Week of 9/21/23
What's Happening at HPA This Week?
Message from the Head of School
Aloha HPA ʻohana,
Getting slowed down in the day-to-day grind of the school routine? Need a refresh? An extra motivator? A jumpstart?
I got two words for you: “Book Fair.”
The more things change, the more things stay the same! I can remember over 40 years ago carrying home the Scholastic Book Fair flier. By the time I got home on the bus, I had worn the edges to be soggy and colorless, and had marked, unmarked, and then remarked more books, magazines, and posters than my parents would ever let me buy in five years’ time, much less the one day the fair was coming to my school. It generated excitement — about books!!! I do remember pretty clearly catching some heat one year for returning home having broken my Book Fair budget on a bunch of cool shark and whale erasers. Still no regrets, but the message from home was made crystal clear that I had missed the key point of the mission.
This week, our very own HPA Ms. Frizzle, HPA Village Campus Librarian Kristin Tarnas, hosted not one, not two, but four days of glorious celebrations of books and the joy of reading. There were filled aisles, side stories in the stacks, and patient-as-could-be lines to check out. Parent volunteers were a part of the magic as we celebrated a tradition that will only continue to bring joyful memories.
As always, our Book Fairs support special library programs like author visits, and this year’s proceeds will also go to assisting the recovery efforts of Maui libraries.
With no classes tomorrow to allow for our K-12 faculty to gather for professional development and student feedback reports, I hope your family will be able to enjoy an extended weekend with a few good books, followed by great conversation about a wonderful world that unfolded through storytelling.
Happy Aloha Friday!
Gratefully,
Fred Wawner
Head of School
School Bulletins for the Week of 9/21/23
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,
“I have lots of ideas on how to help others!”
“I want to think about how we can have a coin drive or food drive for communities in need.”
“I want to be a better public speaker!”
“I was on Student Council last year and I want to do more for others.”
Our first Lower School Student Council meeting of the year kicked off with a round of introductions of our newly elected leaders, and a sharing of why each student wanted to sacrifice their recess periods to meet together in this group. They acknowledged there were others who wanted to join who were equally deserving, and shared excitement that they have this unique opportunity to lead our Lower School. I am excited for the promise of this new group, and the way they will inspire each of us in the coming months.
Congratulations to our very own Mellon Monello, K-8 EdTech Specialist, who applied for and received a Hawaiʻi Schools Digital Media (HSDM) grant on behalf of HPA through the Hawaiʻi Educational Networking Consortium! Under the umbrella of our sustainability framework, Mālama Kaiāulu, the HSDM grant will allow us to purchase digital media equipment to use for various cross-curricular digital media projects throughout the year. Students in grades 3-8 in particular will have opportunities to create various digital media projects to communicate locally and globally the things they have created, discovered, and researched in alignment with mālama kaiāulu. A few examples of projects are: PSA (public service announcements) videos in grades 3 & 4, podcasting in grade 5 capstone, and Hiki NŌ film making and book reviews in the Middle School. These projects provide students not only skills in technology and digital media that will be important for their future, but also a voice in the storytelling, development of resourcefulness, and growing leadership skills in the knowledge creation that will unfold. Mahalo to the Hawaiʻi Educational Networking Consortium for this grant!
School photos are here! The packages were sent home with students today. If you choose to have your student retake their photo, please return the entire photo package to the Village Campus Office. Photo retakes will be on the morning of Tuesday, October 3. Students who did not order a package will have a paper copy of their photo. If you have not ordered photos already and still would like to, you can reach out to Aunty Lynn at lkakugawa@hpa.edu to place an order.
Have a great weekend, Lower School families!
Mālama pono,
Dora Kwong
Lower School Principal
Special Screening
Hometown Legends
As the second offering of our film series, Voices for Belonging and Community Conversations, we are very excited to host a special documentary screening of Hometown Legends, a film by Waimea resident and HPA parent Kolby Moser.
We invite you to join us on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 6:00 pm at the Gates Performing Arts Center (GPAC) on HPA's Upper Campus. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Moser. Admission is free and open to the public.
Schedule
Our K-5 classes continue with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, September 25.
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, September 22: Faculty Work Day, all divisions, no classes K-12
• Sunday, October 1: Keiki Triathlon
• Tuesday, October 3: Photo Retake Day
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 four-day week, our Middle School schedule tweaks a little bit so that we can ensure that all classes are meeting evenly and we stay on track. In that tweaking this week, our assembly fell on Tuesday. This was our second assembly in a row led entirely by Student Council representatives. From the Hole Waimea chant to start us off and on through to our gratitude section, the students are doing a great job of leading their peers with messages about our Mālama Kaiāulu essential practices, Core Values, gratitude, and more.
This week we also heard from Kumu Kūwalu to talk more about the importance of sharing our stories with others and sharing our own narratives. We can all benefit from hearing each others’ stories, knowing that we all encounter challenging times and what we learned from them can help others through their challenges. When we are communicating we are connecting, and when we are connected, we can work as a team to solve problems and accomplish so much more than if we were on our own.
The campus is starting to buzz with excitement for our Middle School Dance and Lip Sync on Friday, September 29. The dance will start at 6:30 pm. At 7:30 pm, the students will transition into any needed costumes for their Lip Sync performances. Once the students clear out we will open the doors for parents, who are invited and strongly encouraged to attend. The students will start their performances at 7:45 pm and we will wrap up about 8:30 pm. Please try to make it to the show. The students never fail to impress!
Seeing that this will be our 6th graders (and some new students’) first experience with a Middle School dance, there is sometimes confusion over ‘asking somebody to the dance’, as students think this is necessary. Please let your children know that this is not an important part of the dance and most students go without ‘asking or being asked to the dance’. Middle School dances, and especially the Lip Sync are designed as big group activities with all your friends. Advisors will reinforce this message as well.
School photos are here! The packages were sent home with students today. If you choose to have your student retake their photo, please return the entire photo package to the Village Campus Office. Photo retakes will be on the morning of Tuesday, October 3. Students who did not order a package will have a paper copy of their photo. If you have not ordered photos already and still would like to, you can reach out to Aunty Lynn at lkakugawa@hpa.edu to place an order.
We are thrilled to share that we have once again, through the work of Ms. Monello and our Educational Technology program, received a grant from Hawaiʻi Schools Digital Media (HSDM)! In accordance with our sustainability framework, Mālama Kaiāulu, the HSDM grant will allow us to purchase digital media equipment to use for various projects throughout the year. These projects provide students not only with skills in technology and digital media that will be important for their future but also a voice in storytelling. Students in grades 3-8 in cross-curricular settings such as language arts, science, Hawaiian culture/language, English, science, social studies, educational technology, yearbook class, and capstone projects will have opportunities to create various digital media projects. Some examples include; mini-documentary films, PSAs, animations, digital music-creation and recording, and podcasts to communicate locally and globally the things they have created, discovered, and researched in alignment with this framework. A big mahlo to Ms. Monello for her work to receive this grant and for all the great work she is doing with our students and teachers!
Middle School’s Mālama Kaiāulu Theme Week is coming up on Monday, October 9 – Thursday, October 12. Please keep your eye for updates from your child’s advisor as to plans for their grade level. Also, please mark your calendars that there is no school for Middle School students on Friday, October 13.
I hope you enjoy a great weekend!
Mahalo,
Glenn Chickering
Middle School Principal
Special Screening
Hometown Legends
As the second offering of our film series, Voices for Belonging and Community Conversations, we are very excited to host a special documentary screening of Hometown Legends, a film by Waimea resident and HPA parent Kolby Moser.
We invite you to join us on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 6:00 pm at the Gates Performing Arts Center (GPAC) on HPA's Upper Campus. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Moser. Admission is free and open to the public.
Schedule
Our Middle School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule continues with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, September 25.
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, September 22: Faculty Work Day, all divisions, no classes K-12
• Friday, September 29 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm: Middle School Dance and Lip Sync, Hale ʻĪnana; Parents are invited to watch the Lip Sync portion starting at 7:45 pm
• Monday, October 9 to Thursday, October 12: Middle School Mālama Kaiāulu Theme Week
• Friday, October 13: No classes for Middle School students
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 maka o ka ʻupena a ka makani!
Now that we are about five weeks into the school year, the trends of all of our students are starting to materialize. While many of our students are leaning into the rigorous challenges that come along with being a student at HPA, some of our students are beginning to fall behind. Before any of our students find themselves too deep in a hole to climb out of, we are taking steps to create systems of support that can help these students improve. In many cases, our students are able to do so after some simple steps of accountability and additional conversations they have with each of their teachers. In other cases, we may need to expand our network of support to include you, and the parents, along with a list of other potential resources.
During this past week, teachers have been meeting to talk about steps that can be taken to help students. We often find that a small boost of organization and detailed notes will be a major difference for teenage minds to be successful. As we inch closer and closer to our ʻOhana Days (Wednesday, October 4 – Saturday, October 7), please help us expand the network of support by asking your child for more information about their classes and specific grades. Parents are able to look at student progress within myHPA and teachers often add notes next to the grades of assignments that paint a good picture of student progress. You might find that your child is receiving a lot of praise. On the other hand, you might find assignments that are past due, comments that encourage students to submit a second draft, or other helpful insights that can guide you in a less enjoyable, yet necessary conversation.
In a small educational community like ours here at HPA, we can use our connectedness to aid in providing support for students. As we continue to meet as teaching faculty to support students, it is equally important to create partnerships of support with parents as well. It is all about the students. When we welcome the return of our ʻOhana Days on campus in the next couple of weeks, I am hoping that you are able to see all the steps that are taken to provide support for your student(s). Together, we are stronger.
Ke aloha nō,
Kaʻai Spencer
Upper School Poʻo Kumu
Special Screening
Hometown Legends
As the second offering of our film series, Voices for Belonging and Community Conversations, we are very excited to host a special documentary screening of Hometown Legends, a film by Waimea resident and HPA parent Kolby Moser.
We invite you to join us on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 6:00 pm at the Gates Performing Arts Center (GPAC) on HPA's Upper Campus. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Moser. Admission is free and open to the public.
Schedule
Our Upper School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule will resume as a Mamo day with in-person instruction on our Upper Campus on Monday, September 25.
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
• Friday, September 22: Faculty Work Day, all divisions, no classes K-12
• Wednesday, October 4 – Saturday, October 7: ʻOhana Days
• Friday, October 13 from 8:50 to 9:50 am: Photo Retake Day, Taylor Commons Conference room
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.
ʻOhana Days
We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to our Upper Campus for ʻOhana Days on Wednesday, October 4 – Saturday, October 7!
HPA ʻOhana Days 2023 schedule of events
ʻOhana Days (formerly known as Family Weekend) features classroom visits, parent-teacher conferences, special presentations, student performances, athletic events, and many opportunities to engage with the Upper School community. It is a great way for our families to connect and get a glimpse into their child(ren)’s life at HPA.
Wednesday, October 4: Experience HPA!
ʻOhana Days kicks off on Wednesday, October 4, at 8:00 am with Experience HPA! — a full day of special programming designed to provide our families with an immersive opportunity to participate in the day in the life of an Upper School student. Please complete this RSVP by Friday, September 29, 2023 to indicate whether you’ll be able to join us.
We will begin by gathering in Kennedy Square with coffee and pastries for an Experience HPA! Welcome Orientation and an overview of the day, which includes a 15-minute visit to each of your child’s classes and an opportunity to connect with our incredible HPA faculty. Class visits will continue after lunch, followed by another snack break and an opportunity to shop in our HPA Student Store. We will then head to Gates Performing Arts Center for a student musical performance and a special screening of Hometown Legends, a documentary produced by fellow HPA-parent, Kolby Moser. Families will wrap up the day with dinner in our Taylor Commons Dining Hall, after which parents are invited to join our Head of School Fred Wawner at Atherton House for drinks and dessert and more time to network with one another.
Here is a detailed schedule of events for Experience HPA! Again, if you are able to attend, we ask that you please complete this RSVP by Friday, September 29, 2023.
Thursday, October 5: In-person Parent-teacher Conferences
In-person Parent-teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 5, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, in the Taylor Commons Dining Hall unless otherwise noted. Families will have the opportunity to schedule 10-minute one-on-one conversations with each of their child(ren)’s instructors. Registration is now open and will close on Tuesday, October 3. Details on how to sign up are included below. As a reminder, there are no classes for grades 9 – 12 on Thursday, October 5, as teachers will be meeting with parents during the school day. Later that evening, our JV and Varsity Girls Volleyball team will be taking on Kohala starting at 5:00 pm in Castle Gymnasium. Please be sure to join us ahead of time to pick up HPA gear at our Makani Merch stand before you cheer them on!
Here is a detailed schedule of events for Thursday, October 5.
Friday, October 6: Online Parent-teacher Conferences
Online Parent-teacher Conferences will continue on Friday, October 6, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, in a virtual format via Google Meet for those families who were unable to attend in person on campus the day before. Once again, families will have the opportunity to schedule 10-minute one-on-one conversations with each of their child(ren)’s instructors. Registration is now open and will close on Tuesday, October 3. Please also be aware our College Counseling team is hosting a virtual visit with UCLA from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm. Details on how to sign up are included below. As a reminder, there are no classes for grades 9 – 12 on Friday, October 6, as teachers will be meeting with parents during the school day. For those who will be in Waimea, we invite you to join us on campus at 3:30 pm for what promises to be an exciting BIIF Cross Country Meet.
Here is a detailed schedule of events for Friday, October 6.
Saturday, October 7: Ka Makani Football
Our HPA Football team goes head-to-head against Kāʻu on Saturday, October 7, at 3:00 pm. We’re looking forward to all of our K-12 HPA families and on-island alumni joining us in the stands to cheer on our Ka Makani. Want to gear up for the big game? Sounds like you need Makani Merch! We got you covered with a pop-up HPA Student Store at our football field concession stand starting at 2:30 pm. Our fans will also have the opportunity to fuel up with several food truck offerings, including Jaw Jacker Grindz, Sugar Shack, and Wilson’s Snack Shack.
Here is a detailed schedule of events for Saturday, October 7.
Signing up for in-person or online parent-teacher conferences
We invite you to schedule a time for either an in-person Parent-teacher Conference on Thursday, October 5, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, or an online Parent-teacher Conference on Friday, October 6, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, in a virtual format via Google Meet. As a reminder, there are no classes for grades 9 – 12 on Thursday, October 5, or Friday, October 6, as teachers will be meeting with parents during the school day.
If you would like to also meet with a Guidance Counselor, please click on ‘Show more teachers,’ and then select either Tiffany Freitas or Steve Furchner.
For those scheduling an online Parent-teacher Conference on Friday, October 6, please also be aware our College Counseling team is hosting a virtual visit with UCLA from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm if you are interested in attending.
Registration for our parent-teacher conferences is now open. log into myHPA click on the ‘Parent Conference Scheduler’ tile located on the resource board to sign up.
You will automatically be logged into our online parent-teacher scheduler, PTC Wizard, which will allow you to schedule your own conferences with your child(ren)’s teachers. If you have any questions as to how to use the system, email UpperSchool@hpa.edu for assistance.
As a reminder, the deadline to sign up for our parent-teacher conferences is 4:00 pm HST on Tuesday, October 3.
Mahalo
We look forward to welcoming you all for HPA ʻOhana Days! In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us at upperschool@hpa.edu
Ka Makani Athletics
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
Freshman Class Representatives Election
We are beginning the Freshman Class Elections process! Every year, in October, we elect three freshmen to represent their class. By holding the election in October, it allows new students a chance to get to know one another before the election.
Timeline
- Thursday, September 21 – Applications are due by 9:00 pm
- Week of September 25 – 29 – Interviews with Class Leaders
- Week of October 2 – 6 – Students work on their speeches
- Friday, October 6 – all speeches are due to Mr. Quayle and Mrs. Knight for approval
- Thursday, October 11 – each applicant will give a 2-minute speech to their class followed by electronic voting
- Friday, October 1 – winners are announced
Upcoming Student Life Events:
Saturday, October 14: Join Student Council at the District Park as they sell pumpkins at the Waimea Fall Festival, this is a fundraising event! All are invited to this fun community event.
Friday, October 27: Haunted Walk
October 30 to November 3: Upper School Spirit Week
Saturday, November 4: Fall Ball, Kahilu Town Hall
Ka Makani Travel
Ka Makani Travel, HPA’s student travel program, is offering five trips for the 2023-24 school year.
- Thanksgiving – Kauaʻi Island: Details and cost pending; minimum 6 participants, maximum 13
- Spring Break – Expedition to Australia & New Zealand with EF Tours Join us for an informational meeting on Tuesday, September 26 during lunch; 14-day risk-free enrollment deadline is September 30, a price increase of $260 is for enrollments beginning October 1.
- Summer – Splendors of the Mediterranean: Italy & Greece with EF Tours Join us for an informational meeting on Wednesday, September 27 during lunch; 14-day risk-free enrollment deadline is September 30, a price increase of $260 for enrollments beginning October 1.
Don’t hesitate to contact Ka Makani Travel Coordinator Adrienne White (awhite@hpa.edu) for information on registration, eligibility, and travel grants.
College Counseling
Seniors of our Class of 2024:
Mahalo to everyone who was able to attend College Counseling’s Senior Parent Night. For those who missed it, please see this email from September 14, with our slides and presentation.
Please also be sure to carefully review this email from Thursday, August 31, with details about our senior fall programming. Seniors should be working towards completion of the Senior Fall Application Checklist, which is located in the “Drive” of each student’s and parent’s SCOIR account.
College Visits, September 25 – September 29, 2023
All visits will take place in College Counseling from 11:45 am to 12:15 pm unless otherwise noted
Monday, September 25: Connecticut College (New London, CT)
Tuesday, September 26: Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
Thursday, September 28: Yale University (New Haven, CT)
Friday, September 29: Saint Mary’s College (Moraga, CA)
Join via Zoom here: Saint Mary’s College
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.
HPA Today
The Student-Athlete Perspective
Fall sports captains from volleyball, football, and cross-country share insight on what it’s like to be a student-athlete at HPA
Hometown Legends Screening
Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy, in partnership with the HPA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, proudly presents the return of Voices for Belonging and Community Conversations, a four-part film series to inspire thoughtful dialogue about place, identity, and belonging through storytelling.
As the second offering of our film series, we are very excited to host a special documentary screening of Hometown Legends, a film by Waimea resident and HPA parent Kolby Moser.
We invite you to join us on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 6:00 pm at the Gates Performing Arts Center (GPAC) on HPA’s Upper Campus. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the filmmaker. Admission is free and open to the public.
The film highlights several respected kūpuna (elders) from Hawaiʻi Island, who are revered as masters of their respective Hawaiian crafts including poʻe ulana (weavers), paniolo (cowboys), hoe waʻa (paddlers), lawaiʻa (fishermen), and pahu (drum) carvers.
“Hawaiians have long been known for their storytelling and oral history, so in a society quickly moving away from cross-generational conversations and traditional mea hana we sat down with five legendary kūpuna to document their history, craft, and kuleana as it was passed down to them,” explained co-director Moser. “We capture their journey, adversities overcome, accomplishments, and the wisdom they believe is important to pass down to the next generations,” added Moser, who co-directed the documentary with Nainoa Lange.
Hometown Legends was first released in late 2022 and is now an official selection or award recipient of more than a dozen international film festivals.
We hope students and parents from all three divisions (grades K-12) will be able to attend.
We look forward to seeing you!
Ulumau & Ulu Mālama Gardens of HPA
Join us in the garden! We have planned several upcoming community workdays to learn and grow together. All are welcome, please use this link to sign up or email wquayle@hpa.edu or lprutrow@hpa.edu with any questions.
Admissions
HPA will be hosting Open House events for all three divisions — Lower, Middle, and Upper School — in the month of November. Please help us spread the word!
Lower School
November 1, 2:30 to 4:00 pm
Middle School
November 8, 2:30 to 4:00 pm
Upper School
November 10, 8:30 to 11:00 am
As a reminder, the 2024-2025 application is now available online to apply any HPA siblings and 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
Alu Mai 2023
HPA’s Alu Mai Gala in support of Financial Aid is right around the corner!
You’re Invited | E Alu Mai!
Saturday, November 18, 2023
5:00 to 10:00 pm
HPA Upper Campus
HPA’s Alu Mai 2023 proudly marks fifty years of commitment to Financial Aid. Founded in 1973 by Anna Lindsey Perry-Fiske — legendary Waimea rancher, pāʻū rider, hostess extraordinaire, and founding trustee — HPA’s gala and auction is a proud tradition and fabulous party.
Come with a generous heart and enjoy a fabulous night of dinner, dancing, and giving for future generations.
Health & Wellness
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
Volunteers needed for Upper School’s fall sports Athletics Fuel Station
In partnership with HPA Athletics, the HPA ʻOhana Association is looking for parent volunteers to help staff the Athletics Fuel Station for the fall sports programs.
What: Athletics Fuel Station
Days: Mondays through Thursdays
Times: 2:45 to 3:45 pm (Fuel Station operates from 3:00 to 3:30 pm)
Place: Castle Gymnasium concession booth
Duration: now until Thursday, October 26
Parent help is requested from 2:45-3:45, which includes set up, assistance, and clean up.
To sign up, please click here. If you have any questions, please email Melissa Samura at samuraohana2003@gmail.com.
Village Campus Room Parents for grades K-8
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. For more information, please review this email or to be a grade K-5 room parent, contact ohana_vplower@hpa.edu / (510) 390-4167 (Ratna); and to be a grade 6-8 room parent, contact ohana_vpmiddle@hpa.edu / (808) 896-9648 (Michele).
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 a 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
Similarly, Middle and Upper School students received instructions during orientation on how to upload the Safe2SpeakUp app. This is a companion app to CrisisGo. 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 about any behaviors they are concerned about. Students can also locate instructions on setting up Safe2SpeakUp in myHPA, and they were also emailed the video shown at orientation which walks them through the process of uploading the app and registering, step-by-step.
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.