November Newsletter
Aloha e nä `ohana
Our opening term has come to a close. Much has been accomplished as we work to help each student reach his/her fullest potential. As is always the case when you are dealing with youngsters, there are some issues that we will be addressing and we need your assistance.
The students have created a game called “I’m Nervous”. The game allows a member of the opposite sex to touch a person in a “suggestive” location on their body. They may continue touching in suggestive areas until the person says “I’m Nervous”. We are working with all students to reinforce the school’s position that any physical contact is not acceptable and a behavior that will bring serious scrutiny. In order to preserve the dignity of all of our students, this game will be stopped and this type of peer pressure will not be tolerated.
Several students have been released from the Middle School for inappropriate behavior over the past few weeks and several others are at risk. We are doing our best to address student behavior in a proactive manner and hope to get students refocused before serious discipline is needed. Our efforts are only as effective as the amount of reinforcement we get from home. I encourage you to talk with your children and encourage them to think before they act.
Text messaging and cell phone use at school continues to be a problem. If we cannot get this abuse under control, we will need to confiscate phones when the abuse occurs and hold the phones until June.
As trivial as it may seem, student dress continues to be an area of agitation and one of the areas where students stretch the rules, believing it is “only” dress code. Because we believe in standardized dress as an institution, we will take the time to enforce our dress regulations. Repeat offenders will receive consequences from detention to Saturday
School depending on the frequency of the violation.
On a positive note, we welcome back our Social Studies teacher, Amy Ka`awaloa who returns from maternity leave after giving birth to her son, Tyler. We thank Mrs. Koehler for her work and care as the long term substitute. Three members of the Middle School faculty are traveling this week to the National Middle School Association conference in Houston, Texas. Representing our middle school are Language Arts teacher Monica Spittler, Holomua teacher Jan Bumatay and Counselor Cathy Moran. They are tasked with researching the latest trends in education and reporting their findings to the full faculty upon return.
Finally, please continue to use KS Connect to stay abreast of your child’s progress and status. We are committed to keeping the information current and useful so that students and parents may proactively attend to appropriate academic issues. Please enjoy the current issue of the monthly “Middle Years” as it is a great tool to better understanding your middle schooler. Please know that we are doing our best to serve the needs of each student. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at the Middle School Office.
I mua,
John R. Colson
Principal, Kula Waena