Week of 8/25/23
What's Happening at HPA This Week?
Message from the Head of School
Aloha HPA ʻohana,
In my first year here on campus, a colleague and friend in our school community introduced me to a phrase that I reflect on quite often. When this person moved on from HPA he left a small banner in my mailbox that has hung in my office ever since. It reads: “Kīnāʻole – Doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, in the right place, to the right person, for the right reason, with the right feeling… the first time!”
The profound nature of this phrase lifts expectations. When I think of our Core Value of pursuit of excellence, I think of all the growth involved in trying and falling a little short. When I consider kīnāʻole, I have to admit that I miss parts of this a lot of the time. With the initial responses and the ongoing efforts to try and support those impacted by the Lāhaina fires, I am drawn back to this phrase and its many dimensions.
Inspiration abounds here on the HPA campuses, in our town of Waimea, across our islands, and across the world. With no surprise, and a massive sense of pride — our students, our families, and our alumni continue to showcase an aloha spirit that is hard to quantify in words and is immeasurable in so many ways.
Our students clearly feel a call to action in the relief efforts for families on Maui. With our girls and boys cross country teams assembling to pull together a community fundraising event on Saturday. It is reassuring to see their hearts, minds, and feet at work for such a worthy cause.
Our call for support to our HPA ʻohana continues to be answered daily with offers of donations, and contributions of time toward the many ways we can possibly help the rebuild of Lāhainā. We understand it can be overwhelming to navigate the organizations that are providing direct assistance to those on Maui with the most pressing needs. I have been humbled by the response we received to this email from August 11, 2023, we sent out in an effort to support the generosity of our HPA ʻohana.
As a K-12 campus with a residential community, we are uniquely positioned to be able to assist families who are relocating to Hawaiʻi Island as a result of the devastating wildfires, or those who may not be ready to relocate to another island but are searching for educational alternatives for their children. After careful consideration and thoughtful discussions about how we can best support those in need, we have launched Nā Kama a Maui (The Children of Maui) with hopes we can offer a nurturing living and learning environment for displaced Maui students during this challenging time. We are inspired by the supportive feedback we have received and the graciousness of donors who have already pledged their commitment to help make this initiative possible.
It will take time and resources to aid in recovery efforts. Our ability to remain focused on our main mission of providing exceptional learning opportunities in a diverse community honoring the traditions of Hawaiʻi with our current student body — while incorporating our support for others through values and practices — will ensure we stay on course.
Our faculty, staff, and administration are committed to providing extra space, extra time, and extra resources to contribute to individual and larger group support for those who need it.
All of this energy flows together into a learning and growing experience. It is what we do. It is why we exist. Fundamentally, we are made to stick together, to persevere, and to grow. For so many reasons, the concept of kīnāʻole lives in our current efforts.
May everyone have a safe and wonder-filled weekend. Happy Aloha Friday!
Gratefully,
Fred Wawner
Head of School
School Bulletins for the Week of 8/25/23
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,
Next Friday, September 1, is our Lower School Enrichment Day for grades K-5. This special day seeks to provide an intensive, interdisciplinary experience for students to benefit from the expertise of their specialist teachers and working with peers across grade levels — all rooted in mālama kaiāulu. Students will be participating in “buddy” partnerships with another grade level (kindergarten with grade 3, 1st with 4th grade, and 2nd with 5th), as part of a program we started two years ago called Wā Pilina — wā meaning time, and pilina meaning connectedness or the symbiotic relationship among all things. Among the many goals of Wā Pilina, we seek to have students build community, support inquiry, connect meaningfully with one another across age groups, and to provide holistic experiences nurturing intellectual, social-emotional, and moral growth.
The theme for this year’s Enrichment Day is KŪKULU KAIĀULU (building community). The children will engage in activities and lessons that explore, What is a kaiāulu? Who is in a kaiāulu? How do we belong, build, and contribute to a kaiāulu? How are we inclusive in our kaiāulu? What is the significance of mindfulness and alignment to ourselves and others in a kaiāulu?
Students will be engaged in cross-curricular enrichment classes and activities with specialist teachers pairing together to facilitate learning through three areas of focus: Music & Movement, Research & Technology, and Garden & Art. We will meet together for a full school morning assembly to ground our purpose with an oli and mindfulness practice. We will also gather for a closing assembly to end our day with reflection and song.
Enrichment Day helps to provide a concentrated time for K-5 faculty to work with individual students to complete our first of three benchmark reading assessments using the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System. This assessment assists your child’s grade-level teacher in guiding them to select independent reading books that can be read by the child with very little support. The assessments are also foundational in providing the teachers with data for planning and facilitating guided reading instruction in the classroom.
As we consider the practice of developing lifelong readers, please be reminded that families are an essential partner in supporting your child’s literacy skills. Some ways you can support your child(ren) in reading include:
- Encouraging your child to select books that interest and excite them
- Visiting our community library together
- Reading books to and with your child, and discussing them together
- Listening to your child read books, and discussing together
- Modeling reading your own books and sharing about it with your child
Children may develop the decoding skills to read a book fluently before predicting and inferencing skills are fully strengthened, so engaging with your child in book talks are a helpful way to foster skills that go “beyond the text.” Most importantly, enjoy your family time together reading, writing, and sharing!
Enrichment Day is a regular school day with the same starting times, ending times, and lunch procedures. As usual, every child should have a water bottle, an extra layer, and a rain jacket.
Please note, however, that every child should come in their physical education attire and comfortable running shoes, as all students will be engaged in movement and learning outdoors and indoors throughout the day. Checking the Waimea weather forecast in the morning can help you decide if they may also need rainboots that day.
We look forward to all the learning that will take place on Enrichment Day!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Lower School ʻohana. Perhaps I shall see some of you at HPA’s Run for Maui event this Saturday. We hope you can join us for this student-led run/walk event in support of our dear island neighbors.
Mālama pono,
Dora Kwong
Lower School Principal
Schedule
Our K-5 classes continue with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, August 28.
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
• Saturday, August 26 at 8:00 am: Run for Maui fundraiser, Upper Campus
• Wednesday, August 30 at 2:00 pm: Early Release Wednesday
• Friday, September 1: Lower School Enrichment Day (more info to come)
• Monday, September 4: Labor Day holiday, no classes K-12, school closed
• Wednesday, September 6: School Photo Day
• Wednesday, September 6 from 2:30 to 4:00 pm: Village Campus Open House; Hale ʻĪnana, LS & MS classrooms
• Friday, September 22: Faculty Work Day, all divisions, no classes K-12
Helpful Lower School Contacts & Links
Student Support
- Ms. Rachel Baydo, K-8 School Counselor, rbaydo@hpa.edu
- Mr. Joe Ludes, K-8 Learning Specialist, jludes@hpa.edu
After School Program, K-5
Mrs. Mele DeMille, Director of After School Programs, mdemille@hpa.edu
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, 2023-2024.
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.
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,
With a full week of school under our belts, we are beginning to settle into our routines. Sixth graders have the feel of lockers and class changes. New students have made new friends. 8th graders are embracing their role as campus leaders. We have even had a few rainy lunches to test out our alternate lunch plans. As we get comfortable, we’ll work on forming good habits. At our first few assemblies we have talked about the importance of our personal responsibilities; from the ways we interact with each other to the care we put into our work and our campus – we use HPA’s Core Values of Integrity, Respect, Pursuit of Excellence and Wonder and our Mālama Kaiāulu essential practices of Kuleana, Pilina, Lōkahi, and Haʻina as our guides as we navigate the school year and look to create a strong, healthy community.
On Wednesday, we presented students with the options for our first round of Clubs. From sports to investing to crafts, garden, and walks around our beautiful town, the students had some hard choices to make. We’ll get started with those Clubs next Wednesday, August 30.
Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, September 6, as we will be hosting a Village Campus Open House. We will welcome parents into Hale ʻĪnana at 2:30 pm for a brief welcome and overview from Mr. Wawner, Ms. Kwong, and me and then classrooms will be open from 3:00 to 4:00 pm for parents to tour, meet the teachers, see the classrooms, and look at an overview of their programs.
For students looking to join girls’ softball in our community, please see this flyer for the Gold Coast Girls Softball.
We hope to see you at the 5K Run for Maui on HPA’s Upper Campus on Saturday morning. Check-in is at 8:00 am and the run/walk starts at 9:00 am.
Have a great weekend.
Mahalo,
Glenn Chickering
Middle School Principal
Schedule
Our Middle School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule continues with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, August 28.
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
• Saturday, August 26 at 8:00 am: Run for Maui fundraiser, Upper Campus
• Wednesday, August 30 at 2:15 pm: Early Release Wednesday
• Monday, September 4: Labor Day holiday, no classes K-12, school closed
• Wednesday, September 6: School Photo Day
• Wednesday, September 6 from 2:30 to 4:00 pm: Village Campus Open House; Hale ʻĪnana, LS & MS classrooms
• Friday, September 22: Faculty Work Day, all divisions, no classes K-12
Helpful Middle School Contacts & Links
Student Support
- Ms. Rachel Baydo, K-8 School Counselor, rbaydo@hpa.edu
- Mr. Joe Ludes, K-8 Learning Specialist, jludes@hpa.edu
After School Program, Grades 6-8
Mrs. Mele DeMille, Director of After School Programs, mdemille@hpa.edu
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’.
myHPA Tutorials
myHPA is your window to your child’s progress in school. Here you will find their schedules, their assignments, their grade books and so much more. Ms. Monello and our IT team have put together a number of tutorials to help you navigate the myHPA parent portal.
Please note this myHPA Middle School Parent Tutorial, which gives you an overview of using myHPA as a window to your child’s learning in real time.
Upper School
From the desk of your Poʻo Kumu (Division Principal), Kaʻai Spencer
Aloha e nā ʻohana o ka makani!
E Hawaiʻi nui kuauli
E nā hono aʻo Piʻilani
Oʻahu o Kākuhihewa
Kauaʻi o Manokalanipō
The four lines above are the opening verse of a mele (song) named Ka Naʻi Aupuni. These words were penned by William Kahino in 1906 and were attributed to Kamehameha Paiʻea during his final days while his supporting chiefs assured him that only righteousness would preserve throughout the kingdom he united. These words also became a rallying cry that displayed the unity of all islands when one particular island finds itself in a time of need due to disaster, attack, or famine. This mele was chosen as one to highlight during our Upper School assembly on Monday by a group of teachers who sang this song as a video compilation showed the before and after of the areas on Maui that were recently devastated by vicious fires.
As most people are well aware, the destruction that was experienced by multiple fires on Maui is significant and it will take a very long time to grieve, heal, and rebuild. In the meantime, the support that has been seen from across Hawaiʻi as well as further away has been very uplifting for the community. It goes to show that in times of need, our people are there to lend a helping hand. This is also seen amongst our student body. Members of our cross country teams brought up an idea to host a benefit fun run/walk fundraiser on our Upper Campus, which will take place this Saturday, August 26, at 8:00 am, as a way to gather funds to support those in need on Maui.
Tough times like this prompt a forced reset. I am inspired by the amount of support that our community has already shown for those in need on Maui. When one island suffers, we all suffer, and the inverse is also true. I am grateful to live in this very supportive community, with a school to attend, food to eat, a house to return to with loved ones, and a bed to sleep in. We will continue to navigate ways that we can support the Maui community, especially those who have been left without a school to attend.
I would like to close with the start of the second verse of the mele Ka Naʻi Aupuni. I hoʻokahi kahi ka manaʻo, i hoʻokahi kahi puʻuwai, i hoʻokahi kahi ke aloha. Be of one mind. Be of one heart. Be of one love.
Ke aloha nō,
Kaʻai Spencer
Upper School Poʻo Kumu
Schedule
Our Upper School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule will resume with in-person instruction on our Upper Campus on Monday, August 28.
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, August 26 at 8:00 am: Run for Maui fundraiser, Upper Campus
• Wednesday, August 30, from 8:30 to 10:30 am: School Photo Day; Taylor Commons conference room
• Monday, September 4: Labor Day holiday, no classes K-12, school closed
• Friday, September 22: Faculty Work Day, all divisions, no classes K-12
Student Support
Should your child need additional learning support, we encourage you to reach out to Amanda Aragon, our Upper School Learning Center Coordinator, by emailing aaragon@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
Another fall season is ready to roll. Let the games begin! Here’s the updated fall athletic schedule and weekly schedule. GO KA MAKANI! You can also access the athletics schedule on the myHPA calendar.
Student Life
Opening Days Information Sessions
We were so excited to welcome our families to campus for Upper School Opening Days. If you were unable to attend, we did record our orientation sessions for residential and day families. You can locate them by logging into myHPA, clicking on the Resource Board tab, and selecting the Upper School Family Resources tile as well as the Upper School Student Resources tile.
School Photo Day
Our Upper School Photo Day is scheduled for Wednesday, August 30, from 8:30 to 10:00 am in the Taylor Commons conference room, located in the dining hall.
If paying by cash or check have your child bring payment to the photographer on the day of their photo session. Photo Order forms will be available at the student life center. You can also access the photo order form on the Upper School Family Resources and the Upper School Student Resources tile in myHPA. Students will not be allowed to charge school photos to their Kamakani cash card. Students can place a pre-order online by using the photo order form.
All students must take a photo for the yearbook and receive a School ID. Students do not need to order a photo package to have their photos taken.
If a student is unable to take their photo on their assigned day, they should reach out to Mrs. Wengler-Ioane at lihau@hpa.edu as soon as possible.
Emergency Communication With Students
All Upper School students have been asked to upload the Safe2SpeakUp app on their device so that the school can alert them of emergency situations (e.g. fire, earthquake, tsunami, etc.) By clicking this link, students will receive instructions on how to upload and link the app to their hpa.edu email account. Students who do not have a mobile phone should stop by the Student Life Center so that alternative methods of communication can be established.
Emergency Communication With Parents
Parents are encouraged to click on this: HPA Emergency Notification Via CrisisGo to receive emergency notifications from the school.
Day Student Check-in and Check-out
All day students must check in at the Student Life Office before attending their first commitment of the day, even if they are running late to class. Students must sign out at the Student Life Center if they are leaving campus before their last commitment of the day, including athletics and co-curriculars. If a student is returning to campus during the academic day, they must sign in at the Student Life Center before heading to class along with a note from their appointment.
Day Student Attendance Protocols
A parent or guardian must email attendance@hpa.edu before 9:00 am if they need to excuse their child for that day. Please note that students will only be excused for appointments or family or medical reasons. Unexcused absences will result in conduct points which can result in the student being restricted to campus for boarding and/or ineligible for academic awards, i.e. the Dean’s List. Students are responsible for checking their conduct points and attendance records and should reach out as soon as possible if there are any errors.
For long-term absences, please also reach out to Poʻo Kumu Kaʻai Spencer and the student’s advisor to coordinate a plan for the missing classes.
If a day student is ill, please do not send them to school, but email attendance@hpa.edu and include Health Services (infirmary@hpa.edu), and a nurse will follow up with the proper return-to-class procedure. If a student already on campus begins to feel ill, they must report to the infirmary, where the nurses will take care of them. If a student fails to do so and is absent to a class, the absence will be unexcused.
Ka Makani Travel
Ka Makani Travel, HPA’s student travel program, is offering five trips for the 2023-24 school year.
- Thanksgiving – New York City (application due by 3:00 pm Thursday, August 31, 2023 with a non-refundable deposit of $100, minimum 9 students, maximum 12 students)
- Thanksgiving – Kauaʻi (details & cost pending, minimum 6 participants, maximum 13)
- Spring Break – Coral Reef Ecology & Conservation Fiji (application due by 3:00 pm on Friday, September 8, 2023, minimum 6 students, maximum 12)
- Spring Break – Expedition to Australia & New Zealand with EF Tours (deadline for registration November 13, space is limited)
- Summer – Splendours of the Mediterranean: Italy & Greece with EF Tours (deadline for registration February 5, space is limited)
A limited number of travel grants are available. The deadline to submit an application to be considered for an HPA travel grant is Tuesday, September 5. EF Tours offers scholarships for their trips, the application can be found here: EF’s Global Citizen Scholarship Fund.
Please contact Ka Makani Travel Coordinator Adrienne White (awhite@hpa.edu) for information on registration, eligibility, and travel grants.
Residential Life
Orah Leave System and Residential Life Travel Dates
As a reminder for our residential families, if you have not already done so, please make sure to set up your Parent/Guardian Orah Account so that your child is able to submit leave requests on weekends and upcoming school breaks!
Prior to booking travel for your child, please review the travel dates which can be found on the myHPA calendar or in the email called HPA travel dates and process to depart campus that was sent to residential families on August 24, 2023.
College Counseling
Welcome Seniors! Our office has been newly remodeled, and we have snacks and coffee for your enjoyment, so please stop by. We look forward to working with you!
Schedule an Individual Check-in Meeting
Beginning on Wednesday, August 16, Mr. Kelsey and Mrs. Montgomery will be available for 30-minute individual check-in meetings. Please click below to select a 30-minute time slot for an individual appointment with your assigned counselor. All meetings will be in the college counseling center unless otherwise noted.
Mrs. Montgomery Appointment Link
Work on your College Counseling TO DO List
Below is a list of tasks to be working on in the weeks ahead. You may have already completed many of these tasks. If so, keep up the great work! If not, please work towards completing these assignments prior to your first senior individual meeting:
- Make sure that both you and your parents/guardians can successfully log in to Scoir
- Complete and submit the ‘Self Introduction Form’ and ‘Parent/Guardian Input Form’ Both of these forms can now be found in Scoir under “Surveys”
- List all colleges you are thinking about in your Scoir account in either the “Following” or “Applying” column in the “My Colleges” section
- Ask two teachers to write letters of recommendation for your college applications and request the letters in Scoir (Colleges and Applications → Manage Applications)
- Complete or edit the “Overview” sections with your personal information
- Revise and update your Common Application
- Spend time on the “Activities” section to truly highlight your extracurriculars
- Draft your main college essay and send it to us for feedback
- Add all of your Common Application colleges to your Common Application
- Organize and draft the supplemental essay prompts for colleges on your list that require supplemental essays
- Register for standardized testing (ACT and/or SAT for the senior fall (if applicable)
ACT/SAT Prep Boot Camp-Register Now!
- Friday, September 15 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm
- Saturday, September 16 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (lunch from 1:00 to 2:00 pm)
- Sunday, September 17 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (lunch from 1:00 to 2:00 pm)
Students attending the weekend camps are averaging 3 to 7 point improvements on the ACT and 150-200 points on the SAT, representing a 30-40 percentile point increase. The program includes two practice exams for each test — using actual past ACT and SAT exams.
While the cost to attend the camp is typically $399, HPA students qualify for a discounted price of $199 using the coupon code HAWAIIPREP at checkout.
How to Enroll
- Go to: http://TutorsAcrossAmerica.com/ACTcourse
- Scroll through ACT COURSES to find our camp listing
- Enroll as directed
- Don’t forget to use coupon code HAWAIIPREP at checkout (You may use the coupon code for any virtual boot camp)
Students registered by Tuesday, September 5, will have all course materials sent to campus before the program. Students who register after September 5, will need to download and print the course documents on their own (approximately 100 pages). Links to the materials will be provided
This course is offered in a virtual format only. There is no in-person option.
Tutors Across America has hosted several ACT/SAT Boot Camps for our students, both virtual and in-person, with positive results and reviews. If you have questions about the program, you may contact Wendi Whitteker at wendi@tutorsacrossamerica.com, or feel free to reach out to me at testing@hpa.edu.
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.
All-School
Need to know information for our entire Ka Makani ʻohana.
Run for Maui 5K
Join us this Saturday, August 26th at our Upper Campus for the “Run for Maui 5K” organized by our HPA Boys & Girls Cross Country team. Let’s rally together in the face of Maui’s wildfires and make a positive impact.
This run is open to the public. Check-in opens at 8:00 am, followed by the race at 9:00 am. Whether you’re running or walking, dogs are welcome too! Registration will be available on-site, with an entry fee of $10 for youth ages 18 and under and $20 for adults. You can pay with cash or credit/debit at the registration booth. All proceeds will go towards supporting Maui families in need.
Waimea Fire Prevention & Resilience Fair
“Are You Ready” Waimea Fire Prevention & Resilience Fair!
Saturday, September 9, 2023
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Mana Christian ʻOhana Kahilu Town Hall
Kamuela, HI, 96743
This free event is open to the public. There will also be keiki activities and door prizes.
Admissions
We have loved seeing all of our new and returning students and families on campus these first few days of school. On behalf of the entire Admissions team, we want to wish you all a wonderful 2023-2024 academic year!
We are also excited to welcome the new season of admissions as we prepare for the launch of the 2024-2025 academic year application to share with your friends and family. The admissions team will also be out “on the road” in a variety of locations locally and around the world to meet up with prospective students, parents, alumni and more! We look forward to many good times together as we dive into the new school year. Mahalo for your partnership and enthusiasm for HPA!
Advancement & Alumni
As we kick off the new school year, we are filled with gratitude for your incredible generosity in support of our outstanding students and programs.
For those of you who are new to our HPA ʻohana, please be sure to review this letter from our Assistant Head of School for Advancement, Hannah Hind Candelario ‘01, for more information about our mission and the power of your participation.
Looking ahead, we are excited to work together with our HPA community of families, alumni, and friends to carry last year’s extraordinary momentum forward with purpose and aloha for HPA.
Health & Wellness
Flu season is upon us. As part of HPA’s commitment to overall health and well being, we will be hosting two flu clinics this year. Be on the lookout for an official communication with details from our Health Services Department in the next few weeks.
Magnus Health forms are now overdue. Please log into your child’s Magnus Health portal, via your myHPA parent account, to complete outstanding items. Students will not be allowed to attend classes if these items are not completed. If you have any issues logging in, reach out to infirmary@hpa.edu for assistance, as soon as possible so we can help.
COVID-19 Policies & Information
After careful consideration, we have adjusted the HPA COVID-19 Policy, 2023-2024, effective as of July 1, 2023.
For more information, please review this email from Head of School Fred Wawner which was sent on June 30, 2023.
We are asking that everyone routinely assess themselves for symptoms of illness — which can be mild, so please pay close attention. If you or your child(ren) develop any symptoms of illness, contact your healthcare provider and HPA Health Services at vcinfirmary@hpa.edu(Village Campus);infirmary@hpa.edu (Upper Campus); or employeetravel@hpa.edu(all employees). Please keep your child(ren) home until they are no longer sick and have been cleared for return. For more information, please review our COVID-19 Decision Tree.
ʻOhana Association
The ʻOhana Association is recruiting for two room parents for each Village Campus (K-8) grade for the 2023-24 school year. We are looking for folks who are interested in sustainability, sharing cultural practices, and connecting with the community, among others. Room parents know what’s going on at school, get to know faculty, make new friends, and create fun experiences for our students, and ʻohana. Room parents will benefit from the organized support of Ratna Amin,ʻOhana VP Lower School, and Michele Sullivan,ʻOhana VP Middle School.
Room Parents Support Classrooms
- Each grade will receive $150 per semester to spend on class activities!
- Collaborate with teachers and other parents to plan activities throughout the year
- Get other families involved with specific class/Village Campus activities
Room Parents Communicate with Families
- Assist with distributing ʻOhana materials and communications to families
- Help your families participate in school activities and ʻOhana events
- Recruit help for ʻOhana events.
- We will use the “signup.com” platform to make sign up easy
Room Parent Meetings
- Kickoff Gatherings of all Room Parents (late August)
- Mini-training about privacy and expectations for the classrooms and then promote these guidelines to other parent volunteers
- Shape the ʻOhana Association 2023-24 program for Village Campus
- ʻOhana Association general meetings (two per year)
- ʻOhana Association sponsored Lower School events
- Online training for student-facing volunteers
To be a grade K-5 room parent, contact ohana_vplower@hpa.edu / 510.390.4167 (Ratna)
To be a grade 6-8 room parent, contact ohana_vpmiddle@hpa.edu / 808.896.9648 (Michele)
If you have questions or want to be involved with ʻOhana in a different way, please feel free to contact us. Mahalo for all you do as families! Here’s to an awesome 2023-24 school year!!
Ratna Amin P ‘27 & ‘32
Lower School Vice President
Michele Sullivan P ‘29 & ‘32
Middle School Vice President
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 student’s family member 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.
myHPA Resource Boards
Past HPA communications and other important information can be found on myHPA. We are continuing to make updates to our student and parent resource boards, so please be sure to visit them regularly.