Week of 9/29/23
What's Happening at HPA This Week?
Message from the Head of School
Aloha HPA ʻohana,
It’s all about balance. How do we ensure we are focusing on the right things to get what we need? The concept is not new. Our ancestors perhaps practiced it better than us, generation after generation has added degrees of difficulty to what originated, and seems to always come back, to a more simple idea. Like a healthy plate of food with key percentages represented from each food group. Like a robust forest or ocean that demonstrates the beauty and richness of biodiversity. To balance our days, our time, and our lives can be a tricky mix of ingredients. Developing self-discipline and systems that support balance is most important.
I came across the word yarak several years ago during a summer camp from a presenter discussing the art of training falcons. Yarak, in this context, represents a state of being super-alert, having an ultimate awareness, brought on by feeding the bird enough that it is at maximum strength for flying, but still hungry in order to maintain a keen focus to hunt. What a concept?! To have everything you need, to do what you need to, while maintaining a hunger to continue to perform at the highest level.
I immediately felt a bit weaker, as I often fall prey to the evening cup of crushed grapes and the occasional bowl of cookie dough ice cream. I’m not suggesting I model this extreme focus, but I do like to think about the idea of optimal flying conditions for a falcon as a source of inspiration. Now, before you run out and get a tattoo, I believe there are several different meanings for yarak in different languages, so be warned.
So how do we support balance and focus in our students? It calls for a blended approach. To truly deliver an exceptional liberal arts education we must seek to provide the academic rigor of studying multiple disciplines, the healthy outlet of engaging in daily physical activity, and the self-discipline of spending some time in reflection, both through group connections and, maybe more importantly, in solitude. Our programs at each level are designed to touch on these core components throughout each week. As we speed toward October, our students are now being asked to share what they have learned. This is a great exercise. Not to induce anxiety or fear, but to allow them to work through the process of being assessed on their skills. It’s an opportunity to learn what you know, as well as what you need to work on. What a gift!! They never really see it that way when I present this argument, but it is a gift.
In all three divisions, this process will happen this week. Our Lower School Keiki Triathlon is one of the best events we have as our youngest students stretch well outside their comfort zones to feel what it is like to train and then experience a culminating event. Our Middle Schoolers will feel a similar energy in a much different venue. The ever-popular Lip Sync competition at the first social outing of the year puts our learning skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity to the test — in front of a crowd of their peers and parents! Meanwhile, our Upper Schoolers are working their way through tests, papers, and projects in a rhythm that suggests the cycle of school and the learning process are in full force.
Ultimately, it is balance we seek. In our sustainability framework, one of the four essential practices is lōkahi, to bring harmony. This takes building our muscles mentally, physically, and spiritually. Lōkahi also means to live in harmony in the world around us. I argue that a balanced education leads to our students developing balanced habits, which can best lead to balanced lifestyles.
We are so excited to host families and friends next week for ʻOhana Days, and the many different opportunities to feel the HPA experience firsthand. For those of you who can’t make it to campus, we understand and will do our best to connect with you through virtual meetings and school communications.
Enjoy a wonder-filled and well-balanced weekend. Happy Aloha Friday!
Gratefully,
Fred Wawner
Head of School
School Bulletins for the Week of 9/29/23
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,
It was late, but not dark, as the lawn in my grandmother’s backyard seemed strangely lit from beyond, the blades of grass green and shining. My sticky fingers held a final bite of the triangle of mooncake, delicate crust over lotus seed paste, my mouth savory with the last delectable bite of salted egg yolk I had just taken. “Look up!” my grandmother said, pointing, and I gazed in wonder as we looked up at the brightest, roundest moon I had ever seen. And thus, one of the earliest memories of times spent gazing at the moon during this annual celebration was borne. This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival, falling today, Friday, September 29, features a harvest moon that is also a supermoon, the last of this year’s four supermoons. Signaling the start of the harvest season, and a time of gratitude and gathering, I hope you will get to take a moment to gaze up at it on your own, or with your ʻohana, in celebration of the equinox and our makahiki season to come.
How fitting it was that this week’s Assembly focused on our Core Value of Wonder, with Head of School, Mr. Wawner, reminding us to always be curious, appreciative, and content. What does it mean to walk in wonder? Our Student Spotlight performances by 2nd grader Paxton, who played Twinkle, Twinkle on his ukelele, and 4th grader, Alex, who shared with us his expertise on all things cubing, inspired us and showed us how to walk in wonder and be spurred by the curiosity that lies within each of us. Thank you to Paxton and Alex for being our first Student Spotlights of the semester!
As you have seen from Seesaw messages from Coach T (Ms. Betsy Tranquilli), this Sunday, October 1, students in the Lower School get to participate in our Keiki Triathlon. The objective of the triathlon is to provide an opportunity to celebrate movement, learning, and our Core Values, which are an integral part of our physical education and health classes. Being able to share community support, champion for each other, and practice perseverance are some of the tenets of this beloved event and we look forward to gathering together on Sunday to cheer on our students. Here is a helpful FAQ to guide families as they prepare for our Keiki Triathlon.
Have a wondrous weekend, Lower School ʻohana!
Mālama pono,
Dora Kwong
Lower School Principal
Schedule
Our K-5 classes continue with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, October 2.
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
• 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,
It’s a big day on campus! Today was buzzing with excitement for our annual Middle School Dance and Lip Sync competition. Students have been working together in their advisories to create a mash-up Lip Sync — complete with choreography, costumes, and dance. The guidelines for the mash-up were that there needed to be at least one Taylor Swift song, at least one 90’s hit, and at least one Disney song. From there, students got creative and we can’t wait to see their performances! We hope you plan to join, as parents are invited to watch the Lip Sync competition, which will get underway at 7:45 pm at Hale ʻĪnana. The dance will end following the competition and students will be dismissed to their parents.
At the Assembly today, we talked about our Core Values and the importance of keeping them at the forefront while we are at school and working with a variety of different people. We zeroed in on Integrity and used it to reiterate the intention behind our citizenship and conduct system in the Middle School, stressing that it is not a ‘punishment’, but rather a way for us to communicate with students, teachers, and parents so that we can all help the students be their best versions of themselves. In effect, our conduct system is a communication system for teachers and parents to create support strategies when we see patterns or behaviors that need correction.
This week’s Fly on the Wall hung out in our grade 6 language classes. 6th-grade students take one semester each of Mandarin and Spanish so they get an introduction to language and culture before deciding on a language track for 7th and 8th grade.
In Spanish class, students are busy putting the finishing touches on their Todo Sombre Mi presentations. In these presentations, they will introduce their hobbies, familia, mascotas (pets), amigos, and amigas, while also learning descriptive vocabulary along the way.
Meanwhile, in Chinese class, students are getting hands-on while diving into culture by creating lanterns for the upcoming mid-autumn festival. After getting started with a bit of tea, students are busy using origami methods to create paper lanterns to hang in the classroom and hallway. The mid-autumn festival coincides with the full moon coming up tonight — the night of the dance. Wish us luck with that!
Next week, we’ll begin turning our attention toward our Mālama Kaiāulu Theme Week, Monday, October 9 – Thursday, October 12. Each grade has four days full of service learning and experiential learning planned for the week — getting them out exploring our island and Oʻahu too. Our goal is to connect our students to places by getting them involved with community partners and exploring cultural, historical, and environmental sites around the island(s). Please note that Friday, October 13 will be a day off of school for Middle School students.
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, October 2.
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 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
• Tuesday, October 3: Photo Retake Day
• 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!
There is a lot of excitement around campus for next week’s ʻOhana Days! The last time we have been able to provide opportunities for parents to visit classrooms and mingle around campus was before the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are ready for your return! There are a lot of exciting things to do from Wednesday through Saturday, with awesome opportunities to see many of our students showcase their talents.
After getting a chance to visit all of your students’ classrooms on Wednesday, we will transition to our Gates Performing Arts Center. This venue provides a great stage to highlight our student performers, who will showcase musical and acting performances. After seeing our musical performers at our first convocation, I am excited to see what they have in store for us next. Many of these students are gearing up for the fall musical, which will take place on Thursday, November 9 – Saturday, November 11. Perhaps we will get a sneak peek at something to look forward to. Cue the suspense!
Thursday is the opening day of our Parent-teacher Conferences, which will take place in-person on campus. Please come to Kennedy Square near our dining hall to get help with finding your conference locations. After meeting with teachers, I hope you will be able to support Girls JV and Varsity Volleyball teams as they compete against Honokaʻa. This is the last home game of the season for the girls’ Volleyball teams, which we fondly refer to as Senior Night. Our girls bring the fire, and they are very exciting to watch! Please come out to support our seniors as they take home court one last time before they start to shift their focus to post-season play!
The next athletic event we hope to see you at will take place on Friday afternoon for the Cross Country meet. After meeting with teachers in a virtual format online via Google Meet, the Cross Country meet will be a welcomed change of scenery! Visiting teams always dread coming to HPA for Cross Country meets because of the notoriously strenuous course, which is our home advantage! All of the teams on the island participated and it is a great opportunity to see our campus come alive in a different way. Home meets not only feature our athletes, but they also feature the many helping hands that are required to help everything run smoothly — from parking to course marshaling to setup and breakdown. This is the final season meet that will be hosted at HPA. The next time we will host a Cross Country meet will be for the BIIF Championships on October 28, which will be the last run for our seniors on our home course!
The football team will be playing Kaʻū at home on Saturday to help bring the ʻOhana Days to a close. Our cheer team will also be a focal point of the game. Our cheering squad has a lot of committed members who bring excitement and energy to the sideline! They are also preparing for a cheer competition in the coming weeks, and it would be great for them to perform in front of a big crowd. The football team is coming off a hard-fought victory on a muddy Keaʻau field against Pāhoa, and they will face Honokaʻa at home on Saturday, September 30. The last home game for the football team will be on Saturday, October 21, against Kamehameha.
Please come out to support our athletic teams and student performers. This is an important piece of our programming here at HPA, and we take great pride in the competitiveness that we are able to maintain as a smaller school. These extracurricular activities allow us to see a different side of our student-athletes, and it reveals a great deal of character. Pā ka makani!
Ke aloha nō,
Kaʻai Spencer
Upper School Poʻo Kumu
Schedule
Our Upper School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule will resume as a Mamo day with in-person instruction on our Upper Campus on Monday, October 2.
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
• 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 before 8:00 am HST on Monday, October 2, 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 before 8:00 am HST on Monday, October 2, 2023, to indicate whether you’ll be able to join us.
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 Meetfor 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
- 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: 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: 14-day risk-free enrollment deadline is September 3; 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
If you are planning to apply to any colleges and universities under the Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA), or Restrictive Early Action (REA) programs, we will have a required meeting (in college counseling) on Monday, October 2, from 11:45 am to 12:15 pm. Please come prepared to write down the names of your schools and the type of application (ED, EA, or REA). This meeting is not required for students who are applying in November to the University of California system or the California State University system.
College Visits
• Tuesday, October 3: Boston College (Boston, MA); 11:45 am – 12:15 pm
• Friday, October 6 (Virtual visit): University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA); 11:15 am – 12:00 pm; Zoom Link : UCLA
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
5 Questions With Hometown Legends Filmmaker and HPA parent Kolby Moser
Documentary film celebrates cultural legacy and aims to inspire future generations
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.