Week of 9/2/22
What's Happening at HPA This Week?
Message from the Head of School
Message from the Head of School
Aloha HPA ʻohana,
As the handheld mechanical auger made a narrow 12-inch hole in the powdery dry topsoil just 20 or so yards on the makai side of Maunakea’s old Saddle Road, several of us were poised to plant seedling ʻaʻaliʻi plants one at a time — 1,100 in total that we would plant throughout the day. As we placed each seedling in the arid dirt, we were instructed to leave a small indentation in the earth around the plant, and if available, surround the base of the plant with small lava rocks, thus creating both a protective and sturdy base, and providing a natural catchment that will store any moisture that presents itself. This meticulous process gives the small tree the best chance to thrive in an environment that is challenging, and times, quite brutal. As we went from plant to plant, gathering the rocks became my focus. It felt like the added support was the best way for the plant to initially maintain its integrity, begin to spread its roots, and then eventually grow.
As teachers working as arborists that day, it was truly rewarding to be on the receiving end of this lesson. It was as if the activity itself and our humble leaders were making a loud and clear statement over and over again that we need to be prepared to be the stabilizing force, the protective layer, and the nurturing provider to those that we serve. Over and over again, we followed the same process in hopes that each small tree will eventually gather the nutrients it needs to root, grow, and thrive in order to then give back mightily to its surrounding environment. Just as those ʻaʻaliʻi trees will do on the western slope of Maunakea.
That day was such a gift in so many ways. We did good work, made good friends, and learned many lessons. Over the course of this year, we will work to get our students and staff engaged and connected to as many service learning opportunities as we can. Our August activities were for our entire faculty and staff. We were able to turn our focus for one afternoon to four local non-profits: our local heroes at Waimea Greenways and Trails, Ulu Mau Puanui, Nā Kālai Waʻa, and Mauna Kea Forest Restoration Project (MKFRP for us now in the know!). They opened their calendars, arms, and hearts that day — giving us the opportunity to learn and play with them in their special work, caring and connecting us to this special place. Our Middle and Upper Schools’ class retreats offered similar opportunities in our first weeks of classes. These opportunities will continue to occur — adding purpose, meaning, and joy to our student and staff experience.
As we head into a well-deserved three-day weekend, it will serve us well to focus on a healthy balance of play and rest. Labor Day’s origin honors the fight for a more balanced day for our nation’s workforce, with the intention of having an eight-hour workday, leaving eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. Here’s to us seeking that balance!
Gratefully,
Fred Wawner
Head of School
School Bulletins for the Week of 9/2/22
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,
With the aim of providing a fully experiential, interdisciplinary learning experience under this year’s theme of KULEANA — a part of our mālama kaiāulu framework — specialist teachers led Lower School’s Enrichment Day purposefully with great enthusiasm for student-driven learning andcross grade-level relationship-building. Although Enrichment Day has been a part of our programming for many years, we are excited to engage in our Wā Pilina groupings this year, as well as have more cross-curricular experiences in all our sessions with longer learning blocks. We also made time to start the day with an assembly as a K-5 community, led by Kumu Kūwalu, K-8 Hawaiian Studies Teacher, and Ms. Baydo, K-8 School Counselor, who chanted with us and read to us about the privilege of responsibility and how we each hold an important role within ourselves and our communities. Ask your child(ren) about their time engaging in music and movement with Mrs. DiBartolo and Coach T, or in the Library and STEAM Lab with Mrs. Monello and Mrs. Tarnas, or even engaging with garden and art with Ms. Hustace and Mrs. Prutow-McKenna. Their closing of the day together in another full school assembly, and then in grade-level circle shares brought forth many stories and connections that I hope they will take home to you!
As a reminder, the Seesaw for Schools app is the Lower School’s primary communication tool for student learning. We have our grade-level and specialist learning guides posted on myHPA, but you will find more information and real time learning on Seesaw. Be sure to comment or tap the heart to share some feedback and engage with your child(ren)’s learning!
Finally, please see the section below on “Health and Wellness” for updates on the flu season and our new Village Campus nurse. As a reminder, continue to monitor yourself and your keiki for any symptoms of illness and test yourselves regularly for COVID-19 should any symptoms arise. We appreciate your kōkua as we continue to keep our community safe.
Mahalo to you all, and may you have a beautiful Labor Day weekend!
Warmly,
Dora Kwong
Lower School Principal
Schedule
Our K-5 classes continue with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Tuesday, September 6.
In observance of Labor Day, there will be no classes on Monday, September 5.
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, September 5: Labor Day holiday, school closed
- Wednesday, September 7: K-8 School Photo Day
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.
Capstone Update from K-8 Capstone Coordinator, Dagan Bernstein
Aloha mai kākou! The 2022-23 Capstone experience is shaping up to be an exciting one for our grade 5 students. Kumu Larsen has moved into grade 5 and is bringing along with him years of experience in Capstone and project-based learning. As we transition into this new era of capstone for grade 5, I’d like to honor the work and service of former 5th-grade teacher and new K-8 Librarian, Kristin Tarnas. Mrs. Tarnas has been at the forefront of leading the Capstone experience at the Village Campus since its inception. I look forward to collaborating with Kumu Larsen as we build upon this foundation and guide the program into the future.
Library Update from K-8 Librarian, Kristin Tarnas
There are many ways for HPA families to join our Friends of the Taylor Library. If you would like to get involved, please use our form to share your interest and contact information. Click here for more information.
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 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,
We hope you’ve had a wonderful week. This was an exciting week at Middle School as we got started with our Clubs on Wednesday and introduced our Student Council.
Students chose between 14 different clubs with options such as sports, arts, poetry, investing, singing and dancing, enjoying a walk around Nani Waimea, and many more. The first day of Clubs is always exciting and with all the choices this semester, the only hard part was choosing which one.
Our Student Council is eager to get to work organizing fun lunchtime contests and sharing ideas to help make our campus more beautiful and to connect with the Waimea community. We chose a representative from each Advisory, as well as some alternate members, who are welcome to get involved to help us with events. Alternates will come to the first meetings to get a feel for how we work and be ready to fill in when needed.
We hope you got a chance to read about our new strategies to best communicate feedback about student learning as we take advantage of the opportunities afforded by myHPA. We are excited about this and believe it well help parents best partner with teachers on our students’ learning journeys.
At last week’s assembly, members of our Middle School Dive Club shared how students can join them for scuba dives throughout the semester. If your child is already and certified, please reach out to the Dive Club members for information about joining the dives. If your child would like to get certified, we are happy to recommend some options for certification. Please see the section below on “Health and Wellness” for updates on the flu season and our new Village Campus nurse! Looking ahead, Grade 7 students are getting ready to team up with grade 5 students for our annual participation in the International Coastal Cleanup on Thursday, September 15.
And finally, a big mahalo to the ʻOhana Association and 4th grade parents who hosted a Park for Coffee at the Village Campus today. If you didnʻt make it today, you should mark your calendar for the next one on Friday, October 7. Great coffee, great snacks, great people.
We hope you and your family enjoy a long weekend together on our beautiful island or wherever the weekend may take you.
Mahalo,
Glenn Chickering
Middle School Principal
Schedule
Our Middle School 2022-2023 Daily Schedule continues with in-person instruction on our Village Campus on Tuesday, September 6.
In observance of Labor Day, there will be no classes on Monday, September 5.
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
- Monday, September 5: Labor Day holiday, school closed
- Wednesday, September 7: K-8 School Photo Day
- Friday, September 30: Lip Sync/Dance. 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Hale ʻInana
A Message from the K-8 Librarian, Kristin Tarnas
There are many ways for HPA families to join our Friends of the Taylor Library. If you would like to get involved, please use our form to share your
interest and contact information. Click here for more information.
Capstone Update from K-8 Capstone Coordinator, Dagan Bernstein
Aloha mai kākou! The start of the year is always an exciting time for our grade 8 Capstone students. The experience begins with an emphasis on three key learning traits: self-awareness, curiosity, and empathy. A variety of activities are implemented in their cohorts as well as across grade 8 to foster these skills. Students develop their empathy by designing a food implement for their peers; build self-awareness by presenting their interests and passions in their cohorts; and strengthen curiosity by exploring innovative projects from around the world led by teens. All of these experiences set the foundation for the year-long Capstone experience. In the coming months, I look forward to providing a window into their learning through these updates.
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.
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.
Upper School
From the desk of your Poʻo Kumu (Division Principal), Kaʻai Spencer
Aloha e nā ʻohana o ka makani!
Aloha e nā ʻohana o ka makani! Our community bonded strongly last Friday when all of our classes participated in the annual class retreats. Each grade-level class spent time getting to know their classmates better through activities such as oli practice, community service, bonding, and playtime. As an advisor for the senior class, the hike up Puʻu Laʻelaʻe to the symbolic ʻōhiʻa tree is always a special moment. The tree is a close-up example of the impact that Ka Makani has on its surroundings as well as the strength that is required of the tree to remain standing in the face of adversity.
When we return to school next week Tuesday after having Monday off for Labor Day, the upper school will be utilizing a Special Programming Schedule. This schedule was created to allow time for our students to participate in other activities that broaden their exposure to topics that are not otherwise covered in the daily academic curriculum. The students will participate in presentations and activities about Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), College Counseling, Student Work Program, and Boundaries. Allowing our students to participate in these special programming sessions will further diversify their literacy and understanding of these various topics. After this special programming week, the upper school will return to our normal academic schedule.
Mahalo for your partnership and support of our hope to expose our students to a wide variety of learning opportunities. These topics broaden the perspectives of our students and contribute to the development of our future leaders and thought generators.
Ke aloha nō,
Kaʻai Spencer
Upper School Poʻo Kumu
Schedule
In-person instruction on our Upper Campus resumes on Tuesday, September 6, as an ʻUla day with a special schedule for the week.
In observance of Labor Day, there will be no classes on Monday, September 5
Coming Up
- Monday, September 5: Labor Day holiday, school closed
- Tuesday, September 6 – Friday, September 9: US Special Programming schedule
- Friday, September 9, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm: Back-to-School Dance
- Saturday, September 10: ACT Test Administration
Student Support
Should your child need additional learning support, we encourage you to reach out to JoAn Canning, our Upper School Learning Support Center Director, by emailing jcanning@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
Our fall athletic schedule has been updated and be sure to check out the weekly schedule as well. You can also access the athletics schedule on the myHPA calendar.
Live stream details
This year, HPA will be live streaming the last home game (also referred to as the “Senior Game”) for most sports, and some home playoff games.
Volleyball
• Senior Game vs. Honokaʻa: Thursday, October 13, at 5:00 pm – JV/Varsity
Cross Country*
*Not live, but an edited highlights video will be posted to Youtube on the same day as the meet
• Home Meet vs. All Schools: Friday, October 14, at 3:30 pm for girls, and 4:30 pm for boys
Football
• Senior Game vs. Honokaʻa: Saturday, October 22, at 3:00 pm
Playoff schedule to be announced
Student Life
Ka Makani Travel
We are excited to share that HPA students are once again planning to travel internationally during Spring Break 2023. Destinations for March 2023 are Japan and Spain. The deadline to enroll is October 31, 2022. A $100 discount is being offered by the tour provider through September 30, 2022. For additional information contact Adrienne White at awhite@hpa.edu.
Club Fair
Yesterday, we hosted the Upper School Club Fair, where 317 students signed up for one or more of our 23 student-led clubs! If you missed the Club Fair, please review the email that Ms. Watson sent to all students yesterday with links to all the sign-up forms.
Back-to-School Dance
The sophomore class will host a western-themed Back to-School Dance for Upper School students on Friday, September 9, from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Tickets are $10, and sales continue on Tuesday, September 6. As a reminder, this dance is for HPA students only. For more information, please review this email.
Residential Life
This week saw the continuation and evolution of a growing HPA tradition, Tuesday Night Leagues! This year, we launched our inaugural Wiffle Ball Season, which will run from Tuesday, August 30, to Sunday, October 9. Each Tuesday night, a collection of eight teams, comprised of residential students, day students, and faculty, gather to slug it out on Anna’s field in our 6-week Wiffle Ball Season! This tradition began as a one- time basketball tournament on Atherton Court back in 2019, dreamed up by student leaders and faculty, and has grown to now include multiple seasons, with end-of-season championships, running throughout the year! This past Tuesday saw a gathering of nearly 70 community members
to play, cheer, and enjoy an hour of community-building. Our second annual basketball season will kick off on Tuesday, October 11. We wish all of
the competitors a good season!
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.
All-School News
Advancement & Alumni
Mark your calendars and save the date for Saturday, November 19! Alu Mai 2022 marks the return of HPA’s annual fundraising gala and auction in support of financial aid. We invite you to join in for a delightful evening of dinner and dancing under the stars in support of opportunity and access for future generations at HPA. Secure your spot today, purchase a table or an individual ticket. E alu mai!
Health & Wellness
We are very excited to introduce the newest addition to our Health Services and Village Campus ʻohana. Registered Nurse Ally Kawamura brings with her many years of experience that includes flight, emergency, and pediatric nursing. She will be on the Village Campus Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm. Be sure to stop by and wave hello!
“Flu Season” Is Here
We have identified positive cases of Influenza A, COVID-19 and strep throat in our student community. We are working closely with KTA Super Stores Pharmacy to secure dates for flu and COVID-19 vaccination clinics on both of our campuses. Once we have those set, we will be in touch. 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 and our COVID-19 Positive Cases Policy.
COVID-19 Policies & Information
While masks continue to be optional indoors and outdoors, there will be times when we will require everyone — students, families, guests, and employees — to wear masks. You will be notified in these instances. Everyone, regardless of age or vaccination status, must have a clean mask with them at all times should HPA officials determine they are necessary.
For a complete directory of all our health and safety protocols, please review our COVID-19 Policies & Information Resource Board on myHPA.
Isaacs Art Center
You’re invited to our special exhibition, Kuku Kapa E, honoring the evolving tradition of kapa creation. Kuku Kapa E runs through September 30. We are honored to present the historic kapa moe from the Hind Vredenburg Collection, a key piece from the revival of kapa making. Instrumental in this revival was Marie McDonald who retired to Waimea in 1973, dedicating her time to growing wauke and creating stunning kapa with both traditional and contemporary designs. Now continuing her mother’s legacy, Roen Hufford is the curator for this exhibition. As a revered teacher and visionary for Kuku Kapa E, Roen inspired the kapa artists in our island community and beyond to submit their masterful creations for display.
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 family member of a student need a meeting with a faculty, staff, or administrative team member, kindly contact them so that they can apply to have you come to campus. From that point, security team members will be alerted to your appointment date and time and let you onto campus.
At the Upper School, please do not park and walk onto campus without an appointment. Similarly, at the Village Campus, kindly call or email for an appointment so that arrangements can be made. Mahalo, for your understanding and respect for this process.
If you See Something, Say Something
We ask all families to join HPA in keeping our campus safe. While on the HPA campus, if you see anything out of the ordinary, we ask that you please report it to the school or local authorities immediately. This will help us maintain the safest campus for our students.
- Imminent threat to life or property: call 911 immediately and email Mark Noetzel at mnoetzel@hpa.edu
- Anything out of the ordinary: email Mark Noetzel at mnoetzel@hpa.edu
CrisisGo for Parents
It is important that all families are set up with CrisisGo, HPA’s school emergency communication tool. To set up CrisisGo SMS/Email subscription, please click on this invitation link and complete the form by adding your name, email, and cell number (this is an important step if you would like to receive an SMS message) and click on the Subscribe button. Should an emergency occur, you will be alerted by email and SMS messaging.
You can also locate these instructions by logging into myHPA, clicking on the resource tab, and selecting the CrisisGo Safe2SpeakUp tile.
Safe2SPeakUp for Middle and Upper Students
Similarly, Middle and Upper School students received instructions during orientation on how to upload the Safe2SpeakUp app. This is a companion app to CrisisGo. It will allow the school to alert students of emergencies that happen on or off campus and enable students to communicate with us about their safety status. They can also use the app to alert the school about any behaviors they are concerned about.
Students can also locate instructions on setting up Safe2SpeakUp in myHPA, and they were also emailed the video shown at orientation which walks them through the process of uploading the app and registering, step-by-step.
All students can also submit an Online Bully/Harassment report by clicking on this link, which can also be located on the CrisisGo Safe2SpeakUp tile on myHPA.
ʻOhana Association
Please be sure to join us on Thursday, September 22, for the first ʻOhana Association general meeting of the year at Gates Performing Arts Center (GPAC) on the Upper Campus from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. This will be an opportunity to hear updates from the ʻOhana board, and meet other families over wine and refreshments. Bring the kids for a family-friendly movie!
Don’t forget to check our annual calendar of events for the 2022-2023 school year regularly for updates. Also, just a quick reminder to support your ʻOhana Association by shopping with AmazonSmile. It’s simple!
- Go to this link and select Hawaii Preparatory Academy as your designated charity.
- Instead of going to Amazon.com to shop on the web, go to smile.amazon.com.
- If you use the Amazon app to shop from your phone, go to this webpage to learn how to set up the Amazon iOS or Android app to donate to HPA.