Monthly Archives: August 2025

HAʻAHAʻA AND COOKING BACON

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Haʻahaʻa: to go empty, be empty…the practice is listening. A deep listening below the words in the conversation. Listen to the words and also listen for where the words are coming from. What is causing those words? From the cause, what is the intention of the person who is expressing the words? Where do the words go? Where do they not go? What are the responses to the words? What are the words that are not being heard or spoken?

Pilahi Paki as shared by Pono Shim to The Mānoa Heritage Center.

ALOHA FOCUS FOR THE WEEK: HAʻAHAʻA

Did you know that you should cook bacon starting in a cold pan? Before learning this last week, I always wondered why my bacon had a tendency to burn in my cast iron pan. Sure, some of the thinner pieces would come out nice and crispy. But those thicker slices would quickly blacken before getting fully cooked. 

Many recipes instruct you to heat your well oiled pan before adding in your ingredients. And my tendency is to mindlessly follow those directions. So when my food burns, I might wonder if I had the heat on too high, but I never question the directions as given.

Last Thursday, our Complex Area Superintendent, arranged for us principals to take a cooking class to build relationships and strengthen communication. We separated into four teams, each charged with preparing a portion of our lunch. Our kumu, Chef Kaimana Chee, grew up in Hauʻula and made a name for himself on the continent, competing in several competitions and winning numerous awards. Before becoming a chef, he fostered a passion for cooking by catering luau with his ʻohana. Back then, he learned to cook by watching and listening. Instructions were given and he followed. 

When Chef Kaimana moved to the continent and began teaching others to cook, he saw that his students were not satisfied with just listening. They wanted to understand why and they were not ashamed to ask for help. So they asked why? and Chef Kaimana observed that when his students understood the reason for his instructions, they became better cooks.

As Chef Kaimana explained the correct way to hold a knife and demonstrated why it provides the cook more leverage while keeping fingers safe, I could relate it to what we do at Kāneʻohe Elementary. Regardless of the subject, we strive to have students understand the why as an essential part of becoming expert learners. For example, with Eureka Math2, our new math program, our focus is to have students understand how numbers work and why different math concepts are important. Resultantly, as students deepen their understanding of math, they are more able to retain what they learned, become more flexible problem-solvers and are better equipped to apply math in everyday situations.

Regardless the context, students practice haʻahaʻa. They listen with emptiness, allowing the instructions to fill them up. But they are not passive. They seek clarity. They make connections to their past learning. They ask questions to understand. 

So why cook bacon starting on a cold pan? Chef Kaimana explained that because bacon is a fatty piece of meat, high heat will cause the fat to burn before the meat becomes fully cooked. Lower heat will help the bacon to cook evenly while the fat slowly melts. As a result, bacon will be perfectly crisp with lots of drippings for your use with fried rice or stir fried vegetables.

5 PURSUITS of HAʻAHAʻA

Inspired by Gholdy Muhammad

Please watch this: Quiet Please, Owen McPhee! written by Trudy Ludwig and illustrated by Patrice Barton. Then with you child, answer the following:

  • IDENTITY: Have you ever been asked to stop talking? Why? How did you feel about being told to stop talking? Ask your kupuna or makua to share about a time when they were a kid and told to stop talking.
  • SKILLS: Using evidence from the text, how do you think Owen’s behavior with his classmates changed after Friday?
  • INTELLECT: What is laryngitis? How do you think Owen got it? 
  • CRITICALITY: How might learning to be a better listener helped Owen to be included and more inclusive of others?
  • JOY: With your ʻohana practice your listening skills by playing Simon Says.

HOʻOMAIKAʻI 5TH GRADE

Over the first three weeks of school, instructors from the Castle Performing Arts Center (CPAC) along with the Alliance for Drama Education taught our 5th graders about performing and using their voice. During these sessions, students learned how to project their voices, act, sing, dance, and how to be on stage. All of their learning culminated with a performance for the students’ ʻohana at the Caste Theater. The students treated us to a wonderful show full of song, laughter, and pride. Mahalo nui loa to the CPAC educators and our 5th grade teachers: Mrs. Muniz, Mr. Henry, Mrs. Kulman, and Kumu Wells. 

SHOUT-OUTS AT PIKO

Did your kid’s team win a baseball championship? Did they finally master playing a song on the ukulele they’ve been practicing for months? Did they do an incredible act of aloha for one of their kupuna? Starting this week, we would like to include shout-outs at our daily piko to celebrate the accomplishments of our students outside of the school day. Please use this link to share a brief shout-out for your child that we can share at piko.

BUILDING A SENSE OF BELONGING

Over the past 6 years, we have focused on supporting our students so that they feel like they belong here at Kāneʻohe Elementary. We recognize their birthdays, build friendships, create Trust Agreements and ensure students are surrounded by caring adults. Since the pandemic, we’ve been tracking student responses indicating if they feel a sense of belonging on the Panorama Survey and consistently have been in the 90th percentile. While we are encouraged by this result, we are committed to getting all of our students feel a sense of belonging. One thing that can truly help us get every student feel like they belong is to start at home. There are lots of great tips here to help your child grow as someone who is kind, welcoming, and brave. 

CONTINUED PRACTICES:

NOʻAHUNA OF ALOHA

See Uncle Pono Shim explain the Noʻahuna, the esoteric meaning, of Aloha as taught to him by Aunty Pilahi, the Keeper of Secrets.

WEAR KĀNEʻOHE SHIRT WEDNESDAYS

Help us build unity and show our lōkahi by wearing a shirt that celebrates Kāneʻohe on Wednesdays. Wear any previous Fun Run or grade level shirt.

DAILY VIRTUAL PIKO

At the Daily Piko, we share thoughts on the Aloha value for the week which helps us become centered and ready to learn. We begin at 8 AM everyday except Wednesdays when we meet in-person. If you would like to share your reflections on the week’s Aloha value, please contact me.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Aug 274:30 – 5:30 PM KES School Community Council Mtg virtual Agenda and Minutes can be found on our KES Website
Sept 1Labor Day Holiday – no school
Sept 8 -12Aloha Akaka Week
Sept 19Waiver Day – no students
Sept 24School ends at 2:05 PM (switch with Fun Fair)
Sept 26School ends at 1:15 PM Fun Fair

ʻOLUʻOLU – CONNECT NOT CORRECT

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Gentle like carrying a baby…the practice is gentle strength. To be ‘olu‘olu is to be gentle in your relationship and acknowledging (or finding/recognizing) it’s significance to you. ‘Olu‘olu has the strong side as well and it is the unseen kuleana of gentle, “strength”. Gentle enough to not bruise or hurt baby but strong enough to carry the baby without dropping baby.Gentle like carrying a baby…the practice is gentle strength. To be ‘olu‘olu is to be gentle in your relationship and acknowledging (or finding/recognizing) it’s significance to you. ‘Olu‘olu has the strong side as well and it is the unseen kuleana of gentle, “strength”. Gentle enough to not bruise or hurt baby but strong enough to carry the baby without dropping baby.

Pilahi Paki as shared by Pono Shim to The Mānoa Heritage Center.

ALOHA FOCUS FOR THE WEEK: ʻOLUʻOLU

When I was a kid and learning something new, the typical way I was addressed when I made a mistake was to be yelled at. Whether it was judo or paddling, my sensei/coach would scold. Sometimes it was accompanied with a hundred ukemi, getting whipped with a splash of water, or having my intelligence insulted. I wasn’t singled out, that was the customary practice; every newbie that wasn’t a prodigy got yelled at.

In the days that followed, as my skills improved, the yelling subsided. For my sensei/coach, this validated their approach to teaching. The yelling appeared to yield results. Certainly, with more practice we all got better, but many of us did not continue in our pursuit of the activity. Attrition was high. For me, my parents told me to stick it out for at least a couple of years. But I quit immediately after given the opportunity. I stopped doing judo after getting my blue belt and spent only two seasons paddling. I did not find joy in either activity and did not expend any effort to do better than mediocre. Even winning medals did not serve to motivate me to practice harder. It did not seem worth the investment of time.

Forty-five years later, I am unsure if I would have gritted my teeth and stuck it out in either sport had I possessed above average talent. But I am certain that I might have continued to recreationally enjoy either had I not gotten a bad taste when I was first introduced to them. 

Yesterday, listening to a random podcast, Prue Leith, judge from The Great British Bake Off, captured my sentiments well. When asked about how she criticizes contestants without destroying their dreams, she replied with the following:

Jesse Tyler Ferguson: “Do you remember a time when you really struggled with crushing someone and also being honest and doing your job?

Prue Leith: “I had a cookery school with lots of students in it. And a restaurant and catering company. And people would come and go all the time. I quickly learned that if you are nasty to people, they don’t stay. It is in my nature to teach people or help them rather than put them down. So if I thought that was too salty, I wouldn’t say you put too much salt in that naughty boy. I would say, you know what? That tomato is absolutely delicious and it is really really good. Feta has quite a lot of salt in it so if I was you, I would go easier on the salt. And then they feel they are getting advice rather than getting a punch in the face.”

As we expose students to varied experiences, enabling them to discover their passions,  it’s important to keep perspective. For the vast majority, this activity may not be one in which they possess exceptional talent for, but may be something they could really learn to enjoy. Consequently, when they are learning and making mistakes, strive to connect with them…Help them connect with the experience. Help them understand why their mistakes are hindering them and how they can learn to improve. Help them find the joy of doing something well. As Pono Shim would say, “Connection not correction.”

5 PURSUITS of ʻOLUʻOLU 

Inspired by Gholdy Muhammad

Please watch this: Oliver Button is a Sissy written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Then with you child, answer the following:

BONUS: Watch a musical version of this story.

THE MISTAKE PARENTS MAKE WITH CHORES

As my son heads off to college at the end of this month, I worry if he will be ready to care for his living space and not live in squalor. While he does do his own laundry, cleans his room and bathroom, I wonder if he will continue to do this in his dorm without a parent reminding him. Further, according to Lucia Alcalá, a psychology professor at California State University at Fullerton who studies sociocultural and cognitive development, my son is like many other kids across the US whose “parents use chores to refer to tasks that solely benefit the child, such as cleaning their own room, rather than to duties that serve the whole family.” In doing so, they lose out on opportunities to do chores that benefit others while building executive functioning skills such as planning, problem-solving, and sustaining focus on long term goals, delaying gratification. In addition to this, researchers find many other benefits including boosting self-confidence, self-efficacy, and fine motor skills. Read the full article here to understand why it is important for our children to do chores.

CHAPTER 19

As a public school under the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, we are obligated to abide by Chapter 19 which serves as guide to maintaining the safety of our campus and the well-being of all of our students. Please see this letter for more information about Chapter 19 and the DOE’s safety program.

CONTINUED PRACTICES:

NOʻAHUNA OF ALOHA

See Uncle Pono Shim explain the Noʻahuna, the esoteric meaning, of Aloha as taught to him by Aunty Pilahi, the Keeper of Secrets.

WEAR KĀNEʻOHE SHIRT WEDNESDAYS

Help us build unity and show our lōkahi by wearing a shirt that celebrates Kāneʻohe on Wednesdays. Wear any previous Fun Run or grade level shirt.

DAILY VIRTUAL PIKO

At the Daily Piko, we share thoughts on the Aloha value for the week which helps us become centered and ready to learn. We begin at 8 AM everyday except Wednesdays when we meet in-person. If you would like to share your reflections on the week’s Aloha value, please contact me.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Aug 205:30 – 7 PM KES Ohana Mtg in-person @ KES Library
Aug 274:30 – 5:30 PM KES School Community Council Mtg virtual
Sept 1Labor Day Holiday – no school
Sept 8 -12Aloha Akaka Week
Sept 19Waiver Day – no students
Sept 24School ends at 2:05 PM (switch with Fun Fair)
Sept 26School ends at 1:15 PM Fun Fair

LŌKAHI AND INVISIBLE CONNECTIONS

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He waiwai nui ka lōkahi #977
Unity is a precious possession

Pukui, Mary Kawena, (1983). ʻŌlelo Noʻeau

ALOHA FOCUS FOR THE WEEK: LŌKAHI

Along Mokulele, at the border of our campus, Mr. Wali and our custodians have been growing a forest of native plants. Weaving throug]h the paths they’ve carved, you are likely to to find saplings of kukui sprouting from the soil. Hidden in the shade, deprived of sunlight, how do these saplings grow and thrive?

If we look beneath the surface, permeating the soil, we find dense threads of fungus surrounding and boring into the roots of the trees in the area. These interwoven fungi form the mycorrhizal network which enables plants to share water, nitrogen, carbon, sugars and other nutrients. In return the fungi also receive nourishment through the transferral process. 

Kūpuna trees, those with older, deeper roots and the tallest canopies most exposed to the sun are often the main source of water and nutrients for the younger saplings.

Through the mycorrhizal network, kūpuna also detect when the younger trees are threatened or stressed and in need of specific nutrients. The network helps the kūpuna care for the vulnerable keiki, transporting what the keiki needs. In this way, the health of the forest is dependent on the strength of this underground network of roots and fungi.

Similarly, Pono Shim described Lōkahi as the hidden connections that unite us; the bonds that cannot be broken. Upon these connections, our relationships strengthen and thrive. While fungi may not literally be connecting us, there are values, relationships and experiences that form our “network.” Our nutrients are the moʻolelo and acts of Akahai we share. Conflict too serves to unite us. As we cling to our connections while working through our differences, bonds become stronger. And though it can’t be seen, the Lōkahi we share, nurture and feel is a measure of the health of our community.

(Read more about the mycorrhizal network here and specifically in Hawaiʻi here.)

5 PURSUITS of LŌKAHI 

Inspired by Gholdy Muhammad

Please watch this: The Invisible written and illustrated by Tom Percival. Then with you child, answer the following:

  • IDENTITY: Ask and share with your makua and kūpuna, have you ever felt invisible? What made you feel that way? What makes you feel seen?
  • SKILLS: Is Isabel and the other people actually invisible? What does the author mean when he says they are invisible?
  • INTELLECT: “Isabel’s family couldn’t afford a lot of things. Things that some people take for granted.” What does it mean to “take for granted?”
  • CRITICALITY: Who are the invisible people in our school or in our kaiāulu? How might we see them and find lōkahai with them?
  • JOY: To avoid taking things for granted, create a Gratitude Jar to think about all the things you are grateful for in your life. Fill this jar with small, day-to-day things that make you safe and happy.
  1. Find yourself a clean empty jar, decorate it and attach a label that says “Gratitude Jar.” 
  2. Place the jar somewhere where it can be seen. 
  3. Take a moment each day or week to write down something that you are grateful/thankful for (make sure you add the date) and place them in the jar.
  4. Once a week or perhaps even every day! – open the jar and read through all of your notes as a reminder of the things to be grateful for.

WHAT KIDS TOLD US ABOUT HOW TO GET THEM OFF THEIR PHONES

The team from The Atlantic asked over 500 children, ages 8 – 12, “to pick their favorite way to spend time with friends: unstructured play, such as shooting hoops and exploring their neighborhood; participating in activities organized by adults, such as playing Little League and doing ballet; or socializing online.” Overwhelmingly, kids said  they want to meet up with friends in-person, “no screens or supervision.”

However, parents often prohibit children from playing unsupervised. Parents fear that something bad might happen if kids are left alone to play. So they are kept inside, playing with friends in the only venue where parents are not supervising – online. Granted, it’s human nature to overestimate risk, yet we don’t seem to grasp the full risk and dangers of online environments. For example, kids meet up on Roblox where they play with each other, as well as with strangers. The potential to come across an online predator aside, “Without real-world freedom, children don’t get the chance to develop competence, confidence, and the ability to solve everyday problems. Indeed, independence and unsupervised play are associated with positive mental-health outcomes.” Please read the full article for more about this issue and what might be potential solutions.

FREE VIRTUAL FALL MATH CAMP FOR 1ST, 2ND, & 3RD GRADERS

The Hawaii DOE is sponsoring a free virtual Fall Math Camp for Hawaiʻi public elementary school students (not including public charter schools) in the first, second, and third grades. The sessions will be held during fall break from October 8, 2025 to October 10, 2025, at either 8:30am – 10:00am or 10:30am – 12:00pm. Each session will be facilitated in partnership with two Hawaiʻi State Department of Education teachers and a University of Hawaiʻi College of Education pre-service teacher for groups of 20 students.

Registration will be open at 7:00pm on Friday, August 15, 2025, and close at 3:00pm on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, unless filled sooner. Students will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Register using the link in this flier:  https://bit.ly/Fall2025MCFlier.

CONTINUED PRACTICES:

NOʻAHUNA OF ALOHA

See Uncle Pono Shim explain the Noʻahuna, the esoteric meaning, of Aloha as taught to him by Aunty Pilahi, the Keeper of Secrets.

WEAR KĀNEʻOHE SHIRT WEDNESDAYS

Help us build unity and show our lōkahi by wearing a shirt that celebrates Kāneʻohe on Wednesdays. Wear any previous Fun Run or grade level shirt.

DAILY VIRTUAL PIKO

At the Daily Piko, we share thoughts on the Aloha value for the week which helps us become centered and ready to learn. We begin at 8 AM everyday except Wednesdays when we meet in-person. If you would like to share your reflections on the week’s Aloha value, please contact me.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Aug 15Hawaiʻi Statehood Day Holiday – no school
Aug 205:30 – 6:30 PM KES Ohana Mtg in-person @ KES Library
Aug 274:30 – 5:30 PM KES School Community Council Mtg virtual
Sept 1Labor Day Holiday – no school

AKAHAI AND THE NOʻAHUNA OF HANA

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Alu i ka hana me ke kuauaʻike like
Join together in the work with a unified mindset/perspective

Tim Sing, Kaleinani, (2025)

ALOHA FOCUS FOR THE WEEK: AKAHAI

“When Captain Cooke came to Hawaiʻi, they saw our effort. They saw our production. And they saw our effort as work,” recounted Pono Shim. He further explained that the Hawaiians at that time described this effort; their stewardship of the ʻāina; their care of each other as hana. However the colonizers, using a Western perspective, heard the word hana and defined it as work. Yet, work significantly simplifies and reduces the full meaning of hana.

Drawing from what Aunty Pilahi Paki shared with him, Pono said, “Hana – as we Ha, we NA.  As we express our Ha; as we share our Ha; as we go to a moment of emptiness, we NA. And what is NA? N comes from that word Nou  which means to unleash; to set free; to unbridle; to liberate. A…Akahai; kindness; grace. What is grace? Grace is you leave something better than you found it. So NA is unleashing grace.”  

This year, our theme, our ʻOlelo Naʻau comes from our VP Kalei Tim Sing. Inspired by the wisdom of Mary Kawena Pukui, who collected many wise sayings, Kalei haku’ed a adage that calls us to join together in the work with a unified mindset and perspective. But here, work is not just doing our jobs. It’s about unleashing grace. It’s about dedicating efforts to serve as stewards of Kāneʻohe Elementary – advancing learning while helping our community be more sustainable. 

It’s about dedicating efforts to inspire students to embrace learning and discover new passions. Ma ka hana ka ʻike. By immersing them in experiences where they apply their learning, students develop a love a learning. Further, exposure to novel occurrences, create opportunities for students to unearth new pursuits.

It’s about dedicating efforts to partner with families and the community. ‘Ike aku, ‘ike mai, kōkua aku, kōkua mai; pēlā iho la ka nohona ‘ohana. Just as our charge is to teach students and help them grow, we appreciate that our families, our kūpuna, and community leaders pass on wisdom to their children and expend great efforts to help them succeed. So when we partner with the benefit of our students as our lōkahi, our efforts are multiplied.

And it’s about dedicating efforts to cultivate aloha. Just as any garden thrives when efforts are made not just to dedicatedly water and fertilize, but to prune and weed, so must we continuously tend to our school culture. Aloha must be taught and modeled with intention. It also requires that it be expressed, corrected, and reflected upon.

Yes, this is our work. But more so, this is our hana. 

Learn more about Pono Shim’s teachings about hana here.

5 PURSUITS of AKAHAI 

Inspired by Gholdy Muhammad

Please watch this: The First Week of School written and illustrated by Drew Beckmeyer. Then with you child, answer the following:

  • IDENTITY: Share with your makua and kūpuna how you are feeling about the first week of school?
  • SKILLS: What words does “Nobody” use to describe their observations of the students, Pat, and the classroom? Infer what “Nobody” might be thinking about this experience.
  • INTELLECT: What is hatch crossing (or crosshatching)? View examples of this type of art work.
  • CRITICALITY: How does “Nobody” show akahai to the artist? What effect does it have on her and the rest of the class?
  • JOY: Make a new friend during this first week of school. Ask them about how they feel about the first week of school and what they do to make it enjoyable.

WELCOME BACK REMINDERS

The first day of school is quickly approaching and we are looking forward to having all of our students back on campus. Until then, here are a few reminders:

  • For students grades 1 – 6, the first day of school is August 5. 
  • For families of Kindergarten students, there is an orientation and supply drop-off on the morning of August 6.
  • Students are allowed on campus after 7:40 AM (except Aloha Ambassadors, those ordering breakfast from the cafe or those enrolled in Kamaʻāina Kids. See Drop-Off instructions here.
  • Pick-up begins at 2:05 PM M-T-Th-F / 1:15 PM W. If you want to wait on campus before dismissal, please park on the field. 
  • Both before and after school, please drive with aloha. This includes:
    • Not blocking the road, entrances and exits;
    • Being watchful for pedestrians (many of our students walk to/from school)
    • Obeying our staff who direct traffic – they are trying to keep things flowing and minimize the wait
    • Being patient with each other
  • Check-out our updated Kāneʻohe Elementary Website where you will find this year’s school calendar, bell schedule, and other important documents.
  • See our latest Kāneʻohe Elementary ʻOhana Handbook for updated meal prices, student rules/expectations, and other procedures and protocols.

New Language Arts Curriculum

We kick-off this year with a brand new Language Arts curriculum, EL Education. The curriculum is one of a few approved by the state for implementation. It also improves upon our former curriculum by providing students access to authentic, relevant, engaging reading material and is designed to strengthen their reading skills. Learn more here.

Do you really need to read to learn? What neuroscience says about reading versus listening

Both learning to read and to listen are incredibly important processes for your child’s brain development. According to a language scientist, “Whether reading a book or listening to a recording, the goal is the same: understanding. But these activities aren’t exactly alike. Each supports comprehension in different ways. Listening doesn’t provide all the benefits of reading, and reading doesn’t offer everything listening does. Both are important, but they are not interchangeable.” Consequently, we must continue to read to our children and we must encourage them to read to us. They benefit from hearing moʻolelo as well as sharing their stories. Read more here.

CONTINUED PRACTICES:

NOʻAHUNA OF ALOHA

See Uncle Pono Shim explain the Noʻahuna, the esoteric meaning, of Aloha as taught to him by Aunty Pilahi, the Keeper of Secrets.

WEAR KĀNEʻOHE SHIRT WEDNESDAYS

Help us build unity and show our lōkahi by wearing a shirt that celebrates Kāneʻohe on Wednesdays. Wear any previous Fun Run or grade level shirt.

DAILY VIRTUAL PIKO

At the Daily Piko, we share thoughts on the Aloha value for the week which helps us become centered and ready to learn. We begin at 8 AM everyday except Wednesdays when we meet in-person. If you would like to share your reflections on the week’s Aloha value, please contact me.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Aug 5First Day for Students Gr 1 – 6
Aug 68:30 – 10 AM Kindergarten ʻOhana Orientation & Supply Drop-Off
5:30 – 6:30 PM 6th grade parent meeting (in-person @ KES Cafe)
Aug 15Hawaiʻi Statehood Day Holiday – no school
Aug 205:30 – 6:30 PM KES Ohana Mtg in-person @ KES Library
Aug 274:30 – 5:30 PM KES School Community Council Mtg virtual
Sept 1Labor Day Holiday – no school