Unexpected Turns

Aloha Island School ‘Ohana,

What an exciting week we have had! The full faculty returned on Monday, and we have been hard at work, preparing for a wonderful year with you and your children.

And while it has been so meaningful to be together and feel the energy of a new year, we’ve also had to manage all that comes with life…the unexpected that asks us to pivot, ready or not. And, I know and can believe we are a strong community because when these changes happen, we respond with compassion and flexibility, keeping our students and other shared priorities at the center.  What am I talking about? Well, I’ll share a bit about our week that had a few unexpected turns…

As we made final plans Monday afternoon to take the full faculty and staff up to Koke‘e for our annual retreat on Tuesday, we learned at 2pm that there was no reliable water. So, to make sure we did not have an unsafe situation for our staff for the start of school, we had to cancel our retreat at Camp Hale Koa and figure out how to completely change ALL of our plans for our full day on Tuesday.

And separately, we were thrilled to hire a new staff member, Romeo Baldeviso, who took on the role of Director of Technology and Innovation and planned to teach two geometry classes. However, on Tuesday morning, I had to share the news that his mother unexpectedly had a stroke, and he needed to resign because of his need to return to California.

And that’s just two unexpected events that led me to lean on the power of our community this week. Our network helped us find a new location for our retreat within hours – big Mahalo to Andrew McMullen and St. Michael’s Church. And our deep teaching team allowed us to find a solution for coverage for classes for geometry and MS technology – thank you Joe Walch and Teddy Rose! Our hearts are with Romeo and his family at this time, and we are keeping them all in our hearts.

Ultimately, I write to you to say that we are excited and ready to welcome your children back to school next week! Life will always deal unexpected cards, and now more than ever am I sure the Island School team will always be ready to support your children and your family through all of the unexpected that life puts in front of us. The pictures you see here are from the Hi‘uwai and then Kilo, led by Kanānāikahaku Kuhaulua, KumuʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, and Sabra Kauka, Kumu of Hawaiian Studies. A group of our faculty and staff chose to gather before sunrise at Lydgate Beach on the last day of our week of preparations for school to participate in the cultural practices of release and cleansing by salt water and then observation of the sunrise to set intentions, and in our case, to individually focus on gratitude and release burdens, all for the purpose of then setting our intentions for the school year.

Enjoy your time this weekend, continue to take steps to return to the routines of the school year in preparation for the first day, and I hope you are ready for a fantastic school year!  I know I am.

And if I see you this weekend at David Pratt's Celebration of Life at 3pm on Sunday at Puakea Golf Course, I will be so glad to be with you to honor such a wonderful man.

In partnership,

Nancy Nagramada

Head of School