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Monthly Blog from Kumu Kaulana

May was full of surprises and I am reminded of the Olelo Noeau that I first started these online postings: "He ‘a‘ali‘i ku makani mai au; ‘a‘ohe makani nana e kula‘i. I am a wind-resting ‘a‘ali‘i; no gale can push me over."  Regardless of who reads this, take care of yourself during this school break, it is important to value self care as our community opens its doors again with interisland travel, large gatherings, public facilities including our school campus.  Give your keiki a hug everyday or send them aloha as they make their way in this life. Mahalo for your resilience, your support of public education, and your aloha for LCPCS.

~ Kumu Kaulana

Monthly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - April 2021

Earth Day 2021 is April 23 and we cherish our campus and faciltities that offers a spectacular view, a cool breeze, and safe spaces.

A few things to take note of this month:

- Mahalo post cards sent to our parents and families for their support this year.
- A heartfelt donation from Nikki Hubbard that allowed the school to purchase a shirt for every student.
- “Out of the Blue We are  Golden" reminds of to remain resilient and with grit we will get through this pandemic together.
- End-of-year testing for state and public charter school contract compliance throughout quarter 4, please hug your keiki for their efforts.
- We are bringing the class of 2021 together every Friday to bond and celebrate 13 years of academic accomplishment come May 21st.

I ka `ōlelo nō ke ola, i ka `ōlelo nō ka make. “Life is in speech; death is in speech.” ~Mary Kawena Pukui, `Ōlelo No`eau 

Hawaiians held the belief that words could heal and that words could also destroy. In ancient times, there were kähuna who specialized in healing and others that specialized in causing misfortune and death. In modern context it is understood that words can make a person feel special and valued. However, words can also hurt someone and make them feel bad about themselves and the world around them. That is why our küpuna believed that it was very important to always be aware of the impact of the words we choose.

~ Kumu Kaulana

Monthly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - March 2021

Quarter 3 has come to a close and we enter the closing of our academic school year.  Here are some dates and reminders:

- Virtual Bookfair ends March 14th.
- No school March 26th and April 2nd.
- Blended Learning continues.
- Statewide and end-of-year MAP testing throughout quarter 4.
- Senior & Parent virtual-meet March 23rd (email invite coming).
- Modified Memorial of the 1946 Tsunami at Laupahoehoe Point, April 1st.

Be safe, support our island community, and spread aloha not the virus.

~ Kumu Kaulana
Monthly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - February 2021

We continue to find value in every BREATH (Belonging, Responsibility, Excellence, Aloha, Total Well Being, Hawaii) we take, here are student responses as a part of the middle and high school class on social and emotional well being.

~ Kumu Kaulana

Feb Post  Feb Post

Monthly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - January 2021

Blended Learning continues on Blue and Gold rotations. Participation matters as we start semester 2. Mark your calendar for the following dates:

Friday, February 5: Students work on assignments at home, teachers and staff will be going through mid-year professional development and collaboration for the entire day.
Thursday, February 11: Students work on assignments at home for Teacher Institute Day.
Monday, February 15: School Holiday, everybody enjoy while staying safe.
Mahalo for your support and patience, Go Seasiders!

~Kumu Kaulana

Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - January 8, 2021

Happy New Year Seasiders and welcome back to semester 2 at LCPCS. We continue with our Blended Learning Instructional Platform and Schedule. This and next week we will assess for learning with MAP testing. We are so grateful of the growth of our school community, mahalo nui loa. 
Kumu Kaulana
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - December 21, 2020

Lonoikamakahiki!
We weren't able to sponsor Makahiki games this year but it does not mean you cannot go out and celebrate this space and time in Hawai`i nei. Consider a walk in the warm rains of winter, a forest dive, backfloat on the ocean till you just about to fall asleep, enjoy a head rush at the top of Mauna a Wakea! "...these are a few of my favorite kine tings!"  
Know that you are loved, honored and appreciated. 
See you next year, Kumu Kaulana
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - December 14, 2020

This week's Ha-value is Hawai`i and Kumu Gomes knocked one out of the park in this week's "Weekly Show" presented by Mr. Stressman's journalism and video production classes.  Talk to your child on what they liked about this week's episode.  Also, letters went home last week describing your child's scores for a Measurement of Academic Progress, MAP.  These scores guided teacher instruction as students returned this Fall and after a lot of reteaching and new learning, we will perform another MAP testing at the start of the semester.  MAP testing is an online formative assessment at LCPCS for grades K - 12; it assists teachers as it provides 21st century practice as we continue with online learning and prepare for possible high stakes testing.  Students at the middle and high were awarded certificates of Ha, a recognition of their efforts in displaying school values of belonging, responsibility, excellence, aloha, total well-being and Hawai`i, congratulations to students for their resilience at this time.  Finally, elementary is keeping with tradition in a holiday spirit week: pajama day, holiday colors, and free dress for that lucky Friday class.  Lono i ka Makahiki a Mele Kalikamaka!
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - December 9, 2020

Aloha Parent(s) and Guardian(s),  In celebration of our efforts for this first semester, elementary is organzing a spirit week.  At the middle and secondary level teachers have been piloting "FriYay!" to recognize and celebrate students' efforts during hybrid learning.  As we study student progress, PreK - 12, we remind ourselves to celebrate our growth as a school community amidst COVID-19 and changes in statewide DOE, mahalo for your patience and support.


Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - December 1, 2020

We are in the last weeks of quarter 2 and semester 1. We all know how student engagement is critical amidst a Hybrid Learning Platform due to a pandemic. At LCPCS, teachers are tasked in sustaining their online instructional platforms as well as providing in-person supports and interventions for standards-based proficiency. This requires a daily to weekly assessment of your child's academic performance based on time on task, participation, evidence of their work and demonstration of improved skills, competencies and knowledge. "Participation Matters" In all of this I want to acknowledge your patience and support of LCPCS, we have great students because of great parents, guardians, and community supports.

MAHALO, Kumu Kaulana
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - November 24, 2020

Aloha parents,

A friendly reminder that a perk of asynchronous classes allows your child to access their assignments from the comfort of home or where there is internet access.  Please continue to live aloha and take care of each other this holiday weekend.  Go Seasiders!

CDC recommendations for this holiday weekend: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - November 14, 2020

MaHAlo Parents, 

Your support, patience and understanding has allowed our school community to hele imua, move forward.  Administration meets weekly with committees to discuss the status of our programs in Blended Learning: Faculty, Response to Intervention team, your child's teacher(s) meet as a school program, Waipunalei Multi-Tiered Student Supports, Special Education, and Komike Ha to name a few.  Meetings at this time are to communicate direction and clarification and to provide support on what data and resources are showing in student growth and achievement.  There's much to do as we continue on this path toward balance and stability in the best interest of our school community at Laupahoehoe.
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - November 5, 2020

AloHA Seasiders,

We are approaching the middle of quarter 2, what an accomplishment for our school.  Mid-quarter is a time for progress reporting and evaluation by middle and high school teachers for student learning.  Elementary just completed its reporting and evaluation with parent teacher conferences last week.  In Blended Learning, teachers reflect on their practice on a weekly basis; they review assignments, assessments, student engagement and family participation.  At this point in the academic year, student engagement and family participation is key to student success amidst a pandemic.  We have resources on our school website, on your child's online platform, and here on campus during the Blue/Gold scheduling.  

Finally, We are reinforcing our safety protocolos (hand washing, mask wearing and physical distancing in and out of the classroom).  We have a confirmed case in the Hamakua Community. Common areas we should all be aware of, just to name a few:  our local area Sanitation Drop Off, Minit Stop, Post Office, Church, Point Park...

We can do this, friends, we just need to be diligent in our attempt to protect one another.  Your continued support in preparing your child before they come to campus and when they arrive home on their day that the reminders and enforcement is for the safety of all.  

MaHAlo, 
Kaulana, Po’o Kumu
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - October 29, 2020

Aloha Parents, 

I hope you are doing well as we approach the holidays and life gets even more different.  There is no school on the following holidays in November, 11/3rd, 11/11th and 11/26 - 27th.  School will be open on 11/4th which is the BLUE-cohort.  As we find some kind of momentum developing here on campus I want to remind Seasiders that we still hold firm to a sense of Belonging and Responsibility in students wearing their school shirt and face mask.  Mahalo for your support in sustaining the mission of LCPCS.

Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - October 20, 2020

Aloha Parents, 

We are in week 2!  It is at this time of the year that you will be receiving grade reports for your child's progress during quarter 1.  Grade reports for students in grades 6 - 12 were put in the mail on Friday.  Reports for students in PreK - 5 will be issued at your parent teacher conference next week.  If you do not have a scheduled conference, go ahead and contact your child's teacher: http://www.lcpcs.org/contact  This year, the middle and high school teachers will be providing a parent informational meeting on October 27th and October 29th at 5pm, details forthcoming.  If you have any questions regarding your child's grades, contact your child's teacher: http://www.lcpcs.org/contact  This week's mana`o nui at LCPCS is on building a sense of Total Well Being and we ask students to  malama i kekahi i kekahi.  On my campus walkthroughs I have been observing that the small ones forget and practice a sense of belonging as they allow their teacher or staff member to remind them to put their mask on, physical distancing and wash their hands.   I see the same with students at the middle and secondary levels.  There are a few in the upper grade levels that are frustrated with the posted rules in our public school and will wait to be told on how to practice a sense of excellence with aloha. In all of these experiences we continue to move forward in providing a safe and nurturing environment for your child at LCPCS.  Mahalo no kou kakoo.
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - October 15, 2020

Aloha Parents, 

This week's mana`o nui as a HA-based community of practice is Aloha.  Hawai`i is unique in its belief of living Aloha and it holds true especially as you send your child back to campus this week.  We Aloha your child as best as any school community member can with personal protective equipment, routine cleaning, physical distancing, social awareness as well as in their education. Although many would have enjoyed an extended school break, faculty and staff showed up and are here in providing an education that nurtures and thrives in Aloha.  I've asked students this week to Aloha themselves, each other and the faculty and staff.  Aloha with its many meanings comes to the values of AKAHAI, kindness, LOKAHI, unity, OLUOLU, pleasant, HAAHAA, humility and AHONUI, perseverance.

End of Quarter 1 Blog Post from Kumu Kaulana - October 5, 2020

Aloha Parents, 

We close quarter 1 in a new month, a month of awareness.  Reflect on your personal progress made at the start of this pandemic.  What changes were needed in your life?  and were you able to discover something of value in someone or an aspect of your life?  If so, celebrate yourself and those that you have impacted around you with your positive energy and growth mindset.  A brief practice in self-evaluation.  Self-evaluation is a process that faculty and staff will be using to reflect on quarter one and how well we did as a public charter school amidst COVID-19.  It will also ask how we can do better.  The same will be asked of you and your child as we prepare for school conferences and presentations in the third week of this month.  Middle and Secondary grade reports will be sent out the week of October 19th and elementary grade reports will be reviewed at parent teacher conferences, October 26 - 30th.  Finally, today Ocotber 5th is World Teacher’s Day, "which was established by UNESCO in 1994, the day aims to focus on “appreciating, assessing and improving the educators of the world” while simultaneously providing us an appropriate period to reflect on the issues facing the education industry wholesale.  At a time when remote learning has grown exponentially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of the teacher has evolved into a role that none would have foreseen even 12 months ago. Teachers’ Day might simply be a time to reflect on what you may have learned at a period when children are only slowly returning to classes around the planet."  Your child is scheduled to return to campus with LCPCS' Blue/Gold Blended Learning schedule the week of Ocotber 12th, visit the homepage or call the front office at (808) 962-2200 for more details.  Mahalo nui loa a malama pono kakou i kekahi i kekahi, thank you very much and let us all take care of each other.
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - September 22, 2020

Aloha Parents, 

There are 2 weeks left in this first quarter of a school year that LCPCS has never experienced.  If you haven't done so already, now would be the time to spend 20 - 30 mins this week to review the following:

LCPCS-issued device and charger.
LCPCS email.
Distance Learning platform: Seesaw or Google Class.

These 3 areas should provide you a status check on your child's participation in their classes.  

At the middle and high school level, mid-quarter progress reports were mailed a couple of weeks ago.  It is at this time that your child may be receiving an electronic-nudge from me to check in with their teacher for assignment completion for grading.  The quarter ends next week Friday, October 2nd.

"Ho`okanaka" is the motto of King Kamehameha II, translated as "to be a man" and more expansively to "be someone... not anybody or nobody, be a kanaka."  (Chun, Malcolm. Ka Wana Series: Pono, The Way of Living.)
Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - September 17, 2020

Aloha Parents, LCPCS continues its efforts in promoting HA-values, http://lcpcs.org/education_program/SocialEmotionalLearning/na_hopena_a_o___h_a_.  Last year, we were deemed a "Community of Practice" in partnership with DOE's Office of Hawaiian Education.  This year OHE is asking to continue its promotion of Na Hopena A`o with HA-practices in creating a committee here at LCPCS.  If you are interested as a parent or community member to participate in this Komike HA, HA committee, please email me of your interest at [email protected].  The integration of HA is applied in instructional planning as teachers provide opportunities for Belonging, Responsibility, Excellence, Aloha, Total Well-Being and Hawai`i, can you see it's application in your child's lessons?  Ma ka hana ka `ike, in the doing one learns, often in reference for place-based learning now evermore applicable at this time of distance learning.

He ka`u mana`o wale no, Kumu Kaulana

Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - September 8, 2020

Aloha Parents,
Effective communication (verbal and written) requires a willingness to communicate respectfully, listening with mindfulness, and a growth mindset at this time.  Our main source of general communication and resources is the school website.  Other sources are the school’s front office, 1-call system and social media platforms.  Finally, the lcpcs.org email; every school community member has an lcpcs.org email address.  It is imperative to stay in touch with your child’s teacher and practice effective communication.  

In this time of a pandemic and public health awareness there is a need for electronic and virtual communication requiring a working phone number and a functioning email address.  Without this, information may not be current and useful.  If you haven’t done so already, please submit your emergency card for the new school year or contact Loida or Rochelle at the school office on how to update your contact information.  Finally, take the time to navigate the school’s website, we are updating its features as we move forward with distance learning. 

I ka ‘ōlelo nō ke ola, i ka ‘ōlelo nō ka make.  In language there is life, in language there is death.
Mahalo, Kumu Kaulana
 

Weekly Blog from Kumu Kaulana - September 1, 2020

Aloha Parents, 
As a follow-up to my message last night, your child has access to their school email and their google classrooms.  Google can be accessed through your child's school device and smartphone.  Technical troubleshooting is available at a variety of levels, from your child's teacher, school staff, to the "Ohana Help Desk," https://sites.google.com/k12.hi.us/ohana-help-desk-portal/home.

Your child's course of study includes English Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science and 3 elective or a graduation requirement course, that makes for seven period classes.  Your child also has a homeroom advisory teacher that can assist you or direct you to the appropriate source of information:
Grade 6 - Kumu Autumn Encinas-Domingcil
Grade 7 - Mr. Trent Silkey
Grade 8 - Kumu Jackie Gomes
Grade 9 - Mr. Bob Zelner
Grade 10 - Mr Dharma Shay
Grade 11 - Mr. Todd Otake
Grade 12: Mr. Sky Stressman

Teachers will be sending out google class invites to your email on file as of last school year, if it has changed, please have your child email their advisory teacher.  The google class invite will allow you to see your child's assignments and submissions and stay in touch with each of your child's teachers.

We are in week 4 of this first quarter and a mid-quarter progress report will be created and sent next week.  Encourage your child to complete and submit all assignments (printed and online) of these first few weeks.  All assignments are tied to instruction whether it be core content-area, value-based, or response survey assingnments.

Finally, we were never meant to be an online school, this pandemic has forced us to pivot in so many different directions that we lose our footing at times.  I ask you to be patient and mindful in the determination that each of our teachers and staff strive to achieve on a daily basis in the best interest of your child.  "He ‘a‘ali‘i ku makani mai au; ‘a‘ohe makani nana e kula‘i. I am a wind-resting ‘a‘ali‘i; no gale can push me over.  A boast meaning "I can hold my own even in the face of difficulties." 
Me ka Ha`aha`a, Kumu Kaulana