Looking Towards the Spring and Ho‘ike

Aloha Island School ‘Ohana,

What fun!  There was so much GREEN all around school in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Folks were diving into the final day of school before our spring break that doesn’t have us back to the routine of school until April 1. I wish you and yours meaningful time together during this change from our regular schedules. I know for some, as was true for when my children were little, this time means extra time with grandparents while parents still have to work! My mom loved this time with the kids…and at the same time, she was always glad when school started back!  And as many have been receiving messages from Division Heads regarding the impact of technology, thank you for your care and supervision for your children with their unstructured time and screens. Even while right in our homes, or sitting next to us in the car or on a plane, our attentiveness to what they are watching and consuming as media is necessary to keep them safe too.

And, as the faculty and staff know well, once we return to school, we will fly towards the end of the year. The 4th Quarter is filled with culminating experiences and has especially important events that I want to make sure are on your calendar.

April 12 - and surrounding days for Parent-Teacher Conferences for K-12: Please look for communication from your child’s / children’s teacher and/or Division Director(s) regarding how to sign up for these important conversations as we reflect together on your child/children’s progress this year. 

May 1 - May Day is Lei Day - As a part of our spring celebrations, the ‘Ohana Association is excited to introduce our very first Lā Lei! This special, in-school only celebration of the craft of lei making will be a wonderful way to kick off the month of May. Please see below for details from the ‘Ohana Association.   

May 24 - Ho‘ike: Kumu Kanānā, Kumu Sabra, and the enrichment teachers are already getting to work across the entire school for our community Ho‘ike. This wonderful, long-time school tradition showcases each class as we celebrate Native Hawaiian hula (dance), mele (song), lei making, clothing preparation, and more! We have previously called this special day May Day, and across the years we have come to see that the Island School tradition is more of a celebration of learning, and thus the title of Ho‘ike, the ‘Ōlelo Hawaiian word which means to “to show or to demonstrate one’s learning” culturally fits our tradition. Please stay tuned when we return from spring break to hear about this year’s theme and ways you can be involved to support your child’s class or other classes as we get ready for our all-school Ho‘ike. You’ll also soon see news regarding how your ‘ohana will be able to participate in the community gathering afterward through our on-site special plate lunch.

May 31 - Final Day of School and Summer Blast Off for Elementary School

June 1 - Graduation: While of course this is a special day for the 12th grade and their ‘ohana, I wanted to be sure to note it here because the conclusion of our students’ journeys and launching them into the next phase of their life is a day for community celebration.

I look forward to all that the spring holds for us together. While these are just a few dates to note, we will all soon be reminded why so many educators refer to this time of year as “the 100 days of May…” And through it all, I am excited to experience this final quarter ahead with you and your children. 

We’ll see you in April!

Together,

 

Nancy Nagramada

Head of School