Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani Community Newsletter

Ka ʻĀhaʻilono ʻo Piʻilani

Aloha e Subscriber First Name

LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Aloha e nā ʻohana o Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani,

We are excited to announce that we have returned to in-person schooling. We love to see the keiki back on campus and have been able to return to a schedule that facilitates a blended platform for our fourth quarter instruction.

This fourth quarter is also a time where we are focusing on the important value of place based education, in the form of huakaʻi hele. For the next few Fridays, we will be traveling to Koʻieʻie Fishpond to learn ancestral fishing practices and fisheries management, Waihee Coastal trail to learn geology of near shore reef life, erosion and sand dunes management and all things related to kai. Kai is this quarterʻs thematic unit and what better way to immerse ourselves in all things ocean related, than to go to the shore.

This month, we will also be participating in the Kamehameha Day parade which will be a virtual experience where the students will showcase their lei making skills, and join in a parade around the school. We are asking that on April 30th, the keiki show up at school in aloha attire and with a handmade lei. They will be showcasing a hula kalaʻau to Oli Aloha No Wailuku, which they have been diligently practicing and preparing.

We also have the second round of vaccinations scheduled to be administered at the school on Thusday, April 22nd from 4-7pm. If you received your first vaccine at the school, please be sure to come here for the second dose.

Me ke aloha pumehana,

We have returned to In Person Learning for Quarter 4

Our return to in person learning for the last quarter of the year has been exciting and action packed. Our blended learning program has allowed for in person haumāna to learn on campus, while a distance learning option also allows for live streaming of our classroom lessons for those who choose to remain at home.

Strict adherence to social distance guidelines, mask requirements and continual hand washing continue to be implemented at school and are integral in our protocol as we educate students in person. We are thrilled to see the majority of keiki return to campus and are hopeful that these safety protocol will allow for in person schooling for the 2021-2022 school year.

COMMUNITY NEWS:

135 VACCINATIONS ADMINISTERED AT KE KULA ʻO PIʻILANI

Kaiser Health and Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani partner to bring the COVID-19 vaccine to culture keepers and the broader Native Hawaiian community of Maui County.

Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani hosted a vaccine clinic on Thursday, March 26th for individuals to get access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Doctors from Maui Memorial Medical Center and teachers and staff from Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani came together to run a clinic that administered over 100 vaccines to Maui locals. Their first shot was administered this month and the second dose will be given on April 22nd at the same time, in the same place. 

We at Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani are fortunate to have the opportunity to host such a necessary gathering at this powerful location. Families from all over the island and from multiple hula hālau gathered to assist one another in keeping their families safe and their communities thriving. 

With the influx of tourists onto the island each day during Spring Break, it became even more apparent that we need to focus our efforts on protecting the people of Maui. We need to be advocates for one another and to hold space for activities that will keep our cultural leaders and practitioners healthy. We strive to make Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani a hub for educational advancement of Hawaiian language and culture and that starts with placing the highest value on our community members and their ʻohana.

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