team, and a great appreciation for our fine school, welcoming community, and special island home. I truly wake up every day proud to work at HPA and serve our community. It was even more powerful to represent our school in a forum with nearly 3,000 other educators. I was among the greatest minds in educational strategy, leadership, pedagogy, and curriculum. Presentations on hot topics like ChatGPT, student mental health and wellness, and building communities of belonging were prevalent and passionate. It was inspiring and validating at the same time.
A common thread that seemed to weave neatly through all of the programmatic leadership strands was developing the ability to connect on a personal level with other humans and build relationships, understanding how to prioritize and privilege this skill when educating our children.
I was able to attend several lectures and workshops at the conference. Each carried wonderful depth of information and content specific to leadership, education, and governance. Whether the topic was leading a group, building a team, or understanding and managing relationships — the first step in a successful plan is to find a common ground in order to then start the work to move things towards a goal. When we are aligned in our thinking and committed to a mission, there is not much that can stop us. When we are not aligned — or even harder, in total opposition on a point or belief — there has to be a starting point in order to move forward. Finding common ground is critical. It always exists, but sometimes we have to look harder to find it. In a time when it is seemingly more and more challenging to reach this crucial space, we simply must begin to build or re-establish this muscle.
In schools, our common ground starts and ends with student learning. We all want the best. How we get there, and who is in the driver’s seat and when is sometimes a topic for debate. This is where partnership is critical. Understanding our roles and our responsibilities and being honest and upfront with each other moves us towards success the fastest and most efficiently. As we head into Student led-Conferences on our Village Campus, and then an extended break, where our Residential Life parents may be receiving their high schoolers for the first time in a while, or our day families may be sending their students out on a trip — I implore us all to keep our students, their work, and their journey as that common ground. Take the time during the break to check in with them and ask them about their classes, their thinking, and their learning. Our faculty are committed to supporting and challenging our students to meet their ample potential. It’s all of our work, and we love it. With the third quarter of the school year wrapping up and the sprint to the finish waiting for us upon return, it is a great time to take stock in what has been done in order to then set our sights on new goals in the home stretch.
Lastly, for those not on island, it’s been cold in Waimea. The month of March is certainly coming in like the lion it is advertised to be. The wind and rain have, at times, felt like they will never stop. Like most things in life, the most difficult conditions naturally leave us more prepared and appreciative of calmer, brighter times. Our island’s natural beauty and unique environment never disappoints. This time, the turbulent winds, cold rains, and clouds for days will move away, leaving us with the natural pearl of snow-capped Maunakea and Mauna Loa.
Have a wonderful weekend, restful spring break, and joyful moments with family and friends.
Best,
Fred Wawner
Head of School
School Bulletins for the Week of 3/3/23
Lower School
Each week, Lower School Principal Dora Kwong writes a message to K-5 families highlighting joyful moments and meaningful lessons and offering a glimpse into what students and parents can plan for in the weeks ahead.
From the desk of your Division Principal, Dora Kwong
Aloha Lower School families,
Every week, once a week, I have the privilege of sitting with a group of ten Lower Schoolers, empowered and engaged thought machines brimming with hope, excitement, and big, beautiful ideas. They are full of initiative, these student leaders, entrusted with responsibility, ready to collaborate and act. There is not a more inspiring meeting in my calendar schedule. At times unrealistic (“We should all be allowed to bring our pets to school”), always inspiring (“Let’s get more fresh foods to those in need”), and never boring (“We should definitely have a bounce house and have Bouncy House Day!”), it is one of the many highlights in my role as Lower School principal. Every year, we have three terms of Student Council leaders, and each trimester brings with it its own flavor. Sometimes the big ideas are inspired by the time of year, a Thanksgiving Food Drive, for example, or a particular happening in time, such as last yearʻs initiative to donate to the hospital in support of COVID-19 healthcare workers. But sometimes, our young leaders recognize that a series of small actions can make a big impact, totaling to more than the sum of its parts. This is the case with our current Student Council, who, after hearing from their classmates, have come up with seemingly small ideas to impact our lower schoolers in a big way. One “small” idea was to simply put out a cardboard box filled with a variety of stationery supplies, such as paper, stencils, crayons, and markers, during recess times so children have the option of creating art during their free periods. Children who may, for instance, prefer a quieter activity, wish to send a sweet note to family member or friend, want to practice and share origami, or create a sign for our plant sale today, can do so. Student Council leaders check the box and refill it as needed. It has already become a popular choice for our K-5 students, with many joyful recipients of the fruits of this artistic labor. A small gesture, but with big impacts. Another initiative by the Student Council is a series of campus clean-up days. With the goal of finding all the small pieces of trash that may be carried by the wind into our trees, bushes, and eventually, oceans, our student leaders wanted to lead these clean up days and invite any other interested students to join. They were then excited to hear about and spread word of this weekend’s Community Coastal Cleanup Day, Saturday, March 4, first shared with us by Upper Schoolers who came to visit and speak at a recent LS assembly. If you have time this weekend, it would be a worthwhile family activity. Mahalo for these student leaders, full of aloha, living and breathing mālama kaiāulu. I will be sad to see this term close, but also simultaneously already excited for the next group of inspired and inspiring young leaders.
As you all know by now, next week, Thursday, March 9, and Friday, March 10, is our Student-led Conference Days, and the deadline to sign up for a slot is this coming Tuesday by 3:30 pm. A treasured time for which the students have been preparing, and we are excited for our learners to share with you their reflections of their educational journeys. This focused time for children to have full ownership of their learning is a way for you to talk transparently together about their goals and the steps they have taken to achieve them. What will their next goals be? What steps will they take to get there? How can the adults around them support? These conversations are important and exciting as they continue to build on their foundation of wonder and pursuit of excellence. Please be reminded that we will be offering drop-in/drop-off style child-care for HPA siblings while the other sibling(s) is presenting at their conference. We also thank the ʻOhana Association in advance for thoughtfully supplying us with refreshments these two days and our HPA store for setting up a pop-up table so families can purchase PE shirts and other HPA gear. Thank you to all families for being sure your time slots include at least five minutes of transition time between your conferences.
Finally, it is time once again to remind all to please check our lost and found. These recent days of heavy winds and rain have sent some of our jackets, water bottles, clothing, and other personal items flying about, so be sure to come by and claim your items before we bring them to donate at our local clothing drop-offs.
Mahalo to all who were able to come out to support our 4th grade Plant Sale and 8th Grader Keilana Huntʻs Spring Festival. At the time of this writing, this Wā Pilina event is being set up, and we are hoping the weather holds steady for a beautiful event of community and connection!
I hope you have a wonderfully restorative Spring Break with your ʻohana. We are looking forward to reconnecting again on the first day of classes, Tuesday, March 28.
Me ka mahalo nui,
Dora Kwong
Lower School Principal
Schedule
Our K-5 classes continue with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, March 6.
Student-led Conferences are coming up on Thursday, March 9, and Friday, March 10! Additional information, including schedule details and how to sign up can be found in this email sent on Friday, February 24.
We encourage all families to check the School Calendar in myHPA for the most up-to-date information. In addition, a list of Key Dates (school opening and closures) can also be located on the Lower School Family Resources tile located in myHPA.
Coming Up
• Friday, March 3, 3:15 to 5:15 pm: Plant Sale & Spring Festival, Ulumau Garden and Puʻu Ohu Field
• Thursday and Friday, March 9 and 10: Student-led Conferences, no classes grades K-8
• Saturday, March 11 to Monday, March 27: Spring Break
• Monday, March 27: Faculty work day (all divisions), no classes
• Tuesday, April 18: 5th Grade Capstone Expo (more information to come)
Student Support
Ms. Baydo (K-8 School Counselor) rbaydo@hpa.edu and Mr. Ludes (K-8 Learning Specialist) jludes@hpa.edu are available to discuss and support social-emotional and academic concerns for your child(ren). Please connect with them via email.
Past Email Communications
All past email communications can be accessed by visiting the Lower School Family Resources tile on myHPA and scrolling down to Past Parent Email Communications, 2022-2023.
myHPA
In addition to Seesaw, many important resources can be located on our community portal, myHPA. Check the Lower School Family Resources tile for the most up-to-date information.
Ka Makani Keiki Camp
Arts, sports, hiking, and enrichment on campus and around our island to fill the summer days. Runs weekly from June 5 to July 28. Registration is now open, so reserve your spot today!
Middle School
Each week, Middle School Principal Glenn Chickering pens a note to 6-8 families reflecting on the activities and accomplishments of the week and previewing what students and parents can look forward to in the coming days.
From the desk of your Division Principal, Glenn Chickering
Aloha Middle School families,
We would like to send an extra-special mahalo to our ʻOhana Association and all the parents who volunteered their time and energy to help with our Middle School Masquerade Ball last week. From beautiful hand-made decorations, help setting up the gym, supplying food, creating a beautiful food station, serving food, chaperoning, cleaning up, and so much more! We appreciate you!
I hope that you are staying warm and dry these days. This weather seems intent on setting us up with plenty of water for the spring season. Speak of that, our Capstones continue to blossom, bear fruit, and impress. Zane recently led a crew of student divers for a morning of collecting trash from our coral reefs. While dealing with some cold waters, they were able to remove about 30 pounds of debris out of the nearshore environment, as well as quite a bit of fishing line. Nice work, Middle School divers!
Meanwhile, Vander organized a 3-on-3 basketball tournament this past week that was made up of players from grades 6,7 and 8 and packed with drama. Hale ʻĪnana was filled with cheering fans and determined players. Vander is also working on getting our basketball hoop on Kohala field paved for outdoor games at the Village Campus.
As this bulletin goes to press, Friday’s Spring Fest and Plant sale, organized by Keilana in collaboration with Ms. Prutow-Mckenna, should be in full swing. The Spring Fest features games and activities for Lower School students, as well as two more capstone projects, with Rosey hosting her food stand and Luci displaying Cards for Ukraine, made with HPA Middle School students’ art to fundraise for Ukrainian refugees.
Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 20, our Capstone Showcase, to learn more about these and many other great capstone projects. We’ll share more details after Spring Break.
We are gearing up for next week’s Student-led Conferences and hope you are as excited about them as we are. These conferences are a wonderful opportunity for your child to showcase their learning to you and let you know about the great things going on in their classes. For more information about the conferences, please see this letter.
A reminder that you should only schedule a time with your child’s advisor, as they will help guide your child through showcasing work in their other classes.
The deadline to schedule conferences is Tuesday, March 7, at 3:30 pm.
Please note that there are no classes scheduled for these days. Ms. DeMille will be on Kohala field for child care if you would like to have an HPA sibling be with her and the other children during your conference. You can drop them off at the tent on Kohala Field.
Please contact Aunty Lynn via email at lkakugawa@hpa.edu should you need assistance.
And finally, when you are on campus next week, please check in near the drop-off kiosk and then take a look at our lost and found shelf located on the lanai outside the Village Campus offices, as there are lots of great items you may not be ready to donate yet. All items left at the end of the day Friday, March 10, will be taken over to the St. James Thrift Store.
We will see you on campus next week.
I hope you have a great weekend and Spring Break!
Glenn Chickering
Middle School Principal
Schedule
Our Middle School 2022-2023 Daily Schedule continues with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, March 6.
Student-led Conferences are coming up on Thursday, March 9, and Friday, March 10! Additional information, including schedule details and how to sign up can be found in this email sent on Friday, February 24.
We encourage all families to check the School Calendar in myHPA for the most up-to-date information. In addition, a list of Key Dates (school opening and closures) can also be located on the Middle School Family Resources tile located in myHPA.
Coming Up
• Friday, March 3: Springfest and Plant Sale in the Ulumau Garden. 3:30 – 5:15 pm
• Thursday and Friday, March 9 and 10: Student-led Conferences, no classes for grades K-8
• Saturday, March 11 to Monday, March 27: Spring Break
• Monday, March 27: Faculty work day (all divisions), no classes
• Tuesday, March 28: Classes resume
• Thursday, April 20: Grade 8 Capstone Showcase
• Friday, April 21: Faculty work day, no classes
Student Support
Please remember that we will be outside as much as possible during lunch and recess, so a rain jacket for light rains and a pareo or small beach towel for picnicking will be great to have at school. Students should also bring a water bottle to school each day.
Ms. Baydo (K-8 School Counselor) rbaydo@hpa.edu and Mr. Ludes (K-8 Learning Specialist) jludes@hpa.edu are available to discuss and support social-emotional and academic concerns for your child(ren). Please connect with them via email.
Digital Citizenship Resources for Parents
Parenting in the Digital Age: Resources for Parents
Past Email Communications
All past email communications can be accessed by visiting the Middle School Family Resource tile on myHPA and scrolling down to ‘Past Email Communications, 2022-2023’.
myHPA
myHPA is where you can find all the resources related to your child’s learning. Two key resource boards that we would like to draw your attention to are the Middle School Family Resources, and the Middle School Student Resources.
Summer at HPA
Summer Academies
Do you have a passion you want to pursue? Our specialized four-week academies are designed for day and boarding middle and high school students ages 11-17. Runs from June 26 to July 21.
Upper School
From the desk of your Poʻo Kumu (Division Principal), Kaʻai Spencer
Aloha e nā ʻohana o ka makani!
E hele kino nō, he alo a he alo. This phrase places emphasis on going somewhere in person to be face-to-face. There are many powerful idioms and phrases that can be found that emphasize showing up and being present. Showing up and being present is a key marker of overall performance. I will always remember a poster that stretched across the top border of the whiteboard of my favorite teacher, who was my seventh and eighth-grade ʻukulele teacher, Mr. Camarillo. The poster read, “Early is on time, on time is late.”
While being early is certainly something we prefer, being present is the element that I hope to focus on. As we get closer to Spring Break and the vision for the end of the year begins to take shape, please adhere to our school schedule. When students are absent after breaks or during final exams at the end of the year, it creates challenges that often put the student in the toughest position. Your partnership with the school in this regard will result in greater benefits for the students, those who will become future leaders.
Here is an excerpt from our Student-Parent Handbook regarding exams and exam attendance.
Semester exams are given at the end of each semester and account for 20 percent of the
semester grade. Students must have permission from the Principal to reschedule any exam they are unable to take at the scheduled time. Students may reschedule exams only in the event of a medical emergency. A doctor’s note must accompany the request to reschedule. It is the family’s responsibility to schedule travel following the last school commitment each semester. No exam may be taken early or late unless there is a school-related function that is the cause of a scheduling conflict.
E hele kino nō, he alo a he alo. Being present is a big key to success. Mahalo for your assistance with this when planning travel arrangements. With spring break right around the corner, I hope everyone is able to tie up any loose ends in classes that will allow the mind to be at ease during the break. One way to do this is to be alo to alo, face to face.
Ke aloha nō,
Kaʻai Spencer
Upper School Poʻo Kumu
Schedule
Our Upper School 2022-2023 Daily Schedule will resume as a Mamo day with in-person instruction on our Upper Campus on Monday, March 6.
We encourage all students and families to access the School Calendar in myHPA for the most up-to-date information. In addition, a list of Key Dates (school opening and closures) can also be located on the Upper School Family Resources tile located in myHPA.
Coming Up
• Saturday, March 11 to Monday, March 27: Spring Break
• Monday, March 27: Faculty work day (all divisions), no classes
• Thursday, March 30, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm: Hawaiʻi ACAC Waimea College Fair (required for all sophomores and juniors)
Student Support
Should your child need additional learning support, we encourage you to reach out to JoAn Canning, our Upper School Learning Support Center Director, by emailing jcanning@hpa.edu. In addition, our counselors are ready to assist any student who needs additional support to navigate these unusual and unprecedented times. Please feel free to reach out to the Upper Campus counseling team of Tiffany Freitas at 808-881-4038 or tfreitas@hpa.edu and Steve Furchner at 808-640-4441 or sfurchner@hpa.edu.
Ka Makani Athletics
Our spring athletic schedule has been updated, and be sure to check out the weekly schedule as well. You can also access the athletics schedule on the myHPA calendar.
College Counseling
College Fair at HPA: Thursday, March 30
HPA will host the Hawaiʻi ACAC Waimea College Fair on Thursday, March 30, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. This event is required for all HPA sophomores and juniors. Co-curricular commitments will end early to allow students time to shower and eat prior to the fair. Day students in the 10th and 11th-grade are invited to have dinner in the dining hall that evening.
This event is open to all students and families in the Hawaiʻi Island community. Reach out to college@hpa.edu with any questions.
Support for Seniors and Senior Families
While many seniors have already received news from their colleges, others are awaiting admissions decisions and financial aid offers that will arrive in the coming weeks. Wherever your senior is in this process, College Counseling is here to help, whether by talking through college options, offering support and guidance, or helping to interpret financial aid packages.
For your reference, we are including two articles that we hope you will find useful.
Helping Your Teen Make a College Decision
College Rejection: How to Take the Sting Out of Difficult News
We also recommend Karen Coburn’s Letting Go: A Parents’ Guide to Understanding the College Years as an excellent parent resource for processing the transition to college. Please reach out at college@hpa.edu if you need us. We look forward to our continued work with you.
College Counseling for Juniors
The majority of juniors have had their first individual meeting with their assigned college counselor, and all juniors have attended five college counseling workshops this semester. As part of our spring curriculum, juniors are asked to: complete and submit the Self Input survey and the My Future College survey located in the Drive of their Scoir account, start building a college list, and ask two academic teachers to provide letters of recommendation for college. Junior Parents and Guardians are encouraged to complete the Parent/Guardian Input survey, which is also located in the Drive of each student’s Scoir account (mahalo if you have already completed this assignment).
Class of 2023
Mahalo nui to the senior families who attended our Zoom presentation on Tuesday evening. For those of you who were unable to join us live, you can view a recording of our discussion here. In addition, here are links to our End-of-Year Events calendar and the “Upper School End-of-Year Events” tile on the Upper School Resource Board on myHPA, which includes our Google slides presentation from Tuesday night. Be sure to check back often, as we will be continuously updating that Resource Board with new information as it becomes available.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if we can be of assistance at graduation@hpa.edu. For those of you who would like to volunteer to participate with Grad Night 2023, please email gradnight@hpa.edu.
Links:
• Class of 2023 End-of-Year Events – ʻOhana meeting – January 31, 2023
• Class of 2023 End-of-Year Events – Resource Board & Slides
• Class of 2023 End-of-Year Events – Calendar
Student Life
Spring Break
Our Spring Break is quickly approaching, Monday, March 13 to Monday, March 27, 2023, and we hope that everyone finds some time to rest and prepare for the remainder of the year. It will go by quickly!
Residential Students, please adhere to the travel dates when booking your travel and make sure that you forward your airline confirmation email or a full itinerary to Mrs. Ganley at travel@hpa.eduby Friday, February 24. For more information, please refer to the Spring Break Travels, important reminders email that was sent on Thursday, February 16.
Residential Life
We are looking forward to the return of Formal Dinner this coming Monday, March 6. This is a long-held HPA tradition going back to the very earliest days of our school, and it was put on hold during the pandemic. Student leaders have worked hard this year to collaborate with the administration and our food service providers to bring this special tradition back, and while this coming event will be a test-run of sorts, we are looking forward to many more in the semesters to come!
If you have not done so already, please send your child’s travel information for Spring Break to travel@hpa.edu, so that we can arrange for transportation to and from the Kona Airport. As a reminder, our dormitories close on Sunday, March 12, and re-open on Sunday, March 26. HPA will provide transportation to and from the airport for any students leaving campus after 3:00 pm on Friday, March 10, through Sunday, March 12, and from the morning of Sunday, March 26, through the night of Monday, March 27.
Past Email Communications
All past email communications can be accessed by visiting the Upper School Family Resources tile on myHPA and scrolling down to ‘Past Email Communications, 2022-2023’.
myHPA
myHPA is where you can find all the resources related to your child’s learning. Two key resource boards that we would like to draw your attention to are the ‘Upper School Family Resources and the ‘Upper School Student Resources.
Summer at HPA
Summer Academies
Do you have a passion you want to pursue? Our specialized four-week academies are designed for day and boarding middle and high school students ages 11-17. Runs from June 26 to July 21.
All-School
Need to know information for our entire Ka Makani ʻohana.
Admissions
Re-enrollment to HPA for the 2023-24 Academic Year
MAHALO to all families for your swift action and partnership during the re-enrollment season. Have a wonderful Spring Break!
Advancement & Alumni
Your Support for the HPA Fund
School Gardens (check!), two libraries (check!), experiential learning (check!), beautiful campus community (check!), amazing and dedicated faculty (check! check!) – none of this is possible without the HPA Fund! If you haven’t made your gift, there’s still time! Want to know more about the Fund and everything it makes possible for our students? Visit our Priorities & Impact page.
Save the Date!
COVID-19 Policies & Information
While masks continue to be optional indoors and outdoors, there will be times when we will require everyone — students, families, guests, and employees — to wear masks. You will be notified in these instances. Everyone, regardless of age or vaccination status, must have a clean mask with them at all times should HPA officials determine they are necessary.
- HPA COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, 2022-2023
- HPA Community Safety Pledge, 2022-2023
- HPA COVID-19 Positive Cases Policy
- HPA COVID-19 Decision Tree
For a complete directory of all our health and safety protocols, please review our COVID-19 Policies & Information Resource Board on myHPA.
Health & Wellness
Health Services if making some exciting changes! Our long time nurse, Crissy Kuehn, will now support the Village Campus (VC) full-time. At the return from Spring Break you will find her in the VC Infirmary, Monday through Friday from 7:30 am until the end of the academic day. Wave hello when you see her!
Isaacs Art Center
Isaacs Art Center is free and open to the public, Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and on Saturdays by appointment. Gallery works for sale may also be viewed on our website. Be sure to also visit our Instagram and Facebook pages for highlights from ongoing exhibitions. Sales from gallery artwork have supported the HPA Financial Aid program since its opening in 2004.
Safety Protocols
Campus Access
During this time, campus access is limited to current students, employees, essential contractors, and approved guests — all of whom have completed a daily thermal/symptom check and a screening questionnaire. Guests to campus will have had their hosting faculty or staff member fill out the appropriate form and will have received permission from their supervisor.
Should a family member of a student need a meeting with a faculty, staff, or administrative team member, kindly contact them so that they can apply to have you come to campus. From that point, security team members will be alerted to your appointment date and time and let you onto campus.
At the Upper School, please do not park and walk onto campus without an appointment. Similarly, at the Village Campus, kindly call or email for an appointment so that arrangements can be made. Mahalo, for your understanding and respect for this process.
If you See Something, Say Something
We ask all families to join HPA in keeping our campus safe. While on the HPA campus, if you see anything out of the ordinary, we ask that you please report it to the school or local authorities immediately. This will help us maintain the safest campus for our students.
• Imminent threat to life or property: call 911 immediately and email Mark Noetzel at mnoetzel@hpa.edu
• Anything out of the ordinary: email Mark Noetzel at mnoetzel@hpa.edu
CrisisGo for Parents
It is important that all families are set up with CrisisGo, HPA’s school emergency communication tool. To set up CrisisGo SMS/Email subscription, please click on this invitation link and complete the form by adding your name, email, and cell number (this is an important step if you would like to receive an SMS message) and click on the Subscribe button. Should an emergency occur, you will be alerted by email and SMS messaging. You can also locate these instructions by logging into myHPA, clicking on the resource tab, and selecting the CrisisGo Safe2SpeakUp tile.
Safe2SPeakUp for Middle and Upper Students
Families, it is extremely important that the school is able to communicate not only with parents/guardians, but also with each student, via their mobile device. We are asking all students in grades 6-12, who bring a phone to school, to download theSafe2SpeakUp app.
Safe2SpeakUp allows us to inform students of emergency events when immediate action is needed. Teachers and administrators would also receive the information so that our community is on the same page. Please review the instructions below and assist your child with downloading the Safe2SpeakUp app.
This is a companion app to CrisisGo, an app that teachers and administrators use on their devices. It will allow the school to alert students of emergencies that happen on or off campus and enable students to communicate with us about their safety status. They can also use the app to alert the school anonymously about any behaviors they are concerned about.
All students can also submit an Online Bully/Harassment report by clicking on this link, which can also be located on the CrisisGo Safe2SpeakUp tile on myHPA.
All students can also submit an Online Bully/Harassment report by clicking on this link, which can also be located on the CrisisGo Safe2SpeakUp tile on myHPA.