I was so fortunate to be able to have a career that I loved. As an educator for 45 years - the last 15 as a principal - every day was a new beginning, an opportunity to make a difference for someone. From my first day on the job until my last, I continued to learn. I chuckle at my naïveté when I began; I didn’t realize how challenging it is to be a teacher and how much effort it takes to truly make a difference for our students, their families, and the school community. Even on the most difficult days, though, I was able to reflect and find something positive that happened that day. That’s what kept me going all those years.
The role of educators is not easy; we are entrusted with our nation’s most precious resource - our children. Our students’ perspectives - their voices - are so important as we seek to engage them as learners. Our responsibility is to work with our school community to empower our students with the skills and tools they will need to solve the problems they will face now and in the future. We prepare them for the world they will inherit.
Schools around our state and in our nation are reinventing themselves to become relevant in the 21st century. Social media provides the opportunity to learn with and from other schools and educators. It is not enough, however, to just share photos of our school, our students, our staff, or our events. Let’s share our stories as well - our challenges as well as our successes. Additionally, social media can be a vital part of our professional development, and by sharing links to blogs, articles, podcasts, or videos, by participating in edchats, asking questions of our colleagues, starting discussions, or sharing resources, we are elevating the education profession. And it doesn’t cost any money, just a commitment of time.
Let’s get more educators on social media!
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Equity in Education
In Hawai`i, 20% of students attend private schools, a higher-than-average number when compared to other states. Recently, a teacher shared on Twitter about the equity gap that exists between private schools and public schools here in Hawai`i. She pointed out the tuition at private schools ($15,000-$26,000/year) and the experiences those students have (such as class trips to Australia) that her public school students would never have. As teacher Sarah Milianta-Laffin states, “Private school money isn’t just buying access to different technology, it’s buying access to a different life.”
I don’t blame private school parents for wanting the best for their children. (Full disclosure: our older two sons attended a private school; tuition was high, but as parents, we were willing to make the sacrifice so our sons could benefit from the opportunities they might not have had in public schools. We never regretted our decision.) I don’t blame private schools who often have alumni with big pockets who are more-than-willing to make large donations to their alma mater. I don’t blame private school teachers who just want to do the best for their students like their counterparts in public schools.
It’s not a problem of private schools having too much; the problem is that public schools don’t have enough. As a public school principal, I know how difficult it was to take our limited funds and to craft a budget that provided our students with a well-rounded education, one that included not just academics, but fine arts and physical education, as well as supports for students and teachers. As a larger elementary school, we had more choices than smaller schools, hiring teachers for drama and physical education as well as a part-time art teacher. Many schools don’t have those kinds of choices or they have to apply for grants or rely on their Parent-Teacher Organization to fundraise to provide students with non-academic experiences. All students need those opportunities.
I follow many Hawai'i educators on Twitter, and I am constantly amazed at how much they give of their time to provide their students with amazing opportunities - Robotics, video productions, place-based project based learning, musical performances, designing and painting murals, participating in student marches - these are just a snippet of what our public school students are doing. Educators are sharing via their tweets or Instagram posts, podcasts, videos, or blogs. They share their successes as well as challenges, and they encourage each other to keep going, making suggestions when a colleague may be feeling discouraged. They plan their own professional development sessions such as W-RITE or EdCamp or 808Unconferences and spend “spare” time continuing to learn with other like-minded educators. I doubt that the public is aware of how much our educators sacrifice for their students.
The equity divide between private and public schools will only grow wider if we don’t do anything to increase the funding pot for public schools. Years ago, I asked a state senator why the Legislature couldn’t increase the General Excise Tax by 0.5% with the additional funds solely dedicated to the Department of Education. He shared that it is always unpopular for legislators to increase taxes, and there would be little support for such a bill. Even for our kids? Yes, even for our kids. 😞 (Maybe that can be changed. 😊) Private schools can fundraise to upgrade their buildings; our school (Daniel K. Inouye Elementary) was fortunate to be able to apply for a Department of Defense grant for our project because we are on a military base. What funds exist for other public schools, many of which are old and in need of renovations? Legislators advocate for their schools, but there is never enough money to go around, and schools sometimes have to wait for their chance. A few years ago, the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs proposed and the 2013 State Legislature approved Act 155. “This Act requires the Department of Education (DOE) to identify three school-related sites that could generate revenue through a public-private partnership (P3) or other mechanisms to create a source of funding for the construction of new schools and enhancement of existing schools into state-of-the-art learning environments.” I look forward to seeing how such a public-private partnership can work to enhance the learning environments for our students. Wouldn’t it be great to ensure the success of this type of partnership?
Lastly, I hope educators continue to share their stories about their students and invite the public to be partners as we prepare our students for their future. It will take all of us - not just educators - to ensure that the divide between public and private schools does not get wider. Let’s work together to ensure that public schools have sufficient funds to provide their students with a quality education. Our students and our schools deserve it!
I don’t blame private school parents for wanting the best for their children. (Full disclosure: our older two sons attended a private school; tuition was high, but as parents, we were willing to make the sacrifice so our sons could benefit from the opportunities they might not have had in public schools. We never regretted our decision.) I don’t blame private schools who often have alumni with big pockets who are more-than-willing to make large donations to their alma mater. I don’t blame private school teachers who just want to do the best for their students like their counterparts in public schools.
It’s not a problem of private schools having too much; the problem is that public schools don’t have enough. As a public school principal, I know how difficult it was to take our limited funds and to craft a budget that provided our students with a well-rounded education, one that included not just academics, but fine arts and physical education, as well as supports for students and teachers. As a larger elementary school, we had more choices than smaller schools, hiring teachers for drama and physical education as well as a part-time art teacher. Many schools don’t have those kinds of choices or they have to apply for grants or rely on their Parent-Teacher Organization to fundraise to provide students with non-academic experiences. All students need those opportunities.
I follow many Hawai'i educators on Twitter, and I am constantly amazed at how much they give of their time to provide their students with amazing opportunities - Robotics, video productions, place-based project based learning, musical performances, designing and painting murals, participating in student marches - these are just a snippet of what our public school students are doing. Educators are sharing via their tweets or Instagram posts, podcasts, videos, or blogs. They share their successes as well as challenges, and they encourage each other to keep going, making suggestions when a colleague may be feeling discouraged. They plan their own professional development sessions such as W-RITE or EdCamp or 808Unconferences and spend “spare” time continuing to learn with other like-minded educators. I doubt that the public is aware of how much our educators sacrifice for their students.
The equity divide between private and public schools will only grow wider if we don’t do anything to increase the funding pot for public schools. Years ago, I asked a state senator why the Legislature couldn’t increase the General Excise Tax by 0.5% with the additional funds solely dedicated to the Department of Education. He shared that it is always unpopular for legislators to increase taxes, and there would be little support for such a bill. Even for our kids? Yes, even for our kids. 😞 (Maybe that can be changed. 😊) Private schools can fundraise to upgrade their buildings; our school (Daniel K. Inouye Elementary) was fortunate to be able to apply for a Department of Defense grant for our project because we are on a military base. What funds exist for other public schools, many of which are old and in need of renovations? Legislators advocate for their schools, but there is never enough money to go around, and schools sometimes have to wait for their chance. A few years ago, the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs proposed and the 2013 State Legislature approved Act 155. “This Act requires the Department of Education (DOE) to identify three school-related sites that could generate revenue through a public-private partnership (P3) or other mechanisms to create a source of funding for the construction of new schools and enhancement of existing schools into state-of-the-art learning environments.” I look forward to seeing how such a public-private partnership can work to enhance the learning environments for our students. Wouldn’t it be great to ensure the success of this type of partnership?
Lastly, I hope educators continue to share their stories about their students and invite the public to be partners as we prepare our students for their future. It will take all of us - not just educators - to ensure that the divide between public and private schools does not get wider. Let’s work together to ensure that public schools have sufficient funds to provide their students with a quality education. Our students and our schools deserve it!
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
I Found My Voice through Blogging
I am an introvert. I prefer small group or 1:1 conversations over large group presentations. I have opinions and thoughts but have never felt comfortable standing up and speaking my mind. Yet, I knew that as an educator and a school leader, it was important for me to share my thoughts and opinions especially when the issue impacted our school community.
I found my voice through blogging.
I started blogging back in 2012 after reading that “Blogging is the New Persuasive Essay.” This was when schools began implementing the Common Core State Standards, and persuasive writing was emphasized. I decided that if blogging was good for students, I needed to try it out first. It was challenging, (See my blog from July 2012.) but through the process, I found my voice. I began sharing my thoughts, challenges, successes, questions, and frustrations. There were times when I was so concerned that I immediately started a blog post. Fortunately, I saved it as a draft and didn’t publish it; after some time to cool off and to see things more clearly, I realized that I was either misinformed or had overreacted or it really wasn’t that important in the long run. So I deleted that draft. Blogging gave me a venue to make my thoughts visible to the public. I like to think that the reader makes a connection with my blog and has some sort of reaction: they agree; they disagree; or it’s not relevant.
For students, persuasive writing is not about writing for the teacher but writing for a wider audience. It is not about telling students how to respond to a persuasive writing question on a standardized test. Rather, it is about students asking questions, researching to see different viewpoints of an issue, and then taking a stand, explaining their reasons to the audience. It is about producing quality writing that students can be proud of and being open to receiving comments from readers. Persuasive writing is about writing, reading, and thinking. The writer writes a blog post; others read the blog and think about what the writer had to say. They may agree; they may disagree, or they may have further questions. They can respond to the writer or they can reflect on how the blog impacted him/her. Persuasive writing is about reading and reflecting, on expanding our viewpoints beyond ourselves.
Recently, teachers in our state formed W-RITE, a safe supportive community focused on writing. As the group grows to include W-RITE communities on all islands, I envision a site where educators can share their blogs or their writings to get feedback from their peers. After all, those reflective or clarifying questions or comments will not only help us to improve as writers, it will help us be better teachers of writing, and our students will then benefit.
I finally found my voice when I began blogging, and writing became important to me. If I had not stuck with it all these years, I know I would not have had the confidence to write a book. (Leading with Aloha: From the Pineapple Fields to the Principal’s Office) I hope that more educators will see the value in writing and reflecting and publishing their writings. It might be a step out of your comfort zone, but as the old adage states, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." You might be surprised at how empowering blogging can be!
I found my voice through blogging.
I started blogging back in 2012 after reading that “Blogging is the New Persuasive Essay.” This was when schools began implementing the Common Core State Standards, and persuasive writing was emphasized. I decided that if blogging was good for students, I needed to try it out first. It was challenging, (See my blog from July 2012.) but through the process, I found my voice. I began sharing my thoughts, challenges, successes, questions, and frustrations. There were times when I was so concerned that I immediately started a blog post. Fortunately, I saved it as a draft and didn’t publish it; after some time to cool off and to see things more clearly, I realized that I was either misinformed or had overreacted or it really wasn’t that important in the long run. So I deleted that draft. Blogging gave me a venue to make my thoughts visible to the public. I like to think that the reader makes a connection with my blog and has some sort of reaction: they agree; they disagree; or it’s not relevant.
For students, persuasive writing is not about writing for the teacher but writing for a wider audience. It is not about telling students how to respond to a persuasive writing question on a standardized test. Rather, it is about students asking questions, researching to see different viewpoints of an issue, and then taking a stand, explaining their reasons to the audience. It is about producing quality writing that students can be proud of and being open to receiving comments from readers. Persuasive writing is about writing, reading, and thinking. The writer writes a blog post; others read the blog and think about what the writer had to say. They may agree; they may disagree, or they may have further questions. They can respond to the writer or they can reflect on how the blog impacted him/her. Persuasive writing is about reading and reflecting, on expanding our viewpoints beyond ourselves.
Recently, teachers in our state formed W-RITE, a safe supportive community focused on writing. As the group grows to include W-RITE communities on all islands, I envision a site where educators can share their blogs or their writings to get feedback from their peers. After all, those reflective or clarifying questions or comments will not only help us to improve as writers, it will help us be better teachers of writing, and our students will then benefit.
I finally found my voice when I began blogging, and writing became important to me. If I had not stuck with it all these years, I know I would not have had the confidence to write a book. (Leading with Aloha: From the Pineapple Fields to the Principal’s Office) I hope that more educators will see the value in writing and reflecting and publishing their writings. It might be a step out of your comfort zone, but as the old adage states, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." You might be surprised at how empowering blogging can be!
I was able to share about my writing with educators at W-RITE earlier this summer.
The group is growing as educators commit to supporting each other in their writing.
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Please Consider Being an Organ Donor
This past weekend, we were invited to attend a Nevada Donor Network’s Donor Remembrance Event to thank the families and friends of recent organ donors. Randy and I decided to make the trip to Las Vegas and to attend the event with our son, Justin, and our grandsons, Jace and Jayden. We wanted to honor the memory of our second son, Jarand and his unselfishness in becoming an organ donor. Nevada Donor Network was able to harvest his corneas to give sight to two people and thus improved their quality of life.
The convention room was filled with people, young and old. It was somber but also uplifting to know that somehow, all of us were connected by our loved one’s decision to become an organ donor. As I read through the book and viewed the slide show, I was overwhelmed by the stories of how each person made a difference, most of them to strangers, by their simple act of checking the box on their driver’s license. In fact, that’s why Nevada Donor Network contacted us - because Jarand checked that box.
The keynote presenter was Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.M., and Rear Admiral, USPHS (Retired). That convention room was silent as he shared grim data about organ donation and transplantation: 113,000+ names in the United States for those needing an organ donation; 18 people on that list passing away each hour, never having had their opportunity to receive a transplant. He asked us to visualize the new Las Vegas Raiders Stadium that is presently being built and which will hold 65,000 fans. I pictured that in my mind and could only shake my head. Then Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu shared that his wife, Donna Moritsugu had passed away in an automobile accident 27 years ago, and different organs were transplanted into people, thereby giving them a new opportunity at life. Four years after that, his 21-year-old daughter, Vikki Lynn Moritsugu was hit by an automobile and her organs were also donated so others could have an improved quality of life. The Moritsugu family took two tragic events and turned them into opportunities to make a positive difference for others.
One day, medicine and technology will merge and make it possible for organ donation and transplantation to be unnecessary. Until then, society will rely on ordinary people like Jarand to be organ donors.
I was filled with an array of emotions on Saturday. I was proud of our son for being an organ donor; it validates what a selfless person he was. I was also filled with an overwhelming sense of loss, not just for Jarand, but for all the donors and their families. I also felt gratitude for those who benefited and now have an opportunity to live a better life. At the event, there were donor recipients who shared their stories and showed their medals about the Transplant Games, an Olympics-style event for those who received transplants and are now living active lives. They were inspirational.
If you are not presently an organ donor, I hope you will consider becoming one. It’s so easy to just check the box on your driver’s license. If you would like more information about organ donation in Hawaii, check out the link for Legacy of Life.
I want to thank Nevada Donor Network for inviting us to share in this very special event.
The convention room was filled with people, young and old. It was somber but also uplifting to know that somehow, all of us were connected by our loved one’s decision to become an organ donor. As I read through the book and viewed the slide show, I was overwhelmed by the stories of how each person made a difference, most of them to strangers, by their simple act of checking the box on their driver’s license. In fact, that’s why Nevada Donor Network contacted us - because Jarand checked that box.
The keynote presenter was Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.M., and Rear Admiral, USPHS (Retired). That convention room was silent as he shared grim data about organ donation and transplantation: 113,000+ names in the United States for those needing an organ donation; 18 people on that list passing away each hour, never having had their opportunity to receive a transplant. He asked us to visualize the new Las Vegas Raiders Stadium that is presently being built and which will hold 65,000 fans. I pictured that in my mind and could only shake my head. Then Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu shared that his wife, Donna Moritsugu had passed away in an automobile accident 27 years ago, and different organs were transplanted into people, thereby giving them a new opportunity at life. Four years after that, his 21-year-old daughter, Vikki Lynn Moritsugu was hit by an automobile and her organs were also donated so others could have an improved quality of life. The Moritsugu family took two tragic events and turned them into opportunities to make a positive difference for others.
One day, medicine and technology will merge and make it possible for organ donation and transplantation to be unnecessary. Until then, society will rely on ordinary people like Jarand to be organ donors.
I was filled with an array of emotions on Saturday. I was proud of our son for being an organ donor; it validates what a selfless person he was. I was also filled with an overwhelming sense of loss, not just for Jarand, but for all the donors and their families. I also felt gratitude for those who benefited and now have an opportunity to live a better life. At the event, there were donor recipients who shared their stories and showed their medals about the Transplant Games, an Olympics-style event for those who received transplants and are now living active lives. They were inspirational.
If you are not presently an organ donor, I hope you will consider becoming one. It’s so easy to just check the box on your driver’s license. If you would like more information about organ donation in Hawaii, check out the link for Legacy of Life.
I want to thank Nevada Donor Network for inviting us to share in this very special event.
We received a book that shared about the donors. This is Jarand’s page.
There was a slide show with photos of the donors as well as displays about some of the donors.
Each donor’s family received a small jar of colored sand which we added to the larger container. Now we are all connected to the other donors and their families and friends.
The Red Rock Casino Convention Center Ballroom was filled with people.
Each donor received this very special medal. Jarand, we are proud of you.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
“Ho`oha`aheo” Public School Proud
I was honored to be asked to write an article for the September 2019 issue of Ho`oha`aheo, the newsletter for the Hawaii Department of Education. I thought I’d share the article here.
I wasn’t quite 5 years old when I stepped foot into my kindergarten classroom at brand-new Helemano Elementary School in Whitmore Village, north of Wahiawa, Oahu. I was in awe - new friends, new books, new activities, and a teacher - Miss Okihara, whom I adored. It was sometime during my first year in school that I decided that I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I never lost sight of my goal, and after graduating from Leilehua High School, I obtained my teaching degree from the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
There were no jobs at the time for those of us who majored in elementary education, so I was fortunate to be hired by the Head Start program. I was thrilled to have my own classroom in a former Japanese language school that I attended when I was in elementary school. It was old and had been vacant for a long time, but we brightened it and turned it into a classroom where our students would gain the skills they needed to be successful when they entered elementary school.
After 15 years with Head Start, I was finally hired at the Department of Education, teaching first at Wheeler Elementary School and then opening a new high tech school, Mililani Mauka Elementary. I loved being a teacher! Every student was different; every one was special, and building relationships and helping them to grow socially, academically, and emotionally was so rewarding. I felt so lucky to be doing something I really loved.
At the suggestion of my principal, I decided to pursue educational administration, and for the last 15 years of my career, I was the principal of Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School (aka Hale Kula Elementary). It was a truly wonderful experience working in a school community where 98% of our students were from military families. These families faced unique challenges such as transitions and deployments, and our school became their `ohana. I believe that our military students and their families are the perfect ambassadors for our Hawai`i schools, sharing the aloha spirit wherever their paths may lead them in the future.
When I retired in July 2018, I decided to write a book, and in July 2019, my book was published. Leading with Aloha: From the Pineapple Fields to the Principal’s Office shares how my humble roots growing up in a pineapple plantation village strengthened the core values and beliefs that helped me to lead our school with aloha - love, compassion, empathy, and respect. The process of writing and publishing a book was more difficult than I thought, but the opportunity to share my story motivated me to persevere.
I encourage all educators to reflect and to write about their own personal and professional experiences - the successes and the challenges - because we can learn from each other. I cannot think of a more rewarding profession than being an educator; we should be proud to share our stories!
I wasn’t quite 5 years old when I stepped foot into my kindergarten classroom at brand-new Helemano Elementary School in Whitmore Village, north of Wahiawa, Oahu. I was in awe - new friends, new books, new activities, and a teacher - Miss Okihara, whom I adored. It was sometime during my first year in school that I decided that I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I never lost sight of my goal, and after graduating from Leilehua High School, I obtained my teaching degree from the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
There were no jobs at the time for those of us who majored in elementary education, so I was fortunate to be hired by the Head Start program. I was thrilled to have my own classroom in a former Japanese language school that I attended when I was in elementary school. It was old and had been vacant for a long time, but we brightened it and turned it into a classroom where our students would gain the skills they needed to be successful when they entered elementary school.
After 15 years with Head Start, I was finally hired at the Department of Education, teaching first at Wheeler Elementary School and then opening a new high tech school, Mililani Mauka Elementary. I loved being a teacher! Every student was different; every one was special, and building relationships and helping them to grow socially, academically, and emotionally was so rewarding. I felt so lucky to be doing something I really loved.
At the suggestion of my principal, I decided to pursue educational administration, and for the last 15 years of my career, I was the principal of Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School (aka Hale Kula Elementary). It was a truly wonderful experience working in a school community where 98% of our students were from military families. These families faced unique challenges such as transitions and deployments, and our school became their `ohana. I believe that our military students and their families are the perfect ambassadors for our Hawai`i schools, sharing the aloha spirit wherever their paths may lead them in the future.
When I retired in July 2018, I decided to write a book, and in July 2019, my book was published. Leading with Aloha: From the Pineapple Fields to the Principal’s Office shares how my humble roots growing up in a pineapple plantation village strengthened the core values and beliefs that helped me to lead our school with aloha - love, compassion, empathy, and respect. The process of writing and publishing a book was more difficult than I thought, but the opportunity to share my story motivated me to persevere.
I encourage all educators to reflect and to write about their own personal and professional experiences - the successes and the challenges - because we can learn from each other. I cannot think of a more rewarding profession than being an educator; we should be proud to share our stories!
Monday, September 9, 2019
“Most Likely to Succeed in Hawaii”
I’ve been retired for a little over a year now, but that doesn’t mean that I am no longer interested in education issues. On the contrary, I probably have more time now to delve deeper and to decide how I want to stay involved.
Last week, I agreed to be a mentor for Hawaii Innovative Leaders Network 2.0. I was a member of the first HILN cohort, and it was the best professional development I received as a principal. When I first began HILN 1.0, I was a bit hesitant because I had never interacted with any of the other participants prior to being a part of this PD. By the end, though, I considered all of those school leaders as not just colleagues, but friends. Today, I reflected on my experiences (see my blog), and I know why HILN was so valuable to me as a school leader. It was the culture of trust, the realization that we were at different places in our journey, but that we all were striving to engage and empower our students and our staff to make a difference in this world through project-based learning. It is evident that HILN 2.0 is a dynamic group of school leaders. Many are young and just starting their journey as administrators, but already, they are confident in who they are and what they hope and dream for their schools. Others are more experienced, but they are excited and open to new ideas so that their schools will benefit.
Our schools and our leaders in Hawaii are going through some pretty significant changes that are positively impacting our students. I see many more schools using social media to share not only what is going on but also to engage in conversations with others about “What School Could Be.” I am thrilled! This was something I hoped for, where schools in Hawaii are much more open about sharing successes as well as challenges. Educators are supporting each other in their writing; they are planning un-conferences; they are hosting ed chats, and recently, a “Most Likely to Succeed in Hawaii” podcast launched. I’ll be honest; I don’t listen very often to podcasts, but I really enjoyed the first two episodes and can’t wait to hear more from outstanding school leaders! I wished that these podcasts had been available when I was a principal so I could have connected and learned from others.
This is a great time to be an educator! Let’s show the rest of the country “What School Could Be” in Hawaii!
Last week, I agreed to be a mentor for Hawaii Innovative Leaders Network 2.0. I was a member of the first HILN cohort, and it was the best professional development I received as a principal. When I first began HILN 1.0, I was a bit hesitant because I had never interacted with any of the other participants prior to being a part of this PD. By the end, though, I considered all of those school leaders as not just colleagues, but friends. Today, I reflected on my experiences (see my blog), and I know why HILN was so valuable to me as a school leader. It was the culture of trust, the realization that we were at different places in our journey, but that we all were striving to engage and empower our students and our staff to make a difference in this world through project-based learning. It is evident that HILN 2.0 is a dynamic group of school leaders. Many are young and just starting their journey as administrators, but already, they are confident in who they are and what they hope and dream for their schools. Others are more experienced, but they are excited and open to new ideas so that their schools will benefit.
Our schools and our leaders in Hawaii are going through some pretty significant changes that are positively impacting our students. I see many more schools using social media to share not only what is going on but also to engage in conversations with others about “What School Could Be.” I am thrilled! This was something I hoped for, where schools in Hawaii are much more open about sharing successes as well as challenges. Educators are supporting each other in their writing; they are planning un-conferences; they are hosting ed chats, and recently, a “Most Likely to Succeed in Hawaii” podcast launched. I’ll be honest; I don’t listen very often to podcasts, but I really enjoyed the first two episodes and can’t wait to hear more from outstanding school leaders! I wished that these podcasts had been available when I was a principal so I could have connected and learned from others.
This is a great time to be an educator! Let’s show the rest of the country “What School Could Be” in Hawaii!
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Mahalo for a Wonderful Morning!
Earlier this week, I was invited to a Kau Kea`au Pahoa Complex Principals Meeting to share about my book Leading with Aloha: From the Pineapple Fields to the Principal’s Office as well as my experiences as a principal. I wasn’t sure what to expect. During a phone conference with Complex Area Staff, I shared that I preferred that it be a conversation rather than a presentation. My husband Randy and I got up early for the plane ride and arrived at the meeting at about 8:30 a.m. We were greeted warmly with music, hugs, lei, and food. I immediately felt at-ease.
I shared a bit about why I wrote my book, and principals had an opportunity to ask questions or to participate in discussions about issues like Early Learning and Project-Based Learning. I have strong opinions about these issues, and I encouraged the principals to share their thoughts with others. After I had completed my book-signing and Randy and I were ready to leave, the KKP Complex Area Team stood and together, they sang an Oli Mahalo to us. It was so touching; I cannot adequately put into words how that made us feel. The KKP Complex Area went through a challenging time in recent years due to the lava flow which threatened homes and schools and forced students and staff to relocate. From our comfortable homes on Oahu, we read or heard about how the Complex and the Department came up with a plan that ensured the safety of the 1,700 students and 300 employees who were impacted by the lava flow as well as other health and safety issues. Everything is now back-to-normal, and students returned to their home schools. Perhaps, though, that coming together as a Complex Area will have a long-lasting impact that will benefit all of their students.
Thank you, KKP Complex Area principals and staff, for a wonderful day and for sharing your aloha with Randy and me! We are humbled.
I shared a bit about why I wrote my book, and principals had an opportunity to ask questions or to participate in discussions about issues like Early Learning and Project-Based Learning. I have strong opinions about these issues, and I encouraged the principals to share their thoughts with others. After I had completed my book-signing and Randy and I were ready to leave, the KKP Complex Area Team stood and together, they sang an Oli Mahalo to us. It was so touching; I cannot adequately put into words how that made us feel. The KKP Complex Area went through a challenging time in recent years due to the lava flow which threatened homes and schools and forced students and staff to relocate. From our comfortable homes on Oahu, we read or heard about how the Complex and the Department came up with a plan that ensured the safety of the 1,700 students and 300 employees who were impacted by the lava flow as well as other health and safety issues. Everything is now back-to-normal, and students returned to their home schools. Perhaps, though, that coming together as a Complex Area will have a long-lasting impact that will benefit all of their students.
Thank you, KKP Complex Area principals and staff, for a wonderful day and for sharing your aloha with Randy and me! We are humbled.
Singing the Oli Mahalo to Randy and me
The KKP Complex Area principals and staff
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| Such a cute bag of Big Island goodies |
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