My Friday started in an atypical way, not in my usual time greeting parents and students in the crosswalk as they arrive to campus. Instead, a role Kumu Sabra would have, I had the honor to accompany the Island School Hula Hālau to fulfill the duty of officially opening the 11th Annual Kauaʻi Writers Conference. I was so glad to join our students in their performance, and I think we could all feel Kumu Sabraʻs absence. And while we missed her, at the same time, we could celebrate that Kumu Sabra (Elementary Hawaiian Studies teacher and Upper School Kumu Hula) and Kumu Kanānāikahaku (Director of Hawaiian Culture-based Education, Kumu ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, and US Student Activities Coordinator) are at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE) in Auckland, New Zealand. I am grateful that our school is able to support meaningful professional development for our faculty and staff, both near and far, so that their practice continues to grow and enrich student learning. Our students did a wonderful job opening the program wih oli and hula in front of a large room full of writers from close by (including quite a few of our own dedicated Island School high school writers), across the country, and some even from across the globe. I connected the importance of WIPCE and the conference’s choice to begin their weekend program with Native Hawaiian cultural practice because of the importance of the foundation of our home in Kauaʻi for all of us who live here. I reminded (or informed) our the audience that ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi was banned as a language for public education Hawaiʻi, and hula was banned at various points too. I shared how glad I was that a conference focused on writing chose to be a part of the preservation and celebration of language and culture that so recently were at risk and how proud I am to be at a school that understands the importance of being a part of engaging in the practice of Native Hawaiian tradition and practice as educational institution whose home is in Kauaʻi.

And so we look forward to the lessons that Kumu Sabra and Kumu Kanānāikahaku will bring back from their journey of learning with educators from all over the world. Because whether it is through their classrooms, their leadership across campus, or through their collaboration with colleagues across our school, we see our practice regarding Hawaiian culture and tradition enrich the lives of all of our students. Whether through:

All of our team work hard to guide our students in their growth. We continue to reflect on how we can continue to effectively integrate Hawaiian values in how we fulfill our school mission – Educating the mind, inspiring the heart. Preparing Kauaʻi youth to lead lives of significance. Sometimes that is through methods that are found in most schools - a daily schedule with community building and student support time - and other times it is through programs we develop, like Ed-Venture days that our Middle School all participated in this Friday. In case you didnʻt know:

We are students and stewards of our island home, of the ʻāiana - from mauka to makai (from the mountains to the ocean). Our program brings these values to life, and the learning experience of our students is deepened because as often as we can, we connect their learning to something tangible, to something that is a part of their world where they can find meaning in their daily life alongside the intellectual work that we ask them to do. 

Mahalo nui loa, for valuing our work with your children as much as we do through choosing Island School. And thank you for welcoming and encouraging others to come learn about all that we have to offer through our Open Houses next week on November 17 for Elementary School and November 20 for Upper School (see The Compass for details).

Together,

Nancy Nagramada P’29

Head of School

n.nagramada@ischool.org