School news and events for the week of 03.17.2025

Aloha mai kakou to the learning community of Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School and hope this message finds you in a place of peace during some difficult times in our sphere. As many of you may know already, it is with a heavy heart that I sadly share the passing of Paxton, a learner in Grade Three. Paxton was an incredible young person who left us far, far too soon and he is deeply missed on our campus. We share great admiration for his strong battle against leukemia and he is a shining role model of courage for us all.

Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School is incredibly blessed to be a Socio-Emotional Learning school where we live into our Mission Statement and sincerely care about each other. We are filled with sadness and grief because Paxton was loved at our school, as you can see in this loving memory video for Paxton.

We have come together as a learning community during this difficult time in IKAIKA (strength and power) for Paxton, his ohana, our keiki, our staff, and our learning community. Our creative learners named our school pueo mascot IKAIKA so it seems natural that we support each other with strength and power to move forward in this journey of grief.

Mahalo nui kakou for your amazing efforts to support our learning community. We fully respect and understand the difficult impact that this loss has had on our learning community. Please look after each other and seek resources as needed, especially when emotions seem too much to process. Below are a few suggestions to support challenging conversations:

1. Acknowledge and Validate Feelings:

• Create a safe space: Let your child know it’s okay to feel sad, angry, confused, or any other emotion related to the loss.
• Use open-ended questions: Instead of asking “Are you okay?”, ask “How are you feeling about this?” or “What’s on your mind?”
• Share your own feelings: It can be helpful to share your grief or sadness, but be mindful of your child’s emotional capacity.
• Reassure them: Remind them that their feelings are valid and that you love them no matter what.
• Acknowledge the specific loss: Talk about the classmate and their relationship with them, and acknowledge the pain of the loss.

2. Provide Information in an Age-Appropriate Way:

• Be honest and clear: Avoid euphemisms or vague language, especially with younger children.
• Answer their questions directly: Address their concerns and questions with sensitivity and honesty.
• Explain death in simple terms: For younger children, you might say something like “They are not here anymore, and they won’t come back,” rather than using complex language.
• Reiterate the permanence of death: Make sure children understand that death is final.

3. Encourage Remembrance and Support:

• Talk about the deceased: Share positive memories and stories about the classmate.
• Attend memorial services or events: If appropriate, attend the funeral or memorial service with your child.
• Create a memory box or scrapbook: Encourage your child to collect photos, drawings, or other items related to the classmate to help them remember.
• Engage in activities that honor the memory: Consider planting a tree, donating to a charity in the classmate’s name, or doing something else meaningful.
• Provide ongoing support: Check in with your child regularly and offer continued support as they process their grief.
• Connect with other families: If appropriate, help your child connect with other families who knew the deceased.
• Seek professional help if needed: If your child is struggling to cope with their grief, consider seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor.

Please reach out to us at the school if we can assist in any way. We are planning to plant a tree on campus in Paxton’s honor, and a Memorial Service is being put together for him in April.

Best wishes to you all for a peaceful Spring Break and we look forward to seeing everyone back on campus on Monday, March 24th. Malama pono.

DJ Adams
Po’okumu (Director)
Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School
Koloa, Hawai’i