December - January Newsletter
December 26, 2007
Aloha e nä `ohana
We hope this letter finds you enjoying your holiday season with the `ohana.
While students are vacationing, we have been planning and preparing for the second semester. Our focus, as always, will be to encourage students to take better care of each other and to be responsible for their actions. For clarification purposes, the majority of the discipline referrals from August to December were related to these two issues. Any help on your end would be appreciated as we need to send our haumana a consistent message showing them that we are all in this together.
A particular concern that needs your attention is the behavior of our students after school at Prince Kuhio Mall. We have a growing number of reports of inappropriate behavior including shop lifting, vandalism and behavior that has caused merchants to ban certain students from their stores and restaurants. This behavior reflects very poorly on the school, our families and the students. Because our students are in uniform, the behavior of a few reflects poorly on the entire school.
As reported by the Headmaster, our security department did an audit of students at the mall after school, as well as, identifying student behavioral issues and the time that they are picked up by parents or guardians. Our findings continue to cause concern and we need your help.
All middle school students and `ohana need to remember that any action that reflects poorly on Kamehameha Schools may be cause for school discipline. Please make the time to discuss this issue with your child as we will be proactively working to improve student behavior and our relationship with the mall merchants. Further, we need your commitment to pick up your child after school without leaving them unsupervised to cruise the mall for hours.
The faculty and I have been working on a restructuring plan, I Liko Ka Liko (To ensure the liko buds or blossoms) for the Middle School to begin in Fall of 2008. This 3 year plan will increase middle school enrollment offering more students the opportunity to build a solid foundation for high school and beyond. Changes that will take place, in 2008 – 2009 are as follows:
• Hawaiian Language will become a required class for all 7th and 8th graders.
• Student Load – All students will be required to take, and pass, seven classes per year. Any failure must be corrected in the summer for the student to continue the next school year. Multiple failures will, most likely, lead to separation from Kamehameha Schools.
• Study Hall – Study Hall will no longer be a class; however, study time will be provided in each core class if homework is assigned. Core is defined as English or Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Hawaiian Studies/Language. This study time will be supervised by the Core Teacher providing a stronger learning environment for students.
• Electives – Students will have the choice of one elective class each year, rather than the current two choices. One of the elective choices was replaced by the Hawaiian Language requirement.
Much more information will follow as we move closer to August 2008. However, your child (current 6th and 7th graders) must begin to think about their elective choice, so that we may plan appropriately.
Enjoy your last few days of vacation and know that we look forward to working with all of our students as we help them grow and maximize their individual potential.
As always, mahalo for allowing us to educate your child. We appreciate your confidence in KS and take our responsibility very seriously.
Should you have questions or concerns, please contact us at your convenience.
I mua,
John R. Colson
Po`okumu, Kula Waena
P.S. Congratulations to our Middle School Band members who are participating in the Tournament of Roses parade on January 1, 2008. Members are:
Jackson Aiona
Dylan Alip
Kapena Aveiro
Emma Ayau
Erin Carvalho
Nainoa Hart
Stetson Lindsey
Alex Ikeuchi
CJ Matsuyama
Kalauao Naipo-Arsiga
Joseph Nakoa
Akoakoa Paleka-Kennedy
Pomai Racpan
Eloy Roldan
Warner Shaw