Job Description: Po‘o Kumu
Ke Kula ‘o Pi‘ilani is an independent Hawaiian school founded in 2016 with the purpose of providing a well-rounded education with equal focus on ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, mea Hawaiʻi, and academic rigor. Education is delivered from a Hawaiian perspective, in the Hawaiian language, and through a Hawaiian lens.
Mission:
Grounded in the language, values, and ‘ike of our kūpuna, Ke Kula ‘O Pi’ilani strives to inspire a lifelong love of learning by cultivating an enriching environment in which diverse students grow to be united, confident, globally competitive servant leaders who think critically and creatively to contribute to the betterment of Maui, Hawai‘i, and the world.
The mission of Ke Kula ‘O Pi‘ilani is carried out through the values of aloha, kuleana, and ‘imi ‘ike. These core values form the foundation of our organization and will guide us as we advance towards our ultimate goal of providing an enriching education for students from papa mālaaʻo through papa 12.
The upcoming school year 2019-2020 is an important one for Ke Kula ‘O Pi‘ilani as it marks the beginning of a new phase in our growth. In addition to welcoming a new class of papa mālaaʻo we will add papa ‘ehā. A new Poʻo Kula will work together with the Hui Hoʻokahua (Board of Directors) to lead our school towards fulfilling our mission. The Poʻo Kumu will work under the direction of the Poʻo Kula to fulfill our mission in direct contact with students.
Position Overview:
The Poʻo Kumu reports directly to the Po’o Kula. The Po’o Kumu is responsible for developing and teaching a culturally grounded curriculum that integrates seamlessly with the curriculum delivered by cultural practitioners. The Po’o Kumu acts as a resource and a supervisor to other Kumu and Kāko’o. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Perpetuating the mission of Ke Kula ‘O Pi‘ilani
- Embodying and imparting the core values of aloha, kuleana, and ‘imi ‘ike
- Creating a culturally grounded curriculum that is place-based, ʻāina-based, and age and developmentally appropriate
- Maintaining a classroom environment that emanates aloha, kuleana, and ‘imi ‘ike
- Gathering, recording, and keeping data pertinent to student academic and developmental progress
- Supervising students for the entirety of the school day
- Fostering collaborative relationships with Poʻo Kula, other Kumu, practitioners, students, and ‘ohana
- Serving as a mentor and resource for Kumu and Kāko’o with the aim of promoting their professional development
- Participating in meetings, workshops, and training related to the position
- Upholding and enforcing school rules among students, Kumu, and Kāko’o
- Pursuing endeavors expected to nurture personal and professional development
Overall Responsibilities:
The responsibilities of the Poʻo Kumu revolve around supervising other Kumu and Kāko’o as well as ensuring delivery of excellent education in mea Hawai’i, ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i, and traditional academics. It is expected that the Poʻo Kumu will:
- Maintain a positive, enriching, and safe learning space for the students and staff
- Monitor progress of each student and maintain records of such
- Supervise students throughout the entirety of the school day and enforce school rules
- Motivate and encourage students
- Hold high professional standards for student instruction and support
- Motivate, train, and supervise Kumu and Kāko’o with aloha, kuleana, and ‘imi ‘ike
- Communicate respectfully, promptly, and regularly with students, ‘ohana, and staff
- Ensure adherence to the mission through allegiance to aloha, kuleana, and ‘imi ‘ike
Desired Qualifications:
- An advanced degree in early education or undergraduate degree with teaching experience
- Mastery of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
- Teaching experience in and commitment to place-based, ʻāina-based learning
- Depth of understanding of ‘ike kūpuna
- Experience in cultural curriculum development
- Experience in managing and growing students and staff
- Embodiment of aloha, kuleana, and ‘imi ‘ike both professionally and personally
Position Summary:
Position Title: Poʻo Kumu
Employment Status: full-time, at-will
Location: Hawaii Nature Center Campus, 875 ʻĪao Valley Road, Wailuku, Maui
Reports To: Poʻo Kula
Pay Rate: Salary negotiable, with benefits
Preferred Start Date: July 1, 2019
Interested Applicants:
To apply for the Po‘o Kumu position, submit a curriculum vitae and statement of interest to piilani.admissions@gmail.com . Contact Kim Thayer at (808)281-4917 for questions.