Week of 10/18/24

What's Happening at HPA This Week?

Message from the Head of School

Aloha HPA ʻohana,

Thank you for your dedication, deep connections, and heartfelt help over the past 48 hours. My heart is heavy as I write this. The families and students impacted directly from yesterday’s tragic accident are with me and us during this unbelievably hard time. We pray for the swift recovery of those injured and have reached out to their school to offer any support.

Our team at the Upper School was quick to bring our students together to share information, freely mourn, and process the event and its impact. It will take time before we heal and move forward individually and as a community.

I don’t have words that will make any of this easier or more understandable for our students or us as parents, and I certainly don’t have any answers as to why things like this happen. Sharing our grief is important and enables each family to support others in this time of tragedy. To hear how families — from across town, across school districts, across backgrounds — came together yesterday as one – is to understand what makes this beautiful place so extraordinary, especially in this time of sorrow.

As parents, there is nothing more heartbreaking and scary than an accident that involves our children. Their safety, whether they are just getting started in kindergarten or preparing to move on to college, is always top of mind. The HPA team is dedicated to every student’s well being. And, as a community, we will get through this challenging time – caring for one another and never holding back in sharing our aloha.

Gratefully,

Fred Wawner
Head of School

Links:

Lower School Student-Parent Handbook, 2024-2025

Middle School Student-Parent Handbook, 2024-2025

Upper School Student-Parent Handbook, 2024-2025

Upper School Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy

Upper School Honor Code & Pledge

HPA is committed to providing an accessible education to as many students as possible. To continue to best serve our community of families with scholarships and financial aid, please help completing the HPA Demographic Data Survey. Your responses will allow us to better understand and quantify diversity within the HPA community, and to ensure that we are serving the needs of all students. Participation in this survey is required to ensure we have accurate and comprehensive data.

Please note that your responses will be completely anonymous. The information you provide will only be used in aggregate, meaning no individual will be identified. Our goal is to use this data to create a more supportive and responsive environment for everyone.

Mahalo for your assistance with this very important effort to better understand diversity at HPA as we continuously strive to serve our community to the best of our ability.

School Bulletins for the Week of 10/18/24

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.

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From the desk of your Division Principal, Dora Kwong

Aloha Lower School families!

Congratulations to our wondrous 3rd – 5th-grade students for their magical performance today! Thank you to everyone who was able to come and support them in our audience. For those of you unable to make it, not to worry, we will soon share the recording!

Lower School Parent-teacher Conferences
Lower School Parent-teacher Conferences are coming up on Thursday, October 31, and Friday, November 1. As a reminder, there are no classes for grades K – 8, as teachers will be meeting with parents during these days.

We will be sharing details on how to sign up for time slots with teachers in a separate email communication from the Village Campus Office once our online scheduler is open. We look forward to having families on campus to meet with teachers and discuss your child’s learning. This is an important opportunity to ask questions and align our support for your keikiʻs educational journey. Be sure to sign up to meet with your childʻs Specialist teachers, in addition to your Grade-level conference.

We will provide complimentary childcare for K-8 students during their family’s scheduled teacher-parent conference time. Please drop your child(ren) off at least 5 minutes before your scheduled teacher-parent conference, and pick them up no later than 10 minutes after your conference has ended.

During these two days, we will also be hosting our HPA pop-up shop for your Ka Makani gear needs at our welcome and check-in area, located at the parking shed in the back roundabout. Please check in there before you head to your conferences.

Lower School Spirit Week: Thursday, October 24 – Wednesday, October 30
Our Lower School Student Council is very excited about our upcoming Spirit Week festivities! Here are additional details on Spirit Week days, including guidelines for costumes. Children whose Spirit Week wear and Halloween costumes are not in line with the guidelines will not be permitted to wear them. This document was also sent home as a hard copy earlier this week. Please reach out directly with any questions.

Mahalo to our wonderful ʻOhana Association who will be supporting our Halloween festivities on Wednesday, October 30! They have been posting some information in the All-School portion of our Bulletins. For your convenience, here is the sign up sheet to volunteer for the Village Campus parade and set-up.

With deep compassion and heartfulness
Our Lower School team recognizes the tragic loss that has occurred in our community and are committed to supporting our students and families as they journey through grief and sadness. Words are inadequate to describe the range of emotions we are all experiencing, and grief in children can manifest in varied ways. If your child(ren), you, or anyone you know would benefit from time with our counselor, please reach out to Rachel Baydo, K-8 Counselor (rbaydo@hpa.edu). May we find peace and strength in community, with the knowledge that we are not alone during this extremely difficult time.

In unity, compassion, and support,

Dora Kwong
Lower School Principal

Schedule
Our K-5 classes continue with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, October 21.

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
• Thursday, October 24 – Wednesday, October 30: Lower School Spirit Week
• Thursday, October 31- Friday, November 1: Village Campus Parent-teacher Conferences, no classes grades K-8

Financial Aid at HPA
The financial aid application for the 2025-2026 school year is now available. Returning students are our priority, and we encourage families with demonstrated financial need to apply. We’re excited to continue partnering with Clarity, a quick and user-friendly platform. The application process can take as little as 20 minutes and includes automatic IRS document transfers.

The deadline is Friday, November 1, 2024. Start your application here and review our “How to Apply” guide for a smooth experience. For any questions, please contact Sarah Edwards at sedwards_fa@hpa.edu.

HPA Scholarships for 2025-26 School Year Now Open
In addition to Financial Aid, HPA is able to offer very limited scholarship opportunities for students in grades 9-12: The Kūlia Scholarship, The HPA Faculty Big Island Scholarship, and The Hoʻomau Scholarship. Eligibility requirements, details, and deadlines are available on the HPA website: .https://www.hpa.edu/special-scholarships/.

Kīpona Scholarships
Kīpona Scholarships for the 2025-26 school year are open now through December 1. Offered through Kamehameha Schools, eligible applicants must be entering grade 6 or 9 (current 5th and 8th graders), and be a Hawai‘i resident. (Lived continuously in Hawai‘i for at least 12 months of application date.) More details and the application are available here. Current Kīpona Scholarship recipients must reapply by December 1.

It is with great pride that we officially announce the beginning of a truly momentous occasion — our 75th anniversary! Throughout this school year, we will celebrate together and invite you to join us in remembering that we are all — alumni, students, parents, faculty and friends — Ka Makani. Take a stroll through our historical timeline, meet just a few of the many Ka Makani who make us proud, and read about our vision for the future in the 75th Anniversary feature just launched on our website. There, you will also find information about planned gatherings for the year ahead, and have a chance to pre-order our very special 75th anniversary aloha wear collection. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @HawaiiPrep to stay in the loop about all of the festivities.

Student Support
Ms. Baydo (K-8 School Counselor) rbaydo@hpa.edu and Mr. Ludes (K-8 Learning Specialist) jludes@hpa.edu are available to discuss and support social-emotional and academic concerns for your child(ren). Please connect with them via email.

After School Program, K-5
Please email our Director of After School Programs, Mrs. Mele DeMille (mdemille@hpa.edu), if you would like your child to attend. You may refer to this email for our Lower School families with more information.

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, 2024-2025.

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 Michael Cservenak 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.

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From the desk of your Division Principal, Michael Cservenak

Aloha Middle School families,

HPA Middle school recognizes the deep loss that has occurred in our community and are committed to supporting our students and families as they traverse this tragic incident. If you or anyone you know needs to speak with our counselor, please reach out to Rachel Baydo (rbaydo@hpa.edu).

Our ʻOhana Association needs more volunteers to help with decorating the Middle School campus for our Halloween celebration. Please sign up here to support the decorating efforts this weekend.

Please be on the lookout for an invitation to schedule your Parent-teacher Conference with your child’s teachers on Thursday, October 31, and Friday, November 1. These conferences are an excellent opportunity to strengthen the partnership between home and school. We encourage you to embrace our core values of pursuit of excellence and wonder as you engage in meaningful conversations with your child’s teachers. As a reminder, there will be no K-8 classes on those days. Approaching these conferences with curiosity about the work your child is doing – and understanding why they are doing it – helps uncover new opportunities for collaboration. With this shared mindset, we can build a stronger team and make your child’s learning experience even more authentic and meaningful.

Next week, we are also excited to kick off Middle School Spirit Week, beginning on Thursday, October 24! We look forward to seeing the energy, creativity, and school spirit that will fill our campus throughout the week. You can see the days below that are somewhat aligned with the Lower School Spirit Week, but also a little different as a result of our Middle School Student Council soliciting feedback from our students:

Our 8th graders are also getting prepared to lead the Makahiki games with our Lower School in the journey towards Thanksgiving break. I am in a place of deep gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity for our students and school community to engage so authentically with the traditions of Hawaiʻi as a part of their comprehensive Middle School education. It is essential that we take the time to recognize the great privilege we have as a school community to participate in these traditions as a part of our growth and learning.

I would like to take a moment to commend our Visual Arts teacher, Ms. M, on her excellent work with our 2D Art Elective students. As a result of an immersive process, every one of her students were accepted into the Hawaiʻi Nei Art Exhibition at the Wailea Center in Hilo. Hoʻomaikaʻi ʻana arts students!

Me ka mahalo nui,

Michael Cservenak
Middle School Principal

Schedule
Our Middle School 2024-2025 Daily Schedule continues with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, October 21.

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
• Thursday, October 24 – Wednesday, October 30: Middle School Spirit Week
• Thursday, October 31 – Friday, November 1: Village Campus Parent-teacher Conferences, no classes grades K-8

Student Support
Please remember that we will be outside as much as possible during lunch and recess, so a rain jacket for light rains and a pareo or small beach towel for picnicking will be great to have at school. Students should also bring a water bottle to school each day.

Ms. Baydo (K-8 School Counselor) rbaydo@hpa.edu and Mr. Ludes (K-8 Learning Specialist) jludes@hpa.edu are available to discuss and support social-emotional and academic concerns for your child(ren). Please connect with them via email.

After School Program, Grades 6-8
Please email our Director of After School Programs, Mrs. Mele DeMille (mdemille@hpa.edu) if you would like your child to attend. You may refer to this email for our Middle School families for more information.

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, 2024-2025’.

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

Each week, our Upper School leadership team provides valuable insight into campus culture while sharing updates with 9-12 day and Residential Life students and parents on everything taking place, from academics to athletics and the arts.

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From the desk of your Upper School leadership team

Aloha Upper School families,

Our community is continuing to process the heartbreaking news from yesterday’s fatal car accident, and the loss of a young life, along with the injuries to others, is deeply felt by so many of us. We stand alongside our friends at Parker School and all those affected, united in compassion and care.

Loss, in any form, reminds us of the fragility and preciousness of life. It also teaches us that we are stronger as a community bound by care, compassion, and shared experiences. Just as the wind continuously shapes our landscape, loss shapes us too, leaving lasting impressions that guide our steps forward. Though we cannot control the storms of life, we can choose how we face them — leaning on one another for support and finding strength in our connections. The memories and lessons of those who have touched our lives become part of who we are, like steady, unseen forces that move us forward with grace and purpose.

Let us be kind to ourselves and one another. It is important to hold space for our emotions, be patient with ourselves in moments of uncertainty, and reach out when we need support. Please know that our counselors, teachers, and community are here to listen and help guide us through. Together, we can navigate this path with strength, compassion, and hope.

With aloha,

Amanda Aragon
Upper School Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator

HPA student photographer Makana L. ’28 contributed to this week’s gallery.

Schedule
Our Upper School 2024-2025 Daily Schedule will resume as a Mamo day with in-person instruction on our Upper Campus on Monday, October 21.

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, October 19, from 6:30 to 9:00 pm: Fall Ball, Kahilu Theater Town Hall
• Friday, October 25, from 8:15 to 11:30 am: Sophomore and Junior PSAT testing

Additional PSAT testing information:

All Sophomores and Juniors will be taking the PSAT on Friday, October 25, from 8:45 to 11:30 am.
Check in for students will be from 8:15 to 8:45 am.
Sophomores will check-in and test in the gym.
Juniors will check-in and test with their advisors in their advisor rooms.
There is no makeup day for the PSAT.
Students will be dismissed after testing, but they may have lunch on campus.
There will be JV/Varsity sports in the afternoon at 3:30 pm.

What to bring on PSAT testing day:

Your FULLY CHARGED testing device with the Bluebook™ application installed and exam setup completed (see detailed device requirements). NO PERSONAL CHROMEBOOKs.
Pencils or pens for scratch work.
An acceptable calculator for use on the math section of the test (there will be an embedded graphing calculator available to use within Bluebook).

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.

Student Life
Ka Makani Athletics
Another fall season is ready to roll. Let the games begin! Here’s the updated fall athletic schedule and the weekly schedule. GO KA MAKANI! You can also access the athletics schedule on the myHPA calendar.

Fall Ball
Our semi-formal dance, Fall Ball, will take place off-campus, on Saturday, October 19, at the Kahilu Theater Town Hall, in Waimea, from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. The junior Class Leaders, Mrs. Laura Swarz-Burt, Mrs. Scarth, and Mrs. Montgomery, as well as our junior Class Reps, Charlie Chen, Nina Cipriano, and Pemma Norbu, have worked very hard to make this special event a fun and memorable evening for all.

Citizenship Requirements
To be eligible to attend the dance, students must be passing Citizenship, with three or fewer conduct points. If a student has four or more conduct points, they will need to be brought down to three or lower conduct points by Wednesday, October 16, by 5:00 pm, or they will not be able to attend the Fall Ball. To make arrangements to work off conduct points or if you have questions or concerns related to Citizenship, you should be directed to Mr. Moltz by Tuesday, October 15.

Non-HPA Student Guests
This dance is for currently enrolled HPA Upper School students only.

Event Logistics
The doors will open at 6:30 pm. Students must arrive by 7:00 pm and stay for the duration of the dance or until 8:30 pm. If a student needs to leave the dance early for any reason, they must check out with the chaperone in charge of attendance, Mrs Montgomery. She or Ms. Watson will contact parents by phone before dismissing the student from the dance. Once a student leaves the dance, they will not be permitted to return.

Large purses or bags will not be allowed into the dance. Students will be asked to leave all bags with chaperones. A small clutch is acceptable.

Menu
This dinner will be a catered sit-down menu with vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free options; including smoked brisket, mac and cheese, vegan ravioli, sweet rolls with butter, Caesar salad, beverages, and desserts.

Dress Code
The dress code for this dance is unisex and semi-formal. Students may wear nice trousers, a dress shirt, and dress shoes. Clean casual shoes are also acceptable. Shirts must be tucked in. Ties are encouraged. Students may also choose to wear pantsuits. Nice informal dresses or formal dresses can also be worn, but all dresses should be in good taste with no cutouts below the elbow, no high slits, no low necklines, no overly exposed midriff or bustline, and no low backs.

Please refer to our Fall Ball 2024 Dress-Code Policy and abide by it.

Student Conduct and Dress Code Contract
Students must sign a Student Conduct and Dress Code Contract. The Student Conduct and Dress Code Contract will be sent to them in myHPA after they have purchased their ticket. This form is due no later than Thursday, October 17, at noon.

Failure to complete this form will result in not being admitted to the Fall Ball and we are unable to give refunds.

In this form, students acknowledge the dress code policy and the school’s behavior expectations and promise to abide by them. Any student found violating the dress code will work a pre-assigned meal duty for ten consecutive days.

Parking and Transportation
Bus transportation will be provided for all residential students. All residential students taking the HPA bus to and from the dance must complete an Orah Fall Ball pass by Wednesday, October16, at 12:30 pm.

If residential students are not taking an HPA bus to and from campus (i.e. they are getting a ride from someone else), they must complete a normal weekend Orah pass.

All residential students, regardless of transportation, must be back in the dormitories by 10:00 pm unless they have signed out for the weekend.

If day students wish to drive themselves to and from the dance, parking is adjacent to the town hall.

Waimea Police Presence
As this is an off-campus dance, we have asked the Waimea Police Department to have two uniformed officers present throughout the dance.

Emergency Contacts
In the event of an emergency, parents may contact Ms. Liz Watson, Director of Student Affairs, at 808-936-8314.

Student Safety
There are no pre- or post-dance parties sanctioned by the school. Student safety is our top priority, and we want to ensure our students are not placing themselves in situations that can put them at risk. The Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Hawaiʻi County Police Department reports a higher occurrence of teen parties along the Kona-Kohala coast and an increase in motor vehicle fatalities involving alcohol. If your child asks to attend a party, we strongly encourage you to contact the adult host to verify that adult supervision will be provided. We want to ensure that students enjoy each other’s company in a healthy environment.

If you have questions about Fall Ball, please get in touch with Ms. Watson at lwatson@hpa.edu.

Need to Meet with a Teacher or Administrator?
As a reminder, HPA is a closed campus, so if a parent or guardian wishes to come to campus during the academic day, they will need an appointment with one or more of the following:

Upper School Office (upperschool@hpa.edu)
- US Administrative Assistant, Līhau Wengler-Ioane (lihau@hpa.edu)
Assistant Head of School for Upper School, Mark Noetzel (hpaus@hpa.edu)
Curriculum & Instruction Coordinator: Dr. Amanda Aragon, aaragon@hpa.edu
Capstone Program Coordinator: Pualani Lincoln Maielua ‘01, plincolnmaielua@hpa.edu
Athletics: Steve Perry (sperry@hpa.edu)
Extra-curricular programs: Kaʻai Spencer (jspencer@hpa.edu)
Student’s Advisor
Student Life Center (studentlife@hpa.edu)
Health Services (infirmary@hpa.edu)

Ka Makani Travel
Ka Makani Travel, HPA’s student travel program, is offering four trips for the 2024-25 school year:

Spring Break 2025 – Japan: Land of the Rising Sun with EF Tours, the deadline to enroll is November 8, 2024 → limited space available
Spring Break 2025 – The Alps and the Mediterranean Coast with EF Tours; the deadline to enroll is November 8, 2024 → date changed to Spring Break 2026

Please contact Ka Makani Travel Coordinator Adrienne White (awhite@hpa.edu) for information on registration, eligibility, and travel grants.

Whom to Contact at HPA
If you are unsure who to contact regarding a specific question or issue, please refer to our Whom to Contact guide.

Residential Life
As we look forward to the Fall Ball this weekend, we want to wish all of our boarding students who will be attending a great time at the dance! Formal dances are a wonderful time for students to build community, have fun, and be young! We also know that these events can bring with them lots of social pressures, and we hope that our families will join us in having a conversation with your children about staying safe and making good choices.

This past Monday, our residential community spent some time reviewing some of our major school rules, and reminding our students of their options if they should find themselves in a situation that they do not want to be in. As a school, we prioritize student safety and recognize that sometimes situations do not go as planned, so all of our boarding students are reminded that at any time, day or night, if they just need someone to come pick them up and bring them back to campus, they can call their Dorm Faculty on Duty on the Dorm Phone, or they can call the Director of Residential Life’s work cell phone, and we will come get them.

Large formal dances can be a wonderful event that can be the best night of their entire semester, and we know that for the majority of our students, this will be the case! We do not want either our students or their parents overly worried about what could go wrong. But in the interest of safety, we want to make sure that everyone is aware of this policy if it could make a difference in a bad situation. Again, we hope everyone attending the dance has a wonderful time dancing the night away!

Please be sure to review this important reminder of the other breaks this semester, as families start to plan for travel and visits, we also start to plan for rides to and from the airport. Here is a list of deadlines for when we need travel itineraries by for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks:

Thanksgiving Break 2024
Flight Itineraries due: November 11, 2024
Departures: Flights should not depart before 6:00 pm on Tuesday, November 26. Transportation starts after 3:00 pm on Tuesday, November 26, through Wednesday, November 27.
Arrivals: Transportation from the airport will be all day on Sunday, December 1.

Winter Break 2024
Flight Itineraries due: November 11, 2024
Departures: Flights should not depart before 6:00 pm on Thursday, December 12. Transportation starts after 3:00 pm on Thursday, December 12, through noon on Saturday, December 14, when the dorms close for the break.
Arrivals: Transportation from the airport will be all day on Sunday, January 5, and Monday, January 6, 2025.

College Counseling
College Visits: Monday, October 21 –
Monday, October 21: Saint Mary’s College of California (Moraga, CA) 11:45 am – 12:15 pm Zoom Link
Wednesday, October 23: Tufts University (Medford, MA) 11:45 am – 12:15 pm
Thursday, October 24: California Polytechnic Institute (San Luis Obispo) 11:45 am – 12:15 pm

PSAT Testing Day on Friday, October 25, for All Sophomores and Juniors

All Sophomores and Juniors will be taking the PSAT on Friday, October 25, from 8:30 to 11:30 am.
Check in for students will be from 8:00 to 8:30 am.
Sophomores will check-in and test in the gym.
Juniors will check-in and test with their advsiors in their advisor rooms.
There is no makeup day for the PSAT.
Students will be dismissed after testing, but they may have lunch on campus.
There will be JV/Varsity sports in the afternoon at 3:30 pm.

What to bring on PSAT testing day:

Your FULLY CHARGED testing device with the Bluebook™ application installed and exam setup completed (see detailed device requirements). NO PERSONAL CHROMEBOOKs.
Pencils or pens for scratch work.
An acceptable calculator for use on the math section of the test (there will be an embedded graphing calculator available to use within Bluebook).

Schedule an Individual Check-in Meeting
Mr. Kelsey and Mrs. Montgomery are available for 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.

Kelsey Appointment Link

Montgomery Appointment Link

If you are a new senior, or are unsure of your assigned counselor, please contact us directly at college@hpa.edu.

Register for the SAT and/or ACT and Test Prep (if appropriate)
We will offer the following SAT and ACT tests at HPA. Seniors register and pay for these tests by logging on to their College Board or ACT accounts and paying with a credit card. Listed below are the fall test dates that will be offered on the HPA Upper Campus this fall.

SAT Dates – Fall 2024

Saturday, November 2 (registration deadline October 18)
Saturday, December 7 (registration deadline November 22)

ACT Dates – Fall 2024

Saturday, October 26 (registration deadline September 20)
Saturday, December 14 (registration deadline November 18)

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, 2024-2025’.

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.

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Admissions
The financial aid application for the 2025-2026 school year is now available. Returning students are our priority, and we encourage families with demonstrated financial need to apply. We’re excited to continue partnering with Clarity, a quick and user-friendly platform. The application process can take as little as 20 minutes and includes automatic IRS document transfers.

The deadline is Friday, November 1, 2024. Start your application here and review our “How to Apply” guide for a smooth experience. For any questions, please contact Sarah Edwards at sedwards_fa@hpa.edu.

We are accepting applications for the 2025-2026 academic year! We are excited to welcome the new season of admissions! Be sure to apply for a sibling and share it with your friends and family. Returning students and families will receive information about re-enrollment early next year.

Our admissions team is 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 2024 is SOLD OUT! Mahalo nui for your outstanding generosity in support of Financial Aid and your aloha for HPA.

Financial Aid at HPA is a proud tradition. We are humbled and grateful to continue to honor Anna Lindsey Perry-Fiske’s legacy by helping to make HPA accessible to keiki throughout our community. Your generous hearts make it possible every day.

We look forward to seeing many of you on Saturday, November 23, for this festive evening for Financial Aid! For those of you who won’t make it this year, you will be missed! We hope to see you next year, and in the meantime — you can join in by making a gift in support of Financial Aid during this season of giving and gratitude. E Alu Mai!

Auxiliary Services
For students who ride the Hele-On Bus to school each day, HPA will offer a shuttle for the Route 76 Green Line bus that arrives at approximately 8:20 am. The shuttle will be parked at the bus stop just past the Waiaka Bridge on Kawaihae Road. For questions or more information, you can contact Auxiliary Services at 808-881-4041 or email auxiliary@hpa.edu.

Health and Wellness
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) or infirmary@hpa.edu (Upper Campus). Please keep your child(ren) home until they are no longer sick.

ʻOhana Association
Mahalo to everyone who joined us for the first event in this year’s Wā Pilina ʻOhana Series for our presentation of the Malana Mai Kaʻū chant and geography. We have several more events coming up! Check here and mark your calendars to join us!

The Haunted Walk for our Upper School students is coming up on Saturday, October 26 and we need your help! This beloved event cannot happen without amazing volunteers! Please sign-up to assist in making this year’s Haunted Walk the best ever. There are many ways to participate – from pizza and candy donations to volunteering the night of the event. Join in and prepare to be spooked!

The Village Campus Halloween Trick-or-Treat March is on Wednesday, October 30, from 1:30 to 2:00 pm. Our K-5 students will be invited to put their costumes on and trick-or-treat in the 6th-8th grade classrooms. Middle School students will have their own costume contest and also enjoy some treats! We need your help to make this event a success — please sign-up to volunteer! Don’t forget to send a Halloween costume to school with your keiki on Wednesday, October 30. Lower School and Middle School dismissal will be at its regularly scheduled time that day.

Our ʻOhana Association hosts a variety of events and activities for our school community throughout the year. As parents of HPA, you are automatically part of the ʻOhana Association. There are many ways to participate, and we encourage everyone to get involved. It is a great way to meet your fellow parents and support our amazing Ka Makani community. Mark your calendar for these upcoming events, and be sure to email ohana@hpa.edu with any questions, or to find out what volunteer opportunities are available!

Isaacs Art Center
Experience Art with Terry Field
Join us on Friday, November 1, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm for a unique event that offers the opportunity to create your own painting under the expert instruction of Hawai’i Island artist Terry Field, all while enjoying wine and pūpū. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, you’ll be guided every step of the way in this exclusive class, limited to just 12 participants. RSVP today!

Become a Docent at the Isaacs Art Center
As we continue to grow and expand our outreach, we are looking for passionate individuals to join our team of volunteer docents. We are particularly in need of docents on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you or someone you know has a love for art and education and would like to contribute to our mission, we would be thrilled to have you on board.

This is a unique opportunity to engage with the art and culture of Hawai‘i, connect with our community, and make a meaningful impact.

If you’re interested or know someone who might be, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We would love to discuss how you can be a part of this special endeavor.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support the Isaacs Art Center and the Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy community.

Isaacs Art Center is free and open to the public, Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Gallery works for sale may also be viewed on our website. Be sure to also visit our Instagram and Facebook pages for highlights from ongoing exhibitions. Sales from gallery artwork have supported the HPA Financial Aid program since its opening in 2004.

Safety Protocols
Campus Access
During this time, campus access is limited to current students, employees, essential contractors, and approved guests — all of whom have completed a daily thermal/symptom check and a screening questionnaire. Guests to campus will have had their hosting faculty or staff member fill out the appropriate form and will have received permission from their supervisor.

Should a family member of a student need a meeting with a faculty, staff, or administrative team member, kindly contact them so that they can apply to have you come to campus. From that point, security team members will be alerted to your appointment date and time and let you onto campus.

At the Upper School, please do not park and walk onto campus without an appointment. Similarly, at the Village Campus, kindly call or email for an appointment so that arrangements can be made. Mahalo, for your understanding and respect for this process.

If you See Something, Say Something
We ask all families to join HPA in keeping our campus safe. While on the HPA campus, if you see anything out of the ordinary, we ask that you please report it to the school or local authorities immediately. This will help us maintain the safest campus for our students.

Imminent threat to life or property: call 911 immediately and email Mark Noetzel at mnoetzel@hpa.edu
Anything out of the ordinary: email Mark Noetzel at mnoetzel@hpa.edu

CrisisGo for Parents
It is important that all families are set up with CrisisGo, HPA’s school emergency communication tool. To set up CrisisGo SMS/Email subscription, please click on this invitation link and complete the form by adding your name, email, and cell number (this is an important step if you would like to receive an SMS message) and click on the Subscribe button. Should an emergency occur, you will be alerted by email and SMS messaging. You can also locate these instructions by logging into myHPA, clicking on the resource tab, and selecting the CrisisGo Safe2SpeakUp tile.

Safe2SPeakUp for Middle and Upper Students
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.

Week of 10/18/24

What's Happening at HPA This Week?

Message from the Head of School

Previous All-School Bulletins

School Bulletins for the Week of 10/18/24

Lower School

From the desk of your Division Principal, Dora Kwong

Middle School

From the desk of your Division Principal, Michael Cservenak

Upper School

From the desk of your Upper School leadership team

All-School

#KAMAKANISTRONG

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