What a crazy, unpredictable school year this has been for all of us! I know I keep saying this but I must say it again- thank you SO MUCH for continuing to stay together (Unity) and for having Patience and Serenity with each other and yourself (these are hard times for everyone!). I recently shared with the staff to just focus on the things we can control and take brave breaths daily to deal with the things outside of our control. 

 

Let's stop and take a quick moment to reflect. We have never, ever experienced a pandemic like this during our lifetime and I must say we are all doing pretty good! I do want to applaud our entire community for the collective courage we have used to get through three-quarters of school! Wow! Our teachers and staff have been trying their best to balance the needs of their students and the needs of their own families. Parents, you have done an excellent job working with the school and teachers, and navigating technology to figure things out one day at a time.

 

To our students- CONGRATULATIONS for figuring things out as best as you could! You have shown your teachers and your parents' grit, perseverance, and commitment as you logged on daily and completed work that sometimes you did on your own. From me to you kids- GREAT JOB!

 

Finally, as we head towards the 4th quarter, please know we are trying our best to adjust where we can so that we can meet each child right where they are at. Please work with your teacher as we follow this increased "ramp up" in-person learning schedule.

 

 

 

 

 

Second-quarter of this unique year is quickly coming to a close and I wanted to take a moment to have us pause and reflect on the sometimes seemingly insurmountable situations we collectively overcame. 2020 was not an easy year for anyone. Our worlds were flipped upside down as we all navigated COVID at home, at work, and in our society. It has been a pandemic focused challenge! Yet through it all, the biggest bucket filler I could possibly give is our ability to persevere. Mr. Kunihisa often reminds me that one's character is revealed during adversity and not during smooth sailing. With that in mind, I do want to say how proud I am of our Kanoelani character. To our entire faculty and staff and to you parents and students, I want to say THANK YOU for showing unity, patience, and serenity as best as we could.

 

As we watch the numbers carefully, we are planning a reopening back to a blended mode of learning. After all of our families had time to discuss and select whether to return to school in person or "opt-in" to a full distance mode for the entire second semester, we began planning our schedule. The finalized calendar and daily schedule will be shared to all families prior to the Winter Break. Please note that we worked tirelessly to ensure that all safety measures are in place to protect everyone as much as possible.

 

I have never been as reassured or inspired as I have been observing our collective responses to this year. Our teachers pulled together and provided the best education they could; our families so willingly donated food to those who were in need and helped fund new computers for our teachers; our students stepped up to the plate and showed up online and finally, our incredible custodial and office staff worked day in and day out to keep operations running and our campus sanitized daily! Mahalo for your support during 2020 and here's to a prosperous 2021!

 

Thank you so much for joining us at our annual Pumpkin Carving and first-ever Literary Drive-By Parade! What a much-needed break from the uphill climb of this pandemic. I couldn't stop cracking up watching our custodial staff dance to the tunes as we greeted all of the smiling faces! We all need to remember to stop and take a breath and most importantly, find time to LAUGH!!!

 

As we head towards reopening our school (contingent upon the numbers staying low enough to open in January) we have several next steps for you. 

We have worked tirelessly to ensure our campus is as safe as it possibly can be. We are fully stocked with PPEs (and extra for kids who need to use), have all of our sanitization procedures in place and health systems to ensure everyone stays healthy. Everything is set except for final decisions on calendar and schedules as this will shift according to the numbers on campus. For example, there is a big difference in appropriate structures if 200 students plan to stay home versus 20 total. Our goal is to confirm the final count in late November and get all information about the second semester to all families in December before Winter Break.

 

So in short, we need to hear from all of you! Please fill out the survey and share your decisions so that we can ensure our systems are best suited for our community needs! Mahalo for your patience and understanding as we work hard to plan for a return to school.

What a COVID crazy year this has been so far! I truly appreciate our collective efforts to practice Unity, Patience, and Serenity ("UPS" as in delivering instruction like our mail service). It looks like both the Complex Area Superintendent, as well as the Board of Education, feel strongly that public schools, in general, are not ready to open classrooms for all students in light of the continued concerns about the virus. To be honest, we are struggling with balancing reopening with safety during these delicate times. Through our recent parent survey, even our community is split almost down the middle about the timing of reopening.

 

What I ask is that we all give space and grace to each other and ourselves. We WILL get through this! Trust that we are doing the very best to stabilize our students, our families, and the school. Our hearts and minds are working overtime to continue to support students to ultimately Learn More, Care More, and Be More even during these challenging times.

 

In the second quarter, we will be increasing our counseling services, opening up new interest-based "fun" groups and finding creative ways to connect kids and families. Our focus will be on how to help kids socialize, find fun in other times besides during the school day, and possibly make some new friends. We will have a Drive-By Parade soon to see all of our students in person, host Parent Coffee Hours virtually (even though I don't drink coffee, I'll have some tea with you), and continue to communicate updates regularly. 

 

Please be sure to participate in our Family Challenges and find the silver linings behind each cloud that passes your way. Enjoy your break! We all deserve some down time.

Aloha Families of Kanoelani!!! 

 

What a crazy school year this has been so far with all of the twists and turns and unpredictable bends in the road. One thing will remain constant, and I read somewhere recently that this is actually a good thing. The only constant is CHANGE. Part of the good news is with a pandemic and in unstable health times, it is critical that the information changes, which ultimately reflects growth and development. So, although it can be very trying, our collective mindset is crucial. I choose to approach each twist and turn as a step closer to getting kids back in school full time! Practicing good hygiene and focusing on keeping each other healthy is imperative to getting back to a semblance of what was. 

 

Our attitude and approach to every day, every situation, and every moment will help continue to shape our community. My main message to all of you is short: our staff is going above and beyond and there is NO DOUBT about that. Every single person employed at Kanoelani is going that extra distance to deliver the best possible education. Teachers are staying up way past their bedtimes. Custodians are cleaning double time and the office staff are fielding calls about how to log on and troubleshoot. Please know that we are ALL committed to continuing to provide our excellent educational services for your child. Bottom line- WE GOT THIS!

 

Please continue to have Unity- with your child's teacher and your own family. Practice Patience- step away from the computer if you feel your blood boiling and take a breath before you speak, write, or even think negative thoughts. Now is NOT the time to be bucket dippers. And whatever it takes, have Serenity and stay calm even when you feel you might lose it. We are excited to bring you family challenges while we are in the Stay at Home order to give your family a fun task to do at home. 

 

If you need ANY help at all - please call us. Speak to one of our counselors or administrators if you just need someone to talk to or need some advice.

 

Counselors:

Administrators:

Office Phone Number: 307-3800

Hi families of Kanoelani,

This is Principal Kunihisa with updates about our reopening. First of all, rest assured that we have been working very hard to ensure a smooth and safe reopening of school for your children. Thank you for your continued patience and willingness to practice UPS - Unity, Patience, and Serenity as a community and we plan carefully.

The first day of school for all students, except Kindergarten, will be on August 5th, Wednesday. We have a Waiver Day on August 4th so the student start date is on Wednesday. For the first 9 days of school, we will have half days of school ending at 11:30 AM. 

Our school will be on a Hybrid schedule. This means all students in Grades K-2 will come to school daily. In addition, any special education and English Language Learners in grades Grade K-6 will also come daily. Grades 3-6 will be on a rotational schedule. 

I wanted to inform you that we will be mailing out our school calendar and school supply list by next Friday, July 10th. This information will also be posted on our website and social media. Included in this mailing and posting will be the rotational schedule for upper grades.

Our top priority is keeping everyone on campus safe.  We will be expecting students to come to school with their own face coverings, to practice social distancing, and healthy hygiene. Please continue to practice these at home and in the community. COVID will always be around so our goal is to minimize the risk for everyone. 

Finally, please mark your calendars for a virtual Open House to hear about our daily practices and learn how we will reopen safely. There will be a link to our virtual open house on July 23 at 10 am and repeated at 6 pm.  

Any new or incoming Kindergarten parents we will also be hosting a Welcome to Kanoelani meeting August 3 virtual meeting at 10 am and 6 pm.  

These virtual meetings repeat so you only need to attend one session. Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Good afternoon Kanoelani Ohana!

Tomorrow, Thursday, May 28, we will be having a Rainbows Drive-Bye. This will be a very special chance for your child to say “Goodbye” to our school and see some familiar faces. Please stay in your car at all times and drive by slowly and carefully. Grades Preschool-2 will be from 9:00 - 10:00 am and Grade 3-6 will be from 10:00 - 11:00 am.

6th graders! This is your final goodbye, please follow your teachers’ instructions and be ready with your name and teachers’ name on your dashboard when you drive in. Look for your surprise by our marquee tomorrow when you arrive. If you want to come back and take a picture by the sign please do so anytime next week from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Be sure if you do stop by, you practice social distancing.

School supply pick up and drop off will be held from June 1 - 5.  f your child’s last name is:

A-D =  Monday, June 1

E-K = Tuesday, June 2

L-P = Wednesday, June 3

Q-Z = Thursday, June 4. 

Make-ups = Friday, June 5 

Please note the times each day are from 8:00 - 10:00 am and 2:00 - 4:00 pm to accommodate our families.   

Finally report cards will be mailed out sometime next week so please expect them in your mailbox along with a copy of our final Chronicle. Know that as information comes out I will be contacting you over the summer with updates about our reopening for next year. Practice Unity, Patience, and Serenity as we head into a “new normal” for school and for life. Enjoy our summer break! 

Good Evening Kanoelani Families.  We have two important announcements for you.

 First of all, I want to personally thank you for being so patient with the major shift in schooling during this time. I will be honest, its been a steep learning curve for all of us and we really appreciate your partnership. As the school year ends, we would like to provide an opportunity for drop off and pick up of all school supplies. During the week of June 1- 5 we will have a systemic process that will be efficient and safe. Times will be designated according to the student's last name to support parents of multiple children. Please look for a letter home describing details regarding the week of June 1-5. On our website click on “School Pick Up Procedures” to obtain the schedule.  

In addition, we’ll be having a Rainbows Drive-By to close the school year. This will be a very special chance for your child to say “Goodbye” to our school and get closure by seeing some familiar faces.  Also in the mail going home you should find the flyer about the Rainbows Drive-By. On our website, you can click  “Rainbows Drive By” to obtain that schedule. 

This message will be posted on our website so if you missed anything you can use it for reference. Have a great ending of the school year. Until we meet again practice Unity, Patience, and Serenity. 

Aloha!

Aloha Kanoelani Ohana - this is Principal Kunihisa with a new update regarding enrichment learning opportunities for the week of March 30 - April 3.  

As stated in Superintendent Kishimoto’s March 24 letter to parents/guardians, “school facilities will be closed to students until at least April 30 and traditional in-school instruction is on hold until schools reopen.”  Students are expected to remain home through April 30. 

Kanoelani Elementary will provide continued student enrichment opportunities during this time.  Parents can access pdf copies of student work activities on our school website: kanoelani.org and can download and print.  Please note - these will not be graded and students will not be turning in any activities. Also - the state expectation is to have this ready by next week but because we have such an incredible team, they have it ready for you to see today.

For those of you who do not have internet access and would like a hard copy instead, pick up will be available from 10-12 on Monday, March 30 in the school parking lot.  There is a video of how we will be distributing activities on our website. If you are not able to view it, just show up between 10-12 next Monday.

We will be updating our website regularly so feel free to check back for the latest information as teachers continue to plan and update.  Please be patient with your child’s teacher and give them grace as they are planning and configuring learning with limited training in online learning. They are doing their very best. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us and we hope to work through this together.  On behalf of Kanoelani Elementary, please remember our UPS mantra- Unity, Patience, and Serenity. 

Finally, WE > ME!