Editor’s Note: This is one in a series of articles on the pillars of Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School’s educational philosophy and approach. You can find more articles by clicking here. This week, we look at Habit #3: Put First Things First. This habit, which all of us at Alaka`i O Kaua`i are working to… Read more
Click here for the School Calendar Click here for the Community Calendar 2/9: Alaka ‘i O Kaua ‘i Valentine’s Day card-making at Kukui Grove Center’s Gifts from the Heart, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. 2/13: Learner-Free Day – Institute Day for Staff 2/14: Kids Heart Challenge 2/17: Presidents’ Day – No School 2/20: Minimum Day… Read more
Alaka`i O Kaua`i Charter School is special because of our curriculum focus. The two main pillars of our curriculum are Project-Based Learning and Social-Emotional Learning. Last week, a new school club was formed to support the social-emotional needs of our learners. Our 4th grade facilitator, Ms. Kate, and a 4th grade parent, Mrs. Sally Nichols,… Read more
Driving Question: What value did the Wa’a Kaulua have in ancient Hawaii, and what about the design made it functional? Learn from our 4th graders! Date: Friday, January 30 Time: 10:00- 10:45 a.m.
Our school has officially kicked off Kids Heart Challenge with the American Heart Association. Be sure to check your learner’s backpack for all the details. We are learning how to keep our hearts happy and healthy! Get started now by downloading the FREE APP called Kids Heart Challenge for Apple or Android OR visit www.heart.org/kidsheartchallenge and search Alaka’i O Kauai Charter School to join our team, then click on the… Read more
On January 21, our kindergarteners had a fantastic time celebrating the 100th day of school by participating in lots of fun activities, including dressing up like they were 100 years old!
Click here for the School Calendar Click here for the Community Calendar 1/27: Board Meeting 1/31: 4th Grade Presentations of Learning, 10:00-10:45 a.m. 2/14: Kids Heart Challenge
Editor’s Note: This is one in a series of articles on the pillars of Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School’s educational philosophy and approach. You can find more articles by clicking here. When was the last time you went on a trip to a new place without first looking up directions? Unless you have a superhuman… Read more
As a reminder, due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, this month’s board meeting will be held on Monday, January 27, instead of the third Monday of the month. Anyone who would like to have a more informal conversation, ask questions, or share information with the board is invited to come to the meetings early… Read more
Last week, we introduced a vital element of Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School’s approach to education — The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Learning and practicing the 7 Habits has been instrumental to our learners’ success living out the Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School motto of “free to think, inspired to lead” — not… Read more
Due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, this month’s board meeting will be held on Monday, January 27, instead of the third Monday of the month. Anyone who would like to have a more informal conversation, ask questions, or share information with the board is invited to come to the meetings early (at 4:00 p.m.)… Read more
View on Getting Smart
We’re happy to introduce a new series of articles in the Monday Message, aimed at unpacking some of the essentials of the Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School educational model. Our educational model is driven by much more than simply making sure children are good students. Rather, it’s focused on equipping them to be lifelong learners… Read more
Congrats to our Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i Spelling Bee champ, Isabella Salamey (4th grade), and all our spellers! Our top two spellers will advance to the Kauai District Bee on January 16 at Chiefess Middle School cafeteria at 6:00 p.m. We held the Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i Spelling Bee for grades 4-6 on Friday, January 10, in… Read more
Ah, rain! There’s been a lot of it lately, and sometimes that results in muddy clothes. Parents and guardians of learners in ALL grades, we encourage you to send an extra change of clothes and shoes for rainy days to keep your kids clean, dry, and comfortable so they can focus on another fun-filled day… Read more
Click here for the School Calendar Click here for the Community Calendar 1/20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day – no school 1/23: Jump for Heart Assembly 1/27: Board Meeting
Click here for the School Calendar Click here for the Community Calendar 1/6: Learner-Free Day (Staff PL) 1/7: Classes Resume 1/10: School Spelling Bee for Grades 4-6 1/23: Jump for Heart Assembly
We are holding the Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i Spelling Bee for grades 4-6 on Friday, January 10, at 11:30 a.m. in our gymnasium. The top speller from our school will receive a free one-year subscription to Britannica Kids! The Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i Spelling Bee will include only spelling, not vocabulary. This spelling bee is open to… Read more
Click here for the school calendar 12/20: Facilitator Workday 12/23-1/3: Winter Break 1/6: Learner-Free Day (Staff PL) 1/7: Classes Resume
Aloha, Alaka’i O Kaua’i Families! Please consider donating to your child’s classroom for the holidays. Each wish list is below. Every little bit helps our facilitators and keeps our learners happy and excited to come in each and every day! We appreciate you for choosing Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School, and we wish you a… Read more
Last Friday, December 13, 2019, was a very exciting day for everyone at Alaka`i O Kaua`i Charter School, because we had our very first annual Winter Production! Our music teacher, Elizabeth Lawson, who joined us this year to direct our school-wide music program, drew the best out of our learners. All learners in K-7 performed beautifully,… Read more
Looking for fun activities for your children during Winter Break? We’ve included some options nearby! See below to learn about Poipu Beach Athletic Club’s Winter Break Events as well as Healing Horses Kaua’i’s Winter Break Horsemanship and Riding Camps. (Note: Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School is not affiliated with these providers, but we are sharing… Read more
Our kindergarteners are in the midst of a project-based learning unit on gardening. They’re learning what’s needed to create a successful garden and what plants need to thrive. Our driving question is “How can we make our garden into a beautiful reality?” Through many hands-on activities, learners are mapping and constructing a bird’s-eye-view picture of… Read more
Click here for the school calendar 12/20: Facilitator Workday 12/23-1/3: Winter Break 1/6: Learner-Free Day (Staff PL)
Alaka`i O Kaua`i School is well into its second year of operation. Consequently, we are still putting policies, procedures, and systems in place to provide an outstanding learning environment for learners and staff. As with many new organizations, we have had many updates to our staffing, from facilitators to education assistants. In addition, we have… Read more
The week of Oct. 1 in kindergarten, we did our first community helpers Presentation of Learning (POL). We are so proud of our kindergarteners! They worked so hard the past month to learn all about the community helpers. In this POL, the learners got to pick who they wanted to be when they grow up.… Read more
At Alaka’i O Kaua’i, our school-wide discipline policy is based on the foundational skills of Love and Logic. Love and Logic is a philosophy founded in 1977 by Jim Fay and Foster W. Cline, M.D. It is the approach of choice among leading educators, parents, and other professionals worldwide, as it is dedicated to making… Read more
Do you ever ask your child about how his or her day went and get a one-word answer? Read this article to find out 10 questions that are great conversation starters! “The trick is to ask about things that are specific, but still open-ended. Move beyond ‘fine’ and ‘nothing’ by asking your child to describe… Read more
Please remember to DRIVE WITH ALOHA! As a community, we all share our school road. Please be mindful of your speed, passing with care (only if necessary), and practice patience in one-lane areas.
We love to see learning “al fresco” at Alaka’i O Kaua’i. Why is learning outside so important? An article entitled The Benefits of Learning Outside the Classroom states that direct experience outdoors is more motivating and has more impact and credibility. The results from learning outside the classroom can be instantaneous as well as active… Read more
Every morning, our learners gather together for Morning Meeting. It’s an engaging way to start each day, build a strong sense of community, and set children up for success socially and academically. Each morning, learners and facilitators gather together in a circle for 20-30 minutes and interact with one another during four purposeful components: Greeting:Learners… Read more
Interested in being a “Class Parent”? We would love to have you! Anyone interested in helping support a specific class, please contact the facilitator. Class Parents are there to support by volunteering in the classroom, organizing special activities, helping coordinate field trips or class parties — whatever the facilitator and class needs! A huge MAHALO… Read more
We are looking forward to your collaboration with your learners and their facilitator on the ILPs. Alaka’i O Kaua’i embraces the whole child, focusing on both social-emotional and academic skills. In lieu of the traditional parent/teacher conference, the learners, facilitators, and parents/guardians collaborate annually to create Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) to guide instruction. Everyone works… Read more
Alaka’i O Kaua’i embraces the whole child, focusing on both social-emotional and academic skills. In lieu of the traditional parent/teacher conference, the learners, facilitators, and parents/guardians collaborate annually to create Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) to guide instruction. Everyone works together to reflect on, monitor, and make adjustments to the ILP as needed. The primary goal… Read more
(Please see the school calendar for more information) Monday, Sept. 2: Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)
(Please see the school calendar for more information) Monday, Sept. 2: Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)
(Please see the school calendar for more information) Thursday, Aug. 22: Minimum Day (K-7) Aug. 22-23: Literacy Assessments (K-7) Monday, Sept. 2: Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)
(Please see the school calendar for more information) Tuesday, June 25th: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL Thursday, July 4th: School Office Closed (Fourth of July)
Mrs. Ashley’s class just finished up their latest installment of Project-Based Learning, “Engineering Bubble Wands”. They presented their designs to the 1st and 2nd grade classes and then took them through the engineering design process, where they were given the opportunity to construct their very own wands. They also experimented with different designs and created… Read more
All our keiki had a wonderful time at Field Day last week! We had a wonderful time playing field games, running in the sprinkler, going down the Slip N Slide, and playing more games in the gym with the Tapias! Mahalo to everyone who came out to celebrate the end of the school year with… Read more
A huge mahalo to Miss Casey, Ms Ari, and Miss Claire for truly celebrating our kindergarten keiki, and to all the families who came to support them! The inaugural Alaka’i O Kaua’i kindergarten class is officially ready for first grade!
(Please see the school calendar for more information) Friday, June 21st: Kindergarten Graduation, 12:30-1:40 p.m. Tuesday, June 25th: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
(Please see the school calendar for more information) SCHEDULE CHANGE: Tuesday, June 11th – King Kamehameha Day – NO SCHOOL & Kindergarten RoundUp CANCELLED Friday, June 14th: Schoolwide Field Day & End of Year Celebration Friday, June 21st: Kindergarten Graduation, 12:30-1:40 p.m. Tuesday, June 25th: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
This Friday, June 14th, we will be holding a schoolwide Field Day and End of Year Celebration. Field Day activities will take place between 9-11 a.m. All parents are welcome to participate and join in the fun! If you would like to help facilitate the field games, we are looking for helpers. Please contact Claire… Read more
(Please see the school calendar for more information) Tuesday, June 11th: Kindergarten RoundUp Thursday, June 13th: Miss Casey’s Presentation of Learning Friday, June 21st: End of School Year Celebration & Kindergarten Graduation Tuesday, June 25th: Last Day of Classes
Please help us spread the word that we are still enrolling Grades K-7th. We have spaces still in all grades, including Kindergarten! We ask that you please share with your friends and continue to let people know about our school. Interested families are welcome to schedule a tour directly with Claire, or come to the… Read more
While the school year is coming to a close, we’re excited to share an amazing learning opportunity for summer break. This camp is open to learners entering grades 7-12 (for the 2019/20 school year), who will travel to the beautiful Hawaiian island of Kaua’i this July for the inaugural year of Camp Kahili! This exciting… Read more
(Please see the school calendar for more information) Monday, May 27th: NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day) Tuesday, June 11th: Kindergarten RoundUp Thursday, June 13th: Miss Casey’s Presentation of Learning Friday, June 21st: End of School Year Celebration & Kindergarten Graduation Tuesday, June 25th: Last Day of Classes
Please help us spread the word that we are still enrolling Grades K-7th. We have spaces still in all grades, including Kindergarten! We ask that you please share with your friends and continue to let people know about our school. Interested families are welcome to schedule a tour directly with Claire, or come to the… Read more
(Please see the school calendar for more information) May 13-21st: SBAC Testing for Grades 3-5 May 22-24th: Kokee Field Trip for Grades 4-5 Friday, May 24th: NO SCHOOL Monday, May 27th: NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)
A big MAHALO to everyone who contributed to and attended Alaka’i O Kaua’i’s first ever Lei Day Celebration. We look forward to growing this wonderful tradition with our school community in the years to come!
(Please see the school calendar for more information) May 13-21st: SBAC Testing for Grades 3-5 May 22-24th: Kokee Field Trip for Grades 4-5 Monday, May 27th: NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)
(Please see the school calendar for more information) May 6-10th: Teacher Appreciation Week Saturday, May 11th: Kaua’i Charity Walk
Our wonderful facilitators and staff play a pivotal role in our children’s lives, inspiring a lifelong love of learning and discovery and making a difference in their well-being and long-term success. Let’s show our thanks and gratitude to these stellar educators. Join us during Teacher Appreciation Week to #ThankATeacher for all that they do to help our… Read more
Please come support our school for our second year participating in the Kauai Charity Walk, Saturday, May 11th, at the Vidinha Soccer Field. This wonderful event is a FUN way to help raise funds for our school arts and music programs.Last year, we raised $5,000 that went toward our playground! Click here to DONATE, PLEDGE… Read more
(Please see the school calendar for more information) Friday, May 3rd: Alaka’I O Kaua’i’s Inaugural Lei Day May 6-10th: Teacher Appreciation Week Saturday, May 11th: Kaua’i Charity Walk
On Friday, May 3rd, we welcome everyone to join us for our inaugural Lei Day Celebration! At 11 a.m., we will have a schoolwide picnic during which parents are invited to join their learners for lunch outside on our beautiful playground. Following lunch, we will have a hula performance in our school gym at 12… Read more
Donations to Alaka’i O Kaua’i are tax-deductible.
