Week of 8/18/23
What's Happening at HPA This Week?
Message from the Head of School
Aloha HPA ʻohana,
As we close out our first few days of classes, I want to share observations and gratitude for all I have been seeing and experiencing on our campuses this week. As I am quick to dip into metaphor when writing in this space, please hang in there with me. To that end, our HPA school year plane has left the runway and is steadily climbing in altitude. Our flight crew is well prepared and our passengers are energetic, positive, and relaxed. It will take a few more days or even weeks to get to our cruising altitude, and we may experience a touch of turbulence in our ascent but know that we are safe and secure in our direction, our intentions, and our mission.
I am grateful for all of the hard work that our faculty and staff have put into preparing for this school year. Watching the sea of Ka Makani red t-shirts at our Opening Days events gave me a great sense of pride and appreciation for our highly-committed team who is dedicated to ensuring our students and families begin the school year with joy and confidence. It truly takes a village. A sincere mahalo to each and every member of our professional community for their hard work and enthusiasm to make HPA the special place that it is for our students and families.
I am also deeply thankful for you, the students, and the families, who have made the decision to choose HPA. Our school is a living organism and is only as strong and vibrant as the members of our community. We have a beautiful mosaic of new and returning students and families whose experiences in life and learning bring exceptional elements of diversity to our campuses. We are so very appreciative for who you are and that you’ve honored us with your choice to be part of our ʻohana.
It brings me such joy to see the smiling faces of all our students, families, and employees. We are on our way. It is time to sit back, get comfortable, and enjoy the flight.
Gratefully,
Fred Wawner
Head of School
School Bulletins for the Week of 8/18/23
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,
Aloha kākou! Welcome back, Lower School families!
The first week of school is one of my most favorite times of the year. Reconnecting with old friends, meeting new ones, and the shared excitement of the promise of a new school year. What will my teachers be like? Where will I sit? What is for lunch? The excitement and jitters of the first days are unique to the start of the new learning journeys we have the privilege of embarking on every year!
For our new families — whether at our Back-to-School Bash, or during Intake Conferences — I hope you have found opportunities to connect with our Ka Makani community. We are excited you have joined our ʻohana and we look forward to getting to know one another better. In the meantime, I hope you have found folks you can turn to with any questions, and please know you may always reach out to me directly (dkwong@hpa.edu, 808-885-2501). These early days of getting into new routines and settling into the rhythms of school life can be bustling and tiring, and I encourage you to give yourself and your child (ren) grace as we all reacclimate.
As our returning families have probably noticed, this school year, we are trying out a few adjustments to our dismissal routine. All Lower School (LS) students, kindergarten through 5th grade, gather on the lines in front of our parking shed, along the curb to the front of the kindergarten classroom, behind the red planters. Those picking up in cars will drive through the roundabout as before, and we will bring your LS child(ren) to you. Please stay in your vehicle so we can keep the traffic flowing as we mālama our Waimea community. If you arrive earlier than 3:00 pm (please, no earlier than 2:45 pm), you may park at the Ulumau Garden parking area, come out of your vehicle, and wait along the hedges and picnic tables that line Puʻu Ohu Field. If you walk or bike, you may also wait in this area. Please do not walk into the area where the students are lined up. This will help the children see their grown-up, and our teachers on duty will assist in getting your child to you these early days. As a reminder, dismissal time is 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm. Mahalo for your patience and kōkua as we work to maintain a safe and orderly dismissal routine for our Lower School students, as well as our Waimea community at large.
Our FLIK food service team has been working hard to have a balanced menu offering for all our Lower Schoolers. The lunch offerings will soon be posted up on myHPA, but here is the menu for the month in the meantime. Your child does not need to order ahead of time; they simply use their KaMakaniCash card to scan in during the lunch period and viola!
As a reminder, the Village Campus benefits from a full-time on-site nurse, Nurse Crissy, who is here to support for all things health-related. You can reach out to her directly (vcinfirmary@hpa.edu) at any time.
I want to give a big mahalo to our new Lower School ʻOhana Association Vice President, Ratna Amin P ‘27 & ‘32. If you are interested in supporting the Lower School or being one or our K-5 room parents, please see the ʻOhana Association update in the All-School section of this bulletin below and reach out to Ratna directly (ohana_vplower@hpa.edu).
Finally, I want to acknowledge the recent tragic events that have taken place on our home island and that of our dear neighbor, Maui. Our Lower School teachers work hard to create safe and inviting classroom communities, making space for children who wish to share their experiences and perspectives, as many have been impacted in different ways. If you believe your child may benefit from having some time with our K-8 Counselor, Ms. Rachel Baydo, please do not hesitate to reach out to her directly (rbaydo@hpa.edu) to set up a session. I also find solace in the ways our community has come together to embrace and give to those impacted, and am grateful for the avenues that empower us to act. Our ʻohana continues to plan forward strategies to support when the rest of the world may understandably have their attention on other news later on, but we know our hearts and kōkua will remain steadfast and ready.
As we journey forward into a new school year together, mahalo nui loa for choosing HPA as the school to educate your child(ren). We are grateful for this privilege and opportunity and look forward to a wonderful academic year.
Me ke aloha pumehana,
Dora Kwong
Lower School Principal
Schedule
Our K-5 classes continue with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, August 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
• Monday, August 21 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm: First day of After School Program
• Wednesday, August 23 at 2:00 pm: Early Release Wednesday
• Wednesday, August 30 at 2:00 pm: Early Release Wednesday
• Friday, September 1: Lower School Enrichment Day (more info to come)
• Monday, September 4: Labor Day holiday, no classes K-12, school closed
• Wednesday, September 6: School Photo Day
• Wednesday, September 6 from 2:30 to 4:00 pm: Village Campus Open House; Hale ʻĪnana, LS & MS classrooms
• Friday, September 22: Faculty Work Day, all divisions, no classes K-12
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, 2022-2023.
myHPA
In addition to Seesaw, many important resources can be located on our community portal, myHPA. Check the Lower School Family Resources tile for the most up-to-date information.
Middle School
Each week, Middle School Principal Glenn Chickering pens a note to 6-8 families reflecting on the activities and accomplishments of the week and previewing what students and parents can look forward to in the coming days.
From the desk of your Division Principal, Glenn Chickering
Aloha Middle School families,
It has been so much fun to see everybody back on campus as our Middle School students meet new friends and happily engage with their classes for the start of the year! Our students appear comfortable from the beginning and we have had a wonderful energy on campus these first days with returning students welcoming new students on campus and new students seeming like they have been with us for years.
In our first two days on campus, students were able to attend each of their classes, get acquainted with each other, their teachers, and the expectations of the classrooms. Today, we all headed off campus to enjoy the natural beauty of our island and build community within grade levels during our annual class retreats to kick off the year with a sense of Mālama Kaiāulu — care for our community.
Speaking of Mālama Kaiāulu, we begin each assembly with Hole Waimea, a chant that has been a part of the HPA community for many years. Kumu Kūwalu shared a short video and spoke about the history of Lāhainā and the importance of recognizing what has been lost so that we can do what we can to support that community moving forward. As a community, HPA is committed to continuing to understand what needs the communities on Maui may have in the months ahead so that we can do our part to support their recovery.
If you are able to make it, there is a concert to benefit the Maui community at the Parker Ranch Shopping Center this Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. More information at www.mauiola.org.
Many of you may have noticed our new basketball court on the field. We are thrilled and grateful to have a space for Middle School students to play during our recess. Please keep your eye on its transformation in the upcoming weeks.
This exciting addition has changed our parking situation a bit. We are parking a line of cars along the garden fence as normal, but moving overflow parking to the west side of Kohala field to give more room for traffic.
Please note that Middle School pick-up time is 3:10 pm (2:10 pm on Wednesdays) and Middle School students will be waiting along the hedges in the drop-off/pick-up area. Please try to limit coming early to help alleviate the need to park. If you are parking, you may wait in your car for your children to come to you or walk up to the west end of the hedges to meet your children there.
Our FLIK food service team has been working hard to have a balanced menu offering for all our Village Campus students. The lunch offerings will soon be posted up on myHPA, but here is the menu for the month in the meantime. Please remember, your child does not need to order ahead of time; they simply use their KaMakaniCash card to scan in during the lunch period, and viola!
As a reminder, the Village Campus benefits from a full-time on-site nurse, Nurse Crissy, who is here to support for all things health-related. You can reach out to her directly (vcinfirmary@hpa.edu) at any time.
As we settle into the year, please know that myHPA provides an open window to your child’s progress in their classrooms. There is a section below with links to tutorials, but I wanted to also highlight here the myHPA Middle School Parent Tutorial, which gives you an overview of using myHPA as a window to your child’s learning in real time.
Mahalo,
Glenn Chickering
Middle School Principal
Schedule
Our Middle School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule continues with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Monday, August 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
• Friday, August 18: Class Retreats
• Monday, August 21 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm: First day of After School Program
• Wednesday, August 23 at 2:15 pm: Early Release Wednesday
• Wednesday, August 30 at 2:15 pm: Early Release Wednesday
• Monday, September 4: Labor Day holiday, no classes K-12, school closed
• Wednesday, September 6: School Photo Day
• Wednesday, September 6 from 2:30 to 4:00 pm: Village Campus Open House; Hale ʻĪnana, LS & MS classrooms
• Friday, September 22: Faculty Work Day, all divisions, no classes K-12
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, 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 ʻohana o ka makani!
ʻO ke kahua ma mua, ma hope ke kūkulu. This is one of my favorite Hawaiian quotes, which simply states, “the foundation comes first, followed by the building”. The start of a school year comes along with so much excitement, and it is very important to ensure a strong foundation. During the first days of school, teachers are very good at establishing a strong foundation of classroom norms with activities that help to strip away the reservations that students may have as they first arrive in a new space.
Another kahua of importance is the inner work of preparing oneself for the requirements of the school. This is where it is extremely beneficial to establish a notetaking system, packing the things needed for school and sports practices, and managing the usage of time. Sometimes we think our kahua is firmly established, then we receive wisdom from someone who has been there and done that. Parents, this is where your assistance is always greatly appreciated.
As we continue to approach these first days of school, reflect on the kahua that we all establish for ourselves, our students, and each other. Build a foundation that is solid and strong, like the roots of the trees that continue to stand in the strong makani of Waimea. In order for any of us to build up to big dreams, we need a strong foundation to stand on.
Ke aloha nō,
Kaʻai Spencer
Upper School Poʻo Kumu
Schedule
Our Upper School 2023-2024 Daily Schedule will resume with in-person instruction on our Upper Campus on Monday, August 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
• Friday, August 25: Class Retreats
• Wednesday, August 30, from 8:30 to 10:30 am: School Photo Day; Taylor Commons conference room
• Monday, September 4: Labor Day holiday, no classes K-12, school closed
• Friday, September 22: Faculty Work Day, all divisions, no classes 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.
Ka Makani Athletics
Another fall season is ready to roll. Let the games begin! Here’s the updated fall athletic schedule and weekly schedule. GO KA MAKANI! You can also access the athletics schedule on the myHPA calendar.
Student Life
Opening Days Information Sessions
We were so excited to welcome our families to campus for Upper School Opening Days. If you were unable to attend, we did record our orientation sessions for residential and day families. You can locate them by logging into myHPA, clicking on the Resource Board tab, and selecting the Upper School Family Resources tile as well as the Upper School Student Resources tile.
School Photo Day
Our Upper School Photo Day is scheduled for Wednesday, August 30, from 8:30 to 10:00 am in the Taylor Commons conference room, located in the dining hall.
If paying by cash or check have your child bring payment to the photographer on the day of their photo session. Photo Order forms will be available at the student life center. You can also access the photo order form on the Upper School Family Resources and the Upper School Student Resources tile in myHPA. Students will not be allowed to charge school photos to their Kamakani cash card. Students can place a pre-order online by using the photo order form.
All students must take a photo for the yearbook and receive a School ID. Students do not need to order a photo package to have their photos taken.
If a student is unable to take their photo on their assigned day, they should reach out to Mrs. Wengler-Ioane at lihau@hpa.edu as soon as possible.
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.
Day Student Locker Assignments
If you have not completed a Locker Request form and you would like a locker, please see go and see Mrs. Wengler-Ioane in the Upper School Academic Office.
Students can find their locker number and locker combinations in their myHPA student accounts under Student profile → Contact Card → General information or by following these instructions.
Day Student Check-in and Check-out
All day students must check in at the Student Life Office before attending their first commitment of the day, even if they are running late to class. Students must sign out at the Student Life Center if they are leaving campus before their last commitment of the day, including athletics and co-curriculars. If a student is returning to campus during the academic day, they must sign in at the Student Life Center before heading to class along with a note from their appointment.
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)
- Poʻo Kumu (Principal), Kaʻai Spencer (kspencer@hpa.edu)
- US Administrative Assistant, Līhau Wengler-Ioane (lihau@hpa.edu)
- Assistant Head of School for Student Life, Mark Noetzel (mnoetzel@hpa.edu)
- Student’s Advisor
- Student Life Center (studentlife@hpa.edu)
- Health Services (infirmary@hpa.edu)
- Athletics: Steve Perry (sperry@hpa.edu)
Extra-curricular programs: Daena Craven (dcraven@hpa.edu)
Day Student Attendance Protocols
A parent or guardian must email attendance@hpa.edu before 9:00 am if they need to excuse their child for that day. Please note that students will only be excused for appointments or family or medical reasons. Unexcused absences will result in conduct points which can result in the student being restricted to campus for boarding and/or ineligible for academic awards, i.e. the Dean’s List. Students are responsible for checking their conduct points and attendance records and should reach out as soon as possible if there are any errors.
For long-term absences, please also reach out to Poʻo Kumu Kaʻai Spencer and the student’s advisor to coordinate a plan for the missing classes.
If a day student is ill, please do not send them to school, but email attendance@hpa.edu and include Health Services (infirmary@hpa.edu), and a nurse will follow up with the proper return-to-class procedure. If a student already on campus begins to feel ill, they must report to the infirmary, where the nurses will take care of them. If a student fails to do so and is absent to a class, the absence will be unexcused.
Ka Makani Travel
Ka Makani Travel, HPA’s student travel program, is offering five trips for the 2023-24 school year.
- Thanksgiving – New York City (application due by 3:00 pm Thursday, August 31, 2023 with a non-refundable deposit of $100, minimum 9 students, maximum 12 students)
- Thanksgiving – Kauaʻi (details & cost pending, minimum 6 participants, maximum 13)
- Spring Break – Coral Reef Ecology & Conservation Fiji (application due by 3:00 pm on Friday, September 8, 2023, minimum 6 students, maximum 12)
- Spring Break – Expedition to Australia & New Zealand with EF Tours (deadline for registration November 13, space is limited)
- Summer – Splendours of the Mediterranean: Italy & Greece with EF Tours (deadline for registration February 5, space is limited)
A limited number of travel grants are available. The deadline to submit an application to be considered for an HPA travel grant is Tuesday, September 5. EF Tours offers scholarships for their trips, the application can be found here: EF’s Global Citizen Scholarship Fund.
Please contact Ka Makani Travel Coordinator Adrienne White (awhite@hpa.edu) for information on registration, eligibility, and travel grants.
College Counseling
Welcome Seniors! Our office has been newly remodeled, and we have snacks and coffee for your enjoyment, so please stop by. We look forward to working with you!
Schedule an Individual Check-in Meeting
Beginning on Wednesday, August 16, Mr. Kelsey and Mrs. Montgomery will be available for 30-minute 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 unless otherwise noted.
Mrs. Montgomery Appointment Link
Work on your College Counseling TO DO List
Below is a list of tasks to be working on in the weeks ahead. You may have already completed many of these tasks. If so, keep up the great work! If not, please work towards completing these assignments prior to your first senior individual meeting:
- Make sure that both you and your parents/guardians can successfully log in to Scoir
- Complete and submit the ‘Self Introduction Form’ and ‘Parent/Guardian Input Form’ Both of these forms can now be found in Scoir under “Surveys”
- List all colleges you are thinking about in your Scoir account in either the “Following” or “Applying” column in the “My Colleges” section
- Ask two teachers to write letters of recommendation for your college applications and request the letters in Scoir (Colleges and Applications → Manage Applications)
- Complete or edit the “Overview” sections with your personal information
- Revise and update your Common Application
- Spend time on the “Activities” section to truly highlight your extracurriculars
- Draft your main college essay and send it to us for feedback
- Add all of your Common Application colleges to your Common Application
- Organize and draft the supplemental essay prompts for colleges on your list that require supplemental essays
- Register for standardized testing (ACT and/or SAT for the senior fall (if applicable)
ACT/SAT Prep Boot Camp-Register Now!
- Friday, September 15 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm
- Saturday, September 16 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (lunch from 1:00 to 2:00 pm)
- Sunday, September 17 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (lunch from 1:00 to 2:00 pm)
Students attending the weekend camps are averaging 3 to 7 point improvements on the ACT and 150-200 points on the SAT, representing a 30-40 percentile point increase. The program includes two practice exams for each test — using actual past ACT and SAT exams.
While the cost to attend the camp is typically $399, HPA students qualify for a discounted price of $199 using the coupon code HAWAIIPREP at checkout.
How to Enroll
- Go to: http://TutorsAcrossAmerica.com/ACTcourse
- Scroll through ACT COURSES to find our camp listing
- Enroll as directed
- Don’t forget to use coupon code HAWAIIPREP at checkout (You may use the coupon code for any virtual boot camp)
Students registered by Tuesday, September 5, will have all course materials sent to campus before the program. Students who register after September 5, will need to download and print the course documents on their own (approximately 100 pages). Links to the materials will be provided
This course is offered in a virtual format only. There is no in-person option.
Tutors Across America has hosted several ACT/SAT Boot Camps for our students, both virtual and in-person, with positive results and reviews. If you have questions about the program, you may contact Wendi Whitteker at wendi@tutorsacrossamerica.com, or feel free to reach out to me at testing@hpa.edu.
Residential Life
Thank you to all of the families who bravely dropped off or sent their students to us, many of you for the first time! We had a fun and productive five days of preparation for the start of school, and are ready to begin! Your children have gotten to enjoy different activities on and off campus, explore our island home a bit, get to know their faculty, and of course, each other! This week we began academic classes, varsity sports, and life at school has truly begun!
Coming up will be a semester full of additional curriculum about living in our residential community, weekend activities, exploring the outdoors, intramural games, and much, much more! As I mentioned to those of you in attendance on Friday, August 11, you can expect a lot of excitement and opportunity for your child this year, but also probably some challenges and growth. We look forward to partnering with you to support your children, and watch them flourish!
As a reminder for our residential families, if you have not already done so, please make sure to set up your Parent/Guardian Orah Account so that your child is able to submit leave requests on weekends and upcoming school breaks!
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.
Run for Maui 5K
As we have continued to seek ways to support those on Maui, here is a student-led initiative that will surely be fun and inspiring for all participants. We will continue to communicate directly with more specific ways our HPA community will offer assistance.
Saturday, August 26, at 8:00 am, at HPA’s Upper Campus. 5K run/walk, dogs are welcome. $10 for students, $20 for adults with proceeds raised to be donated to Maui families in need.
Admissions
We have loved seeing all of our new and returning students and families on campus these first few days of school. On behalf of the entire Admissions team, we want to wish you all a wonderful 2023-2024 academic year!
We are also excited to welcome the new season of admissions as we prepare for the launch of the 2024-2025 academic year application to 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
As we kick off the new school year, we are filled with gratitude for your incredible generosity in support of our outstanding students and programs.
For those of you who are new to our HPA ʻohana, please be sure to review this letter from our Assistant Head of School for Advancement, Hannah Hind Candelario ‘01, for more information about our mission and the power of your participation.
Looking ahead, we are excited to work together with our HPA community of families, alumni, and friends to carry last year’s extraordinary momentum forward with purpose and aloha for HPA.
Health & Wellness
Magnus Health forms are now overdue. Please log into your child’s Magnus Health portal, via your myHPA parent account, to complete outstanding items. Students will not be allowed to attend classes if these items are not completed. If you have any issues logging in, reach out to infirmary@hpa.edu for assistance, as soon as possible so we can help.
COVID-19 Policies & Information
After careful consideration, we have adjusted the HPA COVID-19 Policy, 2023-2024, effective as of July 1, 2023.
For more information, please review this email from Head of School Fred Wawner which was sent on June 30, 2023.
We are asking that everyone routinely assess themselves for symptoms of illness — which can be mild, so please pay close attention. If you or your child(ren) develop any symptoms of illness, contact your healthcare provider and HPA Health Services at vcinfirmary@hpa.edu(Village Campus);infirmary@hpa.edu (Upper Campus); or employeetravel@hpa.edu(all employees). Please keep your child(ren) home until they are no longer sick and have been cleared for return. For more information, please review our COVID-19 Decision Tree.
ʻOhana Association
The ʻOhana Association is recruiting for two room parents for each Village Campus (K-8) grade for the 2023-24 school year. We are looking for folks who are interested in sustainability, sharing cultural practices, and connecting with the community, among others. Room parents know what’s going on at school, get to know faculty, make new friends, and create fun experiences for our students, and ʻohana. Room parents will benefit from the organized support of Ratna Amin,ʻOhana VP Lower School, and Michele Sullivan,ʻOhana VP Middle School.
Room Parents Support Classrooms
- Each grade will receive $150 per semester to spend on class activities!
- Collaborate with teachers and other parents to plan activities throughout the year
- Get other families involved with specific class/Village Campus activities
Room Parents Communicate with Families
- Assist with distributing ʻOhana materials and communications to families
- Help your families participate in school activities and ʻOhana events
- Recruit help for ʻOhana events.
- We will use the “signup.com” platform to make sign up easy
Room Parent Meetings
- Kickoff Gatherings of all Room Parents (late August)
- Mini-training about privacy and expectations for the classrooms and then promote these guidelines to other parent volunteers
- Shape the ʻOhana Association 2023-24 program for Village Campus
- ʻOhana Association general meetings (two per year)
- ʻOhana Association sponsored Lower School events
- Online training for student-facing volunteers
To be a grade K-5 room parent, contact ohana_vplower@hpa.edu / 510.390.4167 (Ratna)
To be a grade 6-8 room parent, contact ohana_vpmiddle@hpa.edu / 808.896.9648 (Michele)
If you have questions or want to be involved with ʻOhana in a different way, please feel free to contact us. Mahalo for all you do as families! Here’s to an awesome 2023-24 school year!!
Ratna Amin P ‘27 & ‘32
Lower School Vice President
Michele Sullivan P ‘29 & ‘32
Middle School Vice President
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 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
Families, it is extremely important that the school is able to communicate not only with parents/guardians, but also with each student, via their mobile device. We are asking all students in grades 6-12, who bring a phone to school, to download theSafe2SpeakUp app.
Safe2SpeakUp allows us to inform students of emergency events when immediate action is needed. Teachers and administrators would also receive the information so that our community is on the same page. Please review the instructions below and assist your child with downloading the Safe2SpeakUp app.
This is a companion app to CrisisGo, an app that teachers and administrators use on their devices. 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 anonymously about any behaviors they are concerned about.
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.
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.
AHERA Compliance
In 1986, Congress passed the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). This law requires all schools, kindergarten through grade 12, to be inspected for asbestos-containing building materials. Each year, as part of the AHERA requirements, Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy issues a notification to all parents, faculty, and staff members informing them of the status of the school’s compliance efforts. If you have any questions, please contact the HPA Director of Facilities, TJ Kalaniopio, at 808-881-4031.
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.