Week of 2/23/24
What's Happening at HPA This Week?
Message from the Head of School
Aloha HPA ʻohana,
“She blinded me with science…”
Does anyone remember that 1980s one-hit wonder from UK artist Thomas Dolby? What did that even mean? I’m not sure but I can hear the catchy synthesizer-based chorus in my head as I write. In fact, I just acquired a 1998 minivan with a cassette tape deck, so my chances of hearing that song have gone up significantly.
While much of my work is focused on the future of HPA, I still get to enjoy the amazing teaching and learning that occurs here on a regular basis. And there is a lot!
I was inspired by our students’ successes at the West Hawaiʻi Science and Engineering District Science Fair last weekend. Eight of our 10 students earned special recognition. Four advanced to the state-level competition, including our district champion, who secured a spot to present her project in Los Angeles in May at the ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair).
These are some big accomplishments but science is happening all over our campuses every day, through the year. However you prepare for endurance activities, take a moment now – hydrate, carbo-load, stretch, and get mindful! There are many paragraphs ahead of awesomeness! Join me as we celebrate and learn about the many, many aspects of science alive and well at HPA.
Did you know that 103% of our Upper School students take science classes? How does that even work? But that’s right — some students choose to double up with core classes and electives in the sciences.
Just this month there have been physics studies of solar energy and electrical circuits, as well as vertical axis wind turbines studying kinetic energy. We even had a guest lecturer from Canada France Hawaiʻi Telescope. In engineering we’ve got an underwater robot constructed and active, projects on coin sorting, lie detecting, and an ultrasonic sensing piano.
And, hang on, there’s more!
- Students scanned Jupiter with a radio telescope. In collaboration with the Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) program, this will help NASA study the planet.
- We had a guest specialist stop by freshman biology and she brought her centrifuge with her. Students observed as she drew blood and spun it to see the plasma and the cell layers.
- Scared of blood? Don’t worry! We’ve got ice cream. Stop by our chemistry labs where we’ve been learning about energy transfer in systems making ice cream.
And don’t forget about the ocean. In Marine Science, both at the Upper and Middle School, we took advantage of an invitation from Kanu Ko’a, a community-led coral reef restoration program at Kahuwai Bay fronting the Kona Village Resort. Students supported the efforts of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) to conduct a study on coral restoration, testing the success rate of corals propagated in two different methods.
Students had a chance to roll up their sleeves and work amongst the professionals. Using live, broken fragments of Porites lobata coral from the bay (harvested that morning), scientists and students processed for re-planting. Using jewelry saws to size and shape fragments of coral, students glued the fragments onto pegs that would be outplanted on either a nursery table located in the bay or directly onto the reef.
These agencies explained their scientific process and methods for this project and allowed students to do all aspects of the coral processing process. This opportunity was simply magical, with students holding living coral, using technical tools, collecting data, and having conversations with experts. Students reflected that this was a chance to be a part of something important, help the coral reef ecosystem, and combat climate change in a place they call home.
In the K-5 program, our Kindergarteners created and published their own notification book based on research in the library around animal habitats, diets, movements and patterns, and shared ecosystems. Taking our studies to the sky, our “Weather Reporters” in 1st Grade observe the elements outside each morning and begin to see patterns emerge. They begin to connect these weather rhythms with the time of day, cloud cover, precipitation, and wind. Using their observations and data collection, they will make predictions of future weather and note the effects weather has on our lives.
A guiding light for our reporters is the mahina (moon). Her phases guide much of our monthly patterns, from agriculture to tides, and this connection to our Hawaiian studies deepens our understanding and appreciation of our place.
Also connected to the stars, our 4th graders are connecting science with Hawaiian navigation. A trip to the planetarium engaged students with the star compass and constellation mapping. Students explored the various activities in the center, learning more about navigation and voyaging. Connecting sky to sea, the class recently jumped into lessons about coral reefs. They created a “sustainable” model of a coral polyp using bananas, crackers, and string Twizzlers.
As a MATTER of fact, our 2nd graders are exploring and experimenting with gas, liquids, and solids! Students investigate the properties of matter. A recent experiment was a melting ice race. They considered questions like, what are some different ways you can melt ice? And why does ice melt faster in some scenarios? Other explorations included looking into what happens if you put a solid into a liquid (they tried different solids including Alka-Seltzer!), and what happens when a liquid is cold vs. hot. Lots of cool work!
Combining all the elements of sciences and study, 3rd and 5th graders have been hugely involved in interdisciplinary units with mathematics, science, literacy and social studies buzzing together through various projects. As wind energy whisks our 3rd grade students away in environmental resource learning, our 5th graders are digging into their individual Capstones and independent processes.
When we talk about place-based education, learning science on Hawaiʻi Island is so unique, so special, and ultimately intuitive. From the sea to the stars, volcanoes, agriculture, dryland forests, and wetland preservations — we have it all. Others in the business feel the same way and we’ve combined on some projects over the years. Here are some examples of our community partnerships:
- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) where our students work with researchers on tsunami waves. We also host a sensor on their global network.
- ShakeNet where our students learn about local volcanoes using our own sensor network on the Big Island, mapping magma and quakes.
- PurpleAir where our students monitor air quality around the island.
- NASA HISEAS Mars simulation are on a break now, but we were the main data connector for five Mars simulation missions.
- The Cornell Whale program, which uses bird song software to analyze whale song
- The Stanford Research Center where students modeled an automation system for their Jasper Ridge sustainability outreach center.
- We worked with UC Berkeley Environmental Science professors, designing a course beyond AP environmental science.
- We host a radio and satellite communications hub through the community emergency radio network in case of disaster.
- Finally, the Tempest Weather Network where we host weather stations around the island to monitor wind and other metrics of interest to the community.
Whew! Got all that! Glad you hydrated?! I will provide Cliffs Notes in the next letter and an index to find the highlights you missed. And I’m sure after all that I still missed a few things!
If we wrap back to the cheesy 80s music theme we started with, this has turned into more of a Billy Joel, “We didn’t Start the Fire” kind of list. Amazing stuff! Our talented and dedicated faculty deliver exceptional learning opportunities in a place to learn like no other. Stay tuned for more academic highlights in this space from other departments around the school.
Until then, check your attic for any mix tapes or classics that you can’t listen to, but I still can.
We hope you enjoyed the K-2 musical, are looking forward to the Middle School dance, and all the many wonder-filled adventures this weekend brings.
With aloha,
Fred Wawner
Head of School
School Bulletins for the Week of 2/23/24
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.
From the desk of your Division Principal, Dora Kwong
Aloha Lower School families,
Heads bent low, keyboards clacking, pencils scratching, iPads in hand, small groups talking in hushed tones. The energy in the 5th-grade classroom is palpable as these past weeks students have been immersed in preparations for final Capstone project work. We are looking forward to welcoming all HPA families and community members to come join us next Friday, March 1, to hear about our students’ learning journeys and findings, exemplars in the application of HPAʻs core skills of collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.
Capstone Update from K-8 Capstone Coordinator, Dagan Bernstein
Aloha mai kākou. We are thrilled to announce the 5th Grade Capstone History Fair on Friday, March 1, from noon to 2:45 pm. All HPA families and community members are invited to join us in Hale ʻInana at the Village Campus and explore the diverse student projects on display. This event marks a significant milestone for our students, offering them the opportunity to share their hard work and growth with the community. We also extend a huge mahalo to 5th-grade parent Kolby Moser and the ʻohana association for providing snacks and refreshments for this special occasion.
Immediately following will be our 3rd Annual Village Campus Plant Sale. This promises to be a beautiful community event for all our VC families. Hosted by the 4th grade, with support from all other grade levels, and led by Mrs. Prutow-McKenna, the goal of our Plant Sale is to get more plants in gardens and increase photosynthesis across our island home! We hope you will join us on Friday, March 1 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm for this community event in Ulumau Garden. There will even be live music from our faculty band, a surefire way to bring in some great cheer for what will be a beautiful Aloha Friday. The proceeds from this event will go into our Ulumau Garden fund in support of the nine community partners to whom our produce donations go each week. We will share more information about our wonderful community partners at the sale, so we hope you can come by and check it out!
Speaking of garden proceeds, many of you might like to know that our humble Pinch Pot Harvest Fête (held this past November), when we celebrated the harvest season and raised donations in exchange for noodle bowls, glazed pinch pots, and gifts from the garden, yielded a whopping $767. This donation went directly to Common Ground Collective in support of those affected by the Maui wildfires. The symbol of an empty pinch pot in the garden inspired many donations! It was heartwarming to see our families recognize food insecurity as an area of need in our communities. Collectively, we looked to Maui, our community neighbor, as a place to give and we hope our donation will help those affected by the Maui wildfires.
Please check out your child’s Seesaw for communication from Ms. Alexa Hustace and Ms. Lauren Prutow McKenna, as well as several other communications from teachers alongside some real-time learning. Should you have any trouble logging in, please reach out to your child(ren)’s grade level teacher or our EdTech Specialist, Ms. Mellon Monello (mmonello@hpa.edu).
You should have received an email to schedule your child’s student-led conference on either Thursday, March 7, or Friday, March 8. These are important school days and we are excited for you to be in your child’s learning spaces where they will take the lead in sharing about their learning. Taking ownership of their goals, with support from the adults around them, is an important component of a student-led conference, and making space for them to reflect on their work and progress is a priority. Our 5th graders in particular will be using this time to reflect on their Capstone journeys.
We would love to share information about a wonderful event coming up featuring a number of our Ka Makani community: Hawaiʻi Storytellers. This storytelling event will feature community members from the Kona and Kohala side of Hawaiʻi Island and will take place at the Kahilu Theatre in Waimea on Friday, March 8, 2024. The event will be hosted by Civil Beat Editor-At-Large, Naka Nathaniel.
Doors open at 5:00 pm where you may register, participate in interactive activities, and pre-purchase items at the concession stand. The official storyteller program will begin at 6:00 pm. If you can’t make it live, a free recording will be sent to everyone who registers.
Featured Storytellers:
Manu Powers – Regent of the Daughters of Hawaiʻi
Boots Lupenui – Native Hawaiian Fine Artist, Musician and Documentarian
Kolby Akamu Moser – Native Hawaiian Commercial & Documentary Filmmaker, Director of Hometown Legends, Podcast Host of UNCUT Hawaii, and Founder of ARIA Studios.
Dagan Bernstein – Educator, Songwriter, and Musician from Waimea
Naka Nathaniel (Host) – Editor-at-Large at Honolulu Civil Beat
Please see this link for more information and tickets: Hawaiʻi Storytellers
For those of you who were able to attend, I hope you enjoyed our Kindergarten – 2nd-grade musical, The Rainbow Fish. Here is the live stream link where the show was recorded. If you aren’t familiar with the book, you can also hear the read aloud here or come by our Lynn Taylor Library and check out a hard copy!
Have a beautiful weekend!
Me ka mahalo nui,
Dora Kwong
Lower School Principal
Schedule
Our K-5 classes continue with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, February 26.
We encourage all families to check the School Calendar in myHPA for the most up-to-date information. In addition, a list of Key Dates (school opening and closures) can also be located on the Lower School Family Resources tile located in myHPA.
Coming Up
• Friday, February 23: K-2 Musical, all students to be dismissed directly from GPAC
• Friday, March 1 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm: 5th Grade Capstone Presentations
• Friday, March 1 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Village Campus Plant Sale Event
• Wednesday, March 6 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm: Suessical, feat. 5th-8th grade actors, Gates Performing Arts Center
• Thursday, March 7, and Friday, March 8: LS & MS Student-led Conferences, no classes grades K-8
• Monday, March 11 through Sunday, March 24: Spring Break, school closed
• Monday, March 25: Prince Kuhio Day, no school & offices closed
• Tuesday, March 26: Classes resume (all divisions, grades K-12)
Helpful Lower School Contacts & Links
Student Support
- Ms. Rachel Baydo, K-8 School Counselor, rbaydo@hpa.edu
- Mr. Joe Ludes, K-8 Learning Specialist, jludes@hpa.edu
After School Program, K-5
Mrs. Mele DeMille, Director of After School Programs, mdemille@hpa.edu
Past Email Communications
All past email communications can be accessed by visiting the Lower School Family Resources tile on myHPA and scrolling down to Past Parent Email Communications, 2023-2024.
myHPA
In addition to Seesaw, many important resources can be located on our community portal, myHPA. Check the Lower School Family Resources tile for the most up-to-date information.
Middle School
Each week, Middle School Principal Glenn Chickering pens a note to 6-8 families reflecting on the activities and accomplishments of the week and previewing what students and parents can look forward to in the coming days.
From the desk of your Division Principal, Glenn Chickering
Aloha Middle School families,
I hope this email finds you and yours happy and healthy. We are geared up for our ‘Big City Nights’ dance tonight in Hale ʻInana. A big thank you to all the parents who were able to help out with decorating, snacks, and cleaning up. We couldn’t do it without you! The dance will start at 6:00 pm and wrap up at 8:00 pm. Drop-off and pick-up for the dance will be at our normal drop-off and pick-up location. A reminder to students that we will be collecting phones at the entrance. If students need to get in touch with parents during the dance, they are welcome to ask the teacher to use it to do so.
We hope to see you on Friday, March 1 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm for our 3rd Annual Village Campus Plant Sale. This promises to be a beautiful community event for all our VC families. Hosted by the 4th grade, with support from all other grade levels, and led by Mrs. Prutow-McKenna, the goal of our Plant Sale is to get more plants in gardens and increase photosynthesis across our island home! We hope you will join us for this community event at the Ulumau Garden. There will even be live music from our faculty band, a surefire way to bring in some great cheer for what will be a beautiful Aloha Friday.
You should have received an email to schedule your child’s student-led conference on either Thursday, March 7 or Friday, March 8. These conferences are a great opportunity for students to take the lead in a discussion about their learning and showcase their work in relation to HPA’s Core Skills of creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration and we always look forward to them.
We would love to share information about a wonderful event coming up featuring a number of our Ka Makani community: Hawaiʻi Storytellers. This storytelling event will feature community members from the Kona and Kohala side of Hawaiʻi Island and will take place at the Kahilu Theatre in Waimea on Friday, March 8, 2024. The event will be hosted by Civil Beat Editor-At-Large, Naka Nathaniel.
Doors open at 5:00 pm where you may register, participate in interactive activities, and pre-purchase items at the concession stand. The official storyteller program will begin at 6:00 pm. If you can’t make it live, a free recording will be sent to everyone who registers.
Featured Storytellers:
Manu Powers – Regent of the Daughters of Hawaiʻi
Boots Lupenui – Native Hawaiian Fine Artist, Musician and Documentarian
Kolby Akamu Moser – Native Hawaiian Commercial & Documentary Filmmaker, Director of Hometown Legends, Podcast Host of UNCUT Hawaii, and Founder of ARIA Studios.
Dagan Bernstein – Educator, Songwriter, and Musician from Waimea
Naka Nathaniel (Host) – Editor-at-Large at Honolulu Civil Beat
Please see this link for more information and tickets: Hawaiʻi Storytellers
I hope you have a great weekend!
Mahalo,
Glenn Chickering
Middle School Principal
Capstone Update from K-8 Capstone Coordinator, Dagan Bernstein
Aloha mai kākou! Our capstone students continue their impressive journey, diligently tackling their projects. Since December, they’ve refined their plans based on feedback, ensuring alignment with their goals and timelines. This preparation set the stage for the creation phase, where they’ve been actively building their projects.
These final few weeks are crucial as students implement these changes and polish their final products. By the end of the quarter, just before Spring Break, they’ll submit their completed projects to their capstone advisors. We are also excited to share that the Grade 8 Capstone Exhibition will be held at Hale ʻĪnana on the Village Campus on Thursday, April 18, from 2:30 to 3:45 pm. All HPA families are welcome; stay tuned for more detailed information as we get closer!
Schedule
Our Middle School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule continues with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, February 26.
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, February 23, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm: Middle School Spring Dance, Hale ʻInana
• Wednesday, March 6 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm: Suessical, feat. 5th-8th grade actors, Gates Performing Arts Center
• Thursday, March 7, and Friday, March 8: LS & MS Student-led Conferences, no classes grades K-8
• Monday, March 11 through Sunday, March 24: Spring Break, school closed
• Monday, March 25: Prince Kuhio Day, no school & offices closed
• Tuesday, March 26: Classes resume (all divisions, grades K-12)
Helpful Middle School Contacts & Links
Student Support
- Ms. Rachel Baydo, K-8 School Counselor, rbaydo@hpa.edu
- Mr. Joe Ludes, K-8 Learning Specialist, jludes@hpa.edu
After School Program, Grades 6-8
Mrs. Mele DeMille, Director of After School Programs, mdemille@hpa.edu
Past Email Communications
All past email communications can be accessed by visiting the Middle School Family Resource tile on myHPA and scrolling down to ‘Past Email Communications, 2022-2023’.
myHPA
myHPA is where you can find all the resources related to your child’s learning. Two key resource boards that we would like to draw your attention to are the ‘Middle School Family Resources’, and the ‘Middle School Student Resources’.
myHPA Tutorials
myHPA is your window to your child’s progress in school. Here you will find their schedules, their assignments, their grade books and so much more. Ms. Monello and our IT team have put together a number of tutorials to help you navigate the myHPA parent portal.
Please note this myHPA Middle School Parent Tutorial, which gives you an overview of using myHPA as a window to your child’s learning in real time.
Upper School
From the desk of your Poʻo Kumu (Division Principal), Kaʻai Spencer
Aloha e nā maka o ka ʻupena a ka makani!
ʻAʻa i ka hula, waiho ka hilahila ma ka hale. This opening phrase discusses embracing a dance and leaving bashfulness at home. This phrase came to mind because we have many students doing this in their own way. First, I want to send a major shout-out to all of the cast, crew, and faculty that helped put together the recently finished Alice in Wonderland play. It was a great show, and I really hope you got a chance to watch it either in person or via HPA’s YouTube livestream channel. While the opening line is in reference to hula, it is really talking about anything that pushes one’s comfort to discover a new side of themselves. Taking part in a high school play could certainly be one example of pushing a comfort zone.
Another example of pushing one’s comfort zone goes out to all of our seniors who have stepped up to be a featured speaker at our chapel gatherings. This week, Tiffany Golden was our featured speaker, and she did an amazing job sharing stories that were very personal to her. I wondered if I would have been brave enough to get in front of my entire school when I was a senior in high school, and I don’t think I would have. After Tiffany’s speech, we transitioned into the Shakespeare monologue competitions! One representative of each class chose a monologue to display in full character in front of the whole school! It was amazing!
These are all examples of ways that our students continue to impress us all! The Shakespear competition is among the first competitions that count toward the Olympic scoring totals. HPA’s annual Olympics competitions officially begin next week and the excitement is rapidly growing all around campus. I am starting to see students with large collections of cardboard that will be used for props, and other groups of students who pull together impromptu rehearsal sessions for things like the talent show, the lip sync, and other fun competitions. This is one of the most energy-filled events of the year, and I am sure it will not disappoint! Here we go!
Ke aloha nō,
Kaʻai Spencer
Upper School Poʻo Kumu
Schedule
Our Upper School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule will resume as an ʻUla day with in-person instruction on our Upper Campus on Monday, February 26.
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, February 28 to March 1: 46th Annual HPA Olympic Games
• Sunday, March 10: Dormitories close at noon, school closed
• Monday, March 11 through Sunday, March 24: Spring Break, school closed
• Sunday, March 24: All residential students return to campus, dormitories open
• Monday, March 25: Prince Kuhio Day, no school & offices closed
•Tuesday, March 26: Classes resume (all divisions, grades K-12)
Student Support
Should your child need additional learning support, we encourage you to reach out to Amanda Aragon, our Upper School Learning Center Coordinator, by emailing aaragon@hpa.edu. In addition, our counselors are ready to assist any student who needs additional support to navigate these unusual and unprecedented times. Please feel free to reach out to the Upper Campus counseling team of Tiffany Freitas at 808-881-4038 or tfreitas@hpa.edu and Steve Furchner at 808-640-4441 or sfurchner@hpa.edu.
Class of 2024 – Seniors and Families
Mahalo to those of you who were able to join us on Zoom on December 7, for our Commencement and End-of-Year Celebrations informational meeting. For those of you who missed it, here is a recording of all the information that was shared. Please also be sure to visit the “Upper School End-of-Year Events” Resource Board on myHPA, which will be updated over the next several months with new details.
We are thrilled to celebrate all of the achievements of the Class of 2024, including their culminating event — the 73rd Annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 24, 2024, at 10:00 am in Castle Gymnasium. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at graduation@hpa.edu.
Student Life
Upcoming Student Life Events
- Wednesday, February 28 – Friday, March 1: HPA Olympics!
- Our Student Council and Class Leaders are in the final stages of planning the 46th Annual HPA Olympic Games. Please visit the HPA Olympics Resource Board to stay up-to-date on the HPA Olympics. An email will be sent to all families next week.
Ka Makani Travel
We are in the final stages of confirming itineraries for Spring Break 2025. Japan is open for enrollment. Options to Peru and a combination tour that includes Switzerland, Italy, France & Spain will open for enrollment in the coming weeks.
- Spring Break 2025: Japan: Land of the Rising Sun with EF Tours: Open for enrollment
EF’s Global Citizen Scholarship Fund offers $1000 scholarships.
Please contact Ka Makani Travel Coordinator Adrienne White (awhite@hpa.edu) for information on registration and eligibility.
Residential Life
We are excited for the last few weeks of the 3rd quarter and of course the start of the 46th Annual HPA Olympics next week! Looking ahead, Spring Break is right around the corner, so if you have not yet submitted your child’s travel plans to travel@hpa.edu, please do so as soon as possible, so that we can arrange transportation to and from the airport!
Ka Makani Athletics
Here’s the spring athletics schedule and weekly schedule for our spring sports season. GO KA MAKANI! You can also access the athletics schedule on the myHPA calendar.
College Counseling
News for Senior Families:
Financial Aid & Scholarships
FAFSA
All U.S. families wishing to be considered for federal need-based financial aid must submit the 2024-2025 FAFSA, which was released on December 31, 2023. Both student and parent must register and receive a FAFSA ID. Please reach out to us at college@hpa.edu with any questions.
CSS PROFILE
Many private colleges and universities also require the CSS Profile as part of the financial aid application process. A complete list of colleges that require the CSS Profile is available at CSS Participating Institutions.
Hawaiʻi Community Foundation Scholarships
HPA students with US citizenship can become eligible for hundreds of regional scholarships by completing the scholarship application at the Hawai’i Community Foundation. The application deadline is on Wednesday, February 29, 2024, at 4 pm. Families must complete the FAFSA to be eligible for scholarships through the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.
Hawaiʻi Community Federal Credit Union Scholarships
The Hawaiʻi Community Federal Credit Union also offers a number of scholarships for Hawaiʻi Island students. The HCFCU scholarship application is due Monday, March 4, 2023.
Other College Scholarships
Seniors can find information regarding several other college scholarships by looking in their “Drive” folder in their Scoir accounts, where College Counseling regularly uploads scholarship opportunities. Students can also search for national college scholarships using one of the many online search engines available such as Fastweb.
Important Reminders for Seniors Who Have Submitted College Applications
Congratulations to the many seniors who have submitted their first college applications! It has been a pleasure working with you and seeing your high-quality applications and the thoughtful essays you have created. Moving forward, here are a few important reminders:
- Check your email regularly. Applicants usually receive an email from each college to which they have applied with the status of their application or instructions for setting up an online application portal. If you have not received an email from a college within two weeks of applying, please follow up with the college or reach out to us for assistance.
- If applicable, send your official test scores (ACT, SAT, TOEFL, and/or DuoLingo) to all of the colleges for which you’d like test scores to be part of your application.
- If you would like to be considered for need-based financial aid, please make sure your family has submitted the CSS Profile if it is required by any of the colleges to which you have applied. The FAFSA, which is required for all U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens applying for need-based financial aid, will be available on December 31, 2023.
- Please remember that the deadline for requesting your college counselor to review any additional essays is December 15.
- It is very important that you update your “applying” and “applied” columns in Scoir as you add colleges and submit your applications. This will ensure that all of your school materials are submitted by college counseling in a timely fashion.
Keep up the great work! Stop by anytime or contact us at college@hpa.edu with questions.
College Counseling for Junior Families:
School Day SAT and ACT
As part of HPA’s standardized testing program, all juniors will take the SAT and ACT tests during the school day this semester. The SAT will be administered on campus on Wednesday, March 6, and the ACT will be administered on campus on Tuesday, April 9. Registration and payment for all juniors has been completed by the college counseling office.
Students are expected to report to the upper school gym between 7:30 and 8:15 am. Testing will commence at 8:15 am and finish by approximately 11:45 am. After the test, students will eat lunch and report to their regularly scheduled afternoon classes. Students testing with accommodations will have their room assignments emailed to them in the week prior to the exam. Please direct questions to HPA’s testing coordinator, Linda Webb at testing@hpa.edu.
Students are expected to bring the following items to the March 6 SAT:
- A Photo ID
- A fully-charge device that meets the SAT requirements
- A downloaded and updated BlueBook App on your device
Junior Workshops
College Counseling will continue its Friday CC Workshop Series after spring break. The remaining CC Workshop dates are tentatively scheduled for April 5, April 12, and April 26. In addition, College Counseling will be holding a workshop with all juniors on Tuesday, April 9 following the school day ACT.
Individual Meetings
Mr. Kelsey and Mrs. Montgomery are finishing up the second round of individual meetings with each junior. If your junior has not yet scheduled their second individual CC meeting with their assigned college counselor, please reach out to college@hpa.edu for assistance.
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, 2023-2024’.
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.
HPA Today
From Garden to Giving
With community support, HPA’s two campus gardens donate thousands of pounds of produce every year
All-School
Need to know information for our entire Ka Makani ʻohana.
Admissions
Re-enrollment for the 2024-2025 academic year
The deadline of February 15 has passed to secure your child’s enrollment at HPA for the 2024-2025 academic year. For those that have completed it, MAHALO! For families who are experiencing delays or special circumstances, please be sure that you are in touch with the Admission Office ASAP.
If your child is not planning to return to HPA for the 2024-2025 academic year, please email admissions@hpa.edu at your earliest convenience to let us know.
Advancement
Happy Spring! The Advancement team continues to work to support all aspects of the HPA experience through multi-faceted fundraising efforts and expansive, supportive, partnerships. So far this year our work has included fundraising to support students dislocated by the Maui wildfires through our Nā Kama a Maui initiative, generating critical financial aid dollars for our families, and encouraging gifts for our HPA Fund to provide immediate support for needs as they arise across our campuses. Our work is truly inspiring!
We could not do our work without you. It takes all hands to support our students, faculty, and staff in their daily endeavors and we invite you to join in and make a gift in support of our beloved and very special school. Thank you to those who have already contributed this year – we are truly grateful.
To learn more about the impact of giving in our community, we invite you to take a look at our most recent Annual Report. If you have any questions about priorities and impact at HPA, please feel free to reach out to Zaheva S. Knowles, Director of Alumni & Parent Giving at zknowles@hpa.edu.
Performing Arts at HPA
The following performances will be taking place on the Upper Campus at Gates Performing Arts Center. Our entire school community is invited to attend.
Middle School
Seussical Musical
Wednesday, March 6 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Health & Wellness
HPA Senior, Katelin C. is continuing her important capstone work! She has organized for HPA, in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi Island Fentanyl Task Force, to offer one free box of Narcan (naloxone) to students and employees at the HPA Upper School. Students will only receive the free box of Narcan with guardian consent. Be on the lookout for an email next week linking a consent form should you wish for your student(s) to pick up a free box. We are so pleased to be able to offer this opportunity for our ʻohana. Mahalo, Katelin!
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 lprutow@hpa.edu with any questions.
ʻOhana Association
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!
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.