Week of 10/20/23
What's Happening at HPA This Week?
Message from the Head of School
Aloha HPA ʻohana,
This week I was able to meet with our Upper School students during assembly. It’s always a little nerve wracking to be center stage at the Gates Performing Arts Center with the bright lights shining. I could instantly relate to the pressure that the students in grades 3, 4, and 5 must have felt on Friday during their musical performance of Where the Wild Things Are. I knew that my time on stage was not nearly as moving as theirs, nonetheless, I proceeded.
I decided to make my message to the Upper School students about decision-making. After setting them up with an anecdote about a silly decision I had made as a ninth grader in the 1980s, I shared with them my firm belief that only when we are lucky do our individual poor decisions impact just ourselves. Most of the time, there are unintended consequences that impact others. Framing a conversation for much more weighty topics, my PB&J’s in the panini press example might need a little more scaffolding.
I pointed to the next few weeks and months as a historically challenging time for this specific age group in the rhythm of the school year. I’ve studied this a bit in 30 years at various schools. I can’t identify one specific pressure point or activity that leads to the “seasonal” risk-taking or loose decision-making around this time of year for students. It may be a combination of their gained comfort in the environment, understanding of systems and seeing potential exploitable gaps, newly realized freedoms that now seem less exciting, and simply the natural tendency of the teenage brain to take chances without good reason. I do, however, see the weeks between mid-October and the end of November as a time to openly share our concerns with our kids, make time for our students to refocus and set short goals, and to stay alert as parents for signs — any and all signs. As a Phillies fan in the excitement of the playoffs, I am pulling in a Benjamin Franklin reference, ”An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I’ve started to understand and promote this idea more and more as an educator over the years. Studies continue to support this notion in all areas of education and human behavior.
It was well-timed that we welcomed back to our community a dear friend, Ian Groves, previously with Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD) and now of Soundcheck Prevention Network, to HPA to share a lot of current information, discuss trends, experiences, and lessons learned, and equally important, listen to our students and their own challenges and experiences surrounding their journey in our community. Ian visited with student groups in both the Middle and Upper Schools. Your child(ren)may have told you.
Ian’s presentations were focused on the relationship between health, identity, and choices about common substances such as vaping nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, and prescription medication, especially painkillers. The goal of the week was to help our students explore how substance use interferes with healthy development while learning skills to navigate pressures and make healthy decisions.
A few key takeaways I wanted to share. First, while the perception by teens may be that alcohol and drug use is rampant, research indicates that most teens are actually not using alcohol or drugs. In fact, the most recent data from Monitoring The Future, a research group based out of the University of Michigan, indicates that alcohol and nicotine (vape) use among high schoolers has been decreasing in the previous two years, and it shows that alcohol use among adolescents in the United States has never been lower. As parents, it is helpful to emphasize the reality that most students in the US are not using alcohol and other drugs. This is also true in our school. These facts will help our children feel more comfortable making the healthy choice not to use substances. We can and should reinforce this reality, leaning into a trend that often gets used against our efforts in changing our kids’ mindsets.
Second, we know that prevention works if all members of a community interact together on behalf of the wellbeing of the students and community We want to encourage you to have conversations with your children at home, and to reinforce a clear message that no amount of substance use is a healthy choice for the developing adolescent brain. An interesting fact shared this week was that delaying onset of the first age of use is the single most important factor in preventing alcoholism and addiction. Some studies show that delayed use of alcohol and other drugs decrease risk of addiction by up to 14% per year. Research has shown that parental attitudes and approval toward substance use remain a key factor in adolescent use. The more we talk with our children, the more likely they are to be guided in forming healthy ideas around alcohol, other drugs, and the less likely they are to use nicotine, cannabis, and alcohol.
For more information, we encourage you to get more information from the following websites:
Our focused efforts remain in building capacity in our students to be prepared for the next stages of their lives. In discussing prevention and substance use openly, we give them tools to use now and in their future. Adding to our toolkit this week was another ounce of prevention. We must be proactive in this prevention awareness and support. Let’s keep our nose to the grindstone when it comes to this critical work. It’s important and takes all of us.
Lots of fun on our campuses within the next few days with Rocktober and a home Ka Makani football game. If you are in town, come see us!
Happy Aloha Friday!
Gratefully,
Fred Wawner
Head of School
School Bulletins for the Week of 10/20/23
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,
As the weather begins to turn here at the Village Campus, and we cozy up in our HPA sweatshirts, our Student Council has been hard at work planning out the themes of our upcoming Spirit Week and Halloween festivities. Please see below for the themes for each of the days and show your HPA spirit!
If your child elects to participate in the Halloween Costume Day, please note the following guidelines. This, along with the details of each day, will be sent home with students:
- Costumes may not cause significant disruption or distraction to the school program. All costumes must follow Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy’s Dress Code policy.
- No props, equipment, or weapons (real or model), are to be brought to school.
- No costumes are allowed that completely hide the identity of the student, i.e. gorilla suit, fantasy characters from video games, movies, etc.
- Costumes must be able to comfortably fit through a standard doorway without assistance.
- Be sensitive to the identities of others; culture is not a costume.
- Students will be given bags for trick-or-treating during the Village Campus Halloween March, courtesy of the ʻOhana Association, and therefore families do not need to provide a bag or make extra goody bags for the class unless desired.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
We are looking forward to seeing you in-person on our Village Campus for Lower School Parent-teacher Conferences on Thursday, October 26, and Friday, October 27. The deadline to sign up for all your Parent-teacher Conferences is Noon on Tuesday, October 24.
Childcare update
We are thrilled to announce there will be childcare provided for currently enrolled HPA students for the duration of their conference. After checking in at the kiosk in the back parking lot, you will be directed to the childcare area where you can drop your child(ren) off until your conferences are complete.
We would like to share some opportunities with Nā Kama Kai, a non-profit that teaches kids about ocean safety, conservation, and stewardship. They have an upcoming free Ocean Clinic on Saturday, October 28 which will give children experience in hoʻokele (wayfinding), ka palekana (ocean safety), kū hoe (stand-up paddle boarding), and waʻa (canoeing). Here is the direct link to the event: Nā Kama Kai. At the time of this writing, they are fully booked, however, our contact has shared that they intend to add more times and accept walk-ons starting at 8:45 am. This program is for keiki 2-12 years of age. Please check the website for updates and more information on this excellent opportunity.
Our wonderful ʻOhana Association sponsored event, Rocktober!, is currently underway and I hope that many of you were able to attend. I want to thank our entire ʻOhana Association for your collaboration and continued support. I especially want to thank our 2nd grade class parents, Petra Evanovich, P ‘34, and Rebeca Selley, P ‘34, who worked diligently and thoughtfully over the course of many weeks in collaboration with us to pull off such a magnificent event for our ʻohana.
Have a wonderful weekend, Lower School families!
Mālama pono,
Dora Kwong
Lower School Principal
Schedule
Our K-5 classes continue with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, October 23.
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 26, and Friday, October 27: Lower School Parent-teacher Conferences; in-person on the Village Campus; no classes grades K-8
• Monday, October 20 – Friday, November 3: Lower School Spirit Week
• Tuesday, October 31, from 2:30 to 3:00 pm: Village Campus Trick-or-Treat Halloween March
• Friday, November 10, from 3:15 to 5:00 pm: Pinch Pot Harvest Fête; Village Campus
HPA Admissions Open House
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!
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,
We are now settling back into our routines after a great week of excursions full of learning all over our island and a bit of Honolulu during our Mālama Kaiāulu Theme Week. That said, we still have lots going on to keep things exciting and interesting. This week we welcomed a guest presenter, Mr. Ian Groves of Soundcheck Prevention Network. We first met Ian on Monday and he returned again for Friday’s assembly, to educate students about the dangers of vaping and addiction. Ian is an excellent presenter and easily connects with the students on these important topics. The good news is that vaping among teenagers is on a downward trend and with the help of Ian, parents, and teachers, that trend should continue.
Spirit Week is just around the corner and it is always a fun week of school. Our student council had a great time dreaming up our schedule for Spirit Week — the only difficulty was choosing between all their fun ideas. In the end we settled on this lineup:
Monday, October 30: Pajama Day / Crazy Hair Day
Tuesday, October 31: Halloween Costumes
There will be photographs at lunchtime in the breezeway for anybody who would like to enter the costume contests. There will be three categories:
1. Funniest
2. Character
3. Group
Winners will be announced at our Assembly on Friday, November 3.
Middle School advisory classrooms will be receiving Lower School trick-or-treaters to round out Halloween day at the Village Campus. Middle School students won’t be left out of the treats though, as they will receive a gift bag compliments of the ʻOhana Association.
Wednesday, November 1: Wacky Wednesday
Think opposite day – anything but a backpack, anything but a water bottle – Think WACKY!
Thursday, November 2: Advisory Match Day
Students in advisory classes dress alike or in a common theme.
Friday, November 3: Dress like a teacher / Dress like a student day
This week’s Fly on the Wall buzzes back outside with Grade 8 science with Ms. Kawakami, where students have been busy investigating geology during these first few months of school. Students have looked at how the earth formed, its inner layers, and the very slow-moving but exciting outer layer. They have studied the rock cycle through a digital simulation and looked at weathering on Mars (of all places!) Now, they are going to be focusing on our island home and how significant the geological processes have been in creating a canvas for ecosystems and people to settle on. Each class is “adopting” an area on the leeward coast to study from both a geological and historical perspective. They will gather information from experts, conduct their own research through historical documents and archives, and make their own observations. As a class, they will compile the information they have gathered to tell the story of this area.
The E Block class will be adopting Kikiakoʻi which is located in Kawaihae, beneath Puʻu Kohola Heiau. Students will study the area with a focus on Kohala Mountain’s geological formation and events that shaped the landscape. They will be visiting this place periodically throughout the year to study it from different scientific disciplines; first as geologists, next as chemists, and finally as ecosystem biologists and climate change scientists. This place will provide them with an opportunity to learn field science techniques and apply our scientific knowledge to our island home.
We are looking forward to the Middle School Parent-teacher Conferences next week on Thursday, October 26, and Friday, October 27. These conferences are a vital piece of our communication strategies for parents to have a window to their child’s learning in classes. Our online learning management system, myHPA provides the consistent open window to children’s progress. Periodic course overviews provide you with information for engaging in conversations with your students about their learning. Students of concern reports provide communication when extra support is needed. Advisor reports at the end of the semester, provide an overview of your child’s engagement at school. These conferences are an opportunity for you to touch base with each individual teacher to learn more about their progress in a particular course.
We will be making available a child-care area for currently enrolled HPA students for the duration of their conference. After checking in at the kiosk in the back parking lot, you will be directed to where you can drop your child(ren) off.
If you have not yet scheduled conferences, please log into myHPA, and click on the Parent Conference Scheduler tile located on the resource board to sign up. The deadline to sign up for conferences is Tuesday, October 24, at noon.
You will automatically be logged into our online parent-teacher scheduler, PTC Wizard, which will allow you to schedule your own appointments with your child’s teachers. Please follow the prompts within PTC Wizard to select the date and time you would like to meet with your child’s grade-level teacher and/or specialist. If you have any questions as to how to use the system, email Lynn Kakugawa (lkakugawa@hpa.edu) for assistance.
We would like to share some opportunities with Nā Kama Kai, a non-profit that teaches kids about ocean safety, conservation, and stewardship. They have an upcoming free Ocean Clinic on Saturday, October 28 which will give children experience in hoʻokele (wayfinding), ka palekana (ocean safety), kū hoe (stand-up paddle boarding), and waʻa (canoeing). Here is the direct link to the event: Nā Kama Kai. At the time of this writing, they are fully booked, however, our contact has shared that they intend to add more times and accept walk-ons starting at 8:45 am. This program is for keiki 2-12 years of age.
Ok. All for now. Have a great weekend!
Mahalo,
Glenn Chickering
Middle School Principal
Capstone Update from K-8 Capstone Coordinator, Dagan Bernstein
Aloha mai kākou. Over the past month, our 8th-grade capstone students transitioned from the “community need” milestone to the “project proposal” phase. They completed an exploration of community needs related to their chosen topics and honed their research skills using tools such as the “Question Tree Map.”
As the weeks went on, students identified gaps in information, aligned their findings with specific community needs, and prepared for peer presentations. This led them to craft the core of their project proposals, highlighting clear problem identification, proposed solutions, and a central mission statement.
The process culminated in a thorough review phase. Students analyzed feedback from a variety of sources and participated in a final review session with their capstone advisor to ensure a holistic refinement of their projects. As we transition to conferences, they are equipped with a solid direction and foundation for their discussions.
Schedule
Our Middle School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule continues with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, October 23.
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 26, and Friday, October 27: Middle School Parent-teacher Conferences; in-person on the Village Campus; no classes, grades K-8
• October 30 – November 3: Middle School Spirit Week
• Tuesday, October 31, from 2:30 to 3:00 pm: Village Campus Trick-or-Treat Halloween March
• Friday, November 10, from 3:15 to 5:00 pm: Pinch Pot Harvest Fête; Village Campus
HPA Admissions Open House
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!
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!
E kanu i ka ʻai o nānā i kā haʻi. This phrase is one that is used as a reminder for people to plant their crops before regretfully admiring the crop of someone more prepared. I chose this phrase because October tends to be a challenging month in the course of a school year. October marks the end of the first quarter, which typically comes along with a list of deadlines, a long stretch of five-day weeks, and the festivities of HPA’s ʻOhana Days. This theme of a challenging October was the focus that our Head of School, Mr. Fred Wawner, shared during our assembly, where he placed an emphasis on decisions.
This is a time of the year when there is a general fatigue that starts to set in. It is a shared feeling among our students, our teachers, and our coaches who are gearing up for their post-season push. When this feeling starts to creep up, it is a good time to refresh our routines and our habits and take an honest look at the decisions we make. It is common to make poor decisions in a state of fatigue. These are decisions that people typically look back upon and regret, and October tends to reveal an unfortunate upward tick of poor decisions among students. This is why the opening line for this bulletin was chosen. This is a good time to refine our routines and preparation measures that will carry us through the remainder of the semester. Planting these routines and habits now will yield a stronger crop, or knowledge base when larger assessments are given at the end of the semester.
Once November arrives, it will start to feel like a sprint to the finish. If we have not taken the time to metaphorically plant our crops now, we may start to feel added pressure when the need for a harvest arises. With that said, please support the message that we will be sharing with students to zoom out for a moment and revisit their routines. It is a good time to take another look at calendars, map out timelines and checkpoints, renew our promise to ourselves to wake up at a certain time, eat breakfast, establish an exercise routine, and help ourselves where we can. Let’s farm our crops now to be prosperous later. Harvest. Repeat.
Ke aloha nō,
Kaʻai Spencer
Upper School Poʻo Kumu
Student photographer Elaina H. ’25 contributed to this photo gallery.
Schedule
Our Upper School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule will resume as an ʻUla day with in-person instruction on our Upper Campus on Monday, October 23.
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, October 27: Haunted Walk; Upper School
• Monday, October 30 to Friday, November 3: Upper School Spirit Week
• Saturday, November 4, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm: Fall Ball, Kahilu Town Hall
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
Upcoming Student Life Events:
- Friday, October 27: Haunted Walk
- October 30 to November 3: Upper School Spirit Week
- Monday – Pajama Day and anything but a Backpack Day
- Tuesday – Halloween, dress in your own costume
- Wednesday – Twin Day
- Thursday – Tacky Tourist Day
- Friday – Decades Day: (decided at assembly)Freshman: ‘70s
Sophomores: ‘80s
Juniors: ‘90s
Seniors: Y2K
- Saturday, November 4: Fall Ball, Kahilu Town Hall
Ka Makani Players
The Ka Makani players return to the theater with their upcoming fall musical. Based on the 2001 novel by Amanda Brown and MGM’s 2001 Hollywood film (starring Reese Witherspoon), “Legally Blonde, The Musical” takes us on a comedic and romantic journey as Elle Woods (a UCLA sorority valley girl) follows Warner Huffington III (her ex-boyfriend) to Harvard Law School in hopes of winning him back. While Elle’s initial goal is to win Warner back, she ultimately discovers and highlights the value of integrity, strength, independence, and being true to yourself!
Please note just like the movie, “Legally Blonde, The Musical” is rated PG-13, and may contain content that is not suitable for young audience members. As we are a K-12 school, parental discretion is advised for attendance. Mahalo for your understanding.
Legally Blonde, The Musical comes to HPA this fall at the Gates Performing Arts Center (GPAC) on HPA’s Upper Campus. Admission is free to all students around the island and free for all HPA faculty and staff. General admission for adults is $5.
Join us Friday, November 10, and Saturday, November 11, at 7:00 pm or Sunday, November 12 at 2:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you!
Ka Makani Travel
Ka Makani Travel, HPA’s student travel program, is offering five trips for the 2023-24 school year.
- Spring Break – Expedition to Australia & New Zealand with EF Tours: Enrollment deadline is Wednesday, November 13
- Summer – Splendors of the Mediterranean: Italy & Greece with EF Tours: Enrollment deadline is Monday, February 5, 2024
- Spring Break 2025 Japan: Land of the Rising Sun with EF Tours: Open for enrollment
Don’t hesitate to contact Ka Makani Travel Coordinator Adrienne White (awhite@hpa.edu) for information on registration, eligibility, and travel grants.
HPA Admissions Open House
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!
Residential Life
This week, the Upper School was delighted to host Mr. Ian Groves of the SoundCheck Prevention Network, as he might with different groups of students to share information and resources about substance abuse, addiction, and critically, how to get help. The residential community was able to sit with him on Monday evening to discuss the unique circumstances of our boarding students, and how they can best support one another, and avoid this all-too-common pitfall. Students were also able to attend a second, optional session on Thursday night, to ask follow-up questions, gain further resources, or just listen and learn what others had to say.
Substance abuse is a challenge at high schools all around the United States and the world, and as much as we work to help rid our campus of these influences, we at HPA are not immune from their impact. Our hope is that by offering information and a helping hand to students as early as possible, they may be able to avoid poor decisions or addictions that could impact their future. As a reminder, any student who voluntarily seeks help for a substance use problem, before getting caught or in trouble for using them, will be offered help, and will not face disciplinary action. Students who have more questions about this policy are encouraged to speak with any trusted adult, one of our school counselors, or their residential faculty.
Thanksgiving Iternaries and Travel Dates for Residential Students
Before booking airfare, please refer to the travel dates on the myHPA calendar
Flight Itineraries due: November 6, 2023, to travel@hpa.edu
Departures: Flights should not depart before 6:00 pm on Tuesday, November 21.
Transportation starts after 3:00 pm on Tuesday, November 21, through Wednesday, November 22.
Arrivals: Transportation from the airport will be all day on Sunday, November 26.
HPA provides free transportation if the student travels on our travel dates. If they do not we will assist in booking a taxi at the family’s expense.
Ka Makani Athletics
Here’s the updated fall athletics schedule and weekly schedule. For those of you who like to plan ahead, here’s a peek at what to expect from our winter athletics schedule! GO KA MAKANI! You can also access the athletics schedule on the myHPA calendar.
Upcoming Games
Boys Football vs Kamehameha; Saturday, October 21 at 2:00 pm
Girls Volleyball BIIF Semifinal; Thursday, October 26 at 6:00 pm
College Counseling
College Visits, October 23 – October 27, 2023
Monday, October 23: University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA) 11:45 am to12:15 pm
Wednesday, October 25: University College Dublin (Dublin, Ireland) 11:45 am to 12:15 pm
Thursday, October 26: Chapman University (Orange, CA) 11:45 am to 12:15 pm
Friday, October 27: University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) 1:00 to 1:30 pm
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
For the Love of the Game
Tuesday Night League fosters camaraderie, community among Ka Makani
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
Thanks to your outstanding generosity in support of Financial Aid and your aloha for HPA, Alu Mai 2023 is SOLD OUT! We are over the rainbow!
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 18, for this festive evening for Financial Aid!
Me ke aloha,
The HPA Advancement Office
P.S. 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!
Health & Wellness
Please be sure to review this email regarding a health notice about a recent social media fad regarding the practice of stick-and-poke, or machine-free, tattooing.
We are seeing positive cases of COVID-19, influenza, and strep throat in our community. Please monitor yourself for symptoms of illness, stay home if you don’t feel well, and let the infirmary on your campus know if you’ll be absent. After any illness, students must be fever-free, without the use of fever-reducing medications, for at least 24 hours before they can return to school. Students who are absent for more than five days are required to bring a note from their health care provider clearing them for return. Please refer to your respective division’s handbook for more information on our illness policy.
*Please reach out for specific return instructions if you’re positive for COVID-19.
Lower School Handbook
Upper School Handbook
COVID-19 Policies & Information
HPA COVID-19 Policy, 2023-2024
COVID-19 Decision Tree.
ʻOhana Association
Wā Pilina ʻOhana Series
The ʻOhana Association proudly presents Wā Pilina ʻOhana Series, a thoughtfully curated series of gatherings for HPA families who want a deeper understanding of place and connection to culture. The events will be guided by Kumu Kūwalu Anakalea and local kūpuna, and has been organized by HPA Lower School parent Kolby Akumu Moser.
We will be inviting kūpuna and cultural practitioners to HPA to talk about this incredible place we get to call home, host hands-on workshops such as lei-making, and guide huaka’i (trips) such as visiting Manaua and a family work day at Ulumau Puanui. The series is designed for HPA families to keep up with the cultural learnings of our keiki.
The Ti Leaf Lei Workshop at Village Campus on Friday, October 20, from 3:15 to 5:30 pm is the next event in the series. This activity is part of the Village Campus Rocktober event. Making lei is an important aspect of HPA programs and there is a need to grow our community of lei-makers!
What is Wā Pilina and why is that the name of this series?
The word pilina means association, relationship, and connection. Wā refers to a period of time. HPA started the Lower School Wā Pilina program two years ago in order to have intentional time and space for Lower Schoolers to connect with others under the umbrella of, and in connection to, mālama kaiāulu. Lower School students meet across grade levels to connect with and learn from one another. From Enrichment Day to art shows and Makahiki games to reading times — Wā Pilina opportunities have expanded through the three divisions, as well as across specialty areas.
Our new Wā Pilina ʻOhana Series aligns school and ʻOhana Association practices with intentionality. We hope you will join us!
Haunted Walk and Trunk-or-Treat: Friday, October 27
The Upper School Student Council will be hosting a Haunted Walk for grades 9-12, followed by an ʻOhana Association sponsored Trunk-or-Treat. The ʻOhana Association would like to invite Upper School parents to sign up to host a vehicle for this Trunk-or-Treat event, which begins after the Haunted Walk. Space is limited, if you’d like to participate, please sign up here. The Trunk-or-Treat starts at 7:00 pm and the times and locations are listed on the SignupGenius page. We can’t wait to see what creative and spooky experiences you can create with your vehicles for our upper school students!
Village Campus Trick-or-Treat Halloween March
The HPA ʻOhana Association is proud to present the Village Campus Trick-or-Treat Halloween March, on Tuesday, October 31, from 2:30 to 3:00 pm.
At the Halloween Trick-or-Treat March, 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 decorate their classroom doors ahead of time and hand out small goodies with the ʻOhana Association. Middle School students will have their own costume contest and also enjoy some treats!
Please send a Halloween costume to school with your keiki on Tuesday, October 31. Lower School and Middle School dismissal will be at its regularly scheduled time that day.
Need a keiki Halloween costume? Have extra costumes?
Bring your cleaned and gently used costumes to school this week. There will be a collection bin near the Village Campus office for drop-off. Costumes for donations should come on a hanger or clear package with sizes clearly marked. Then, come find a new-to-you costume at the Rocktober! Costume Tent after school on Friday, October 20. You do not need to have donated a costume to pick up a new one!
Please note the Trick-or-Treat Halloween March will be held in lieu of Trunk-or-Treat this year. The ʻOhana Association and school leaders have worked together to plan the Halloween Trick-or-Treat March in response to the need for a smaller-scale and streamlined event that supports school programming and focuses our efforts on Rocktober! (Friday, October 20) and the upcoming Harvest Fete (Friday, November 10) events.
Mahalo to our fantastic 5th-grade and Middle School ʻohana for planning this special Halloween March event.
If you have any questions please email ohana@hpa.edu.
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.
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.