The Heart of Haleʻiwa

February 19, 2021

IMPORTANT REMINDER: School ends at 11:00am next week Friday, February 26 so that Hale`iwa staff can get the second dose of the COVID 19 vaccine.

In this issue...

• Kindness Rocks!
• Mr. Pai -- the Man Behind the Broom
• Student Showcase: EOEL Catches "Butterfly Fever!"
• Literacy Corner
• Read Aloud: I am Enough by Grace Byers
• Acrostic Poems: You are Enough!
  
• Join our Haleʻiwa Book Club
• Nurse Connie: Free Kinsa Thermometers for our students
• Kumu Kuʻuipo: Majestic Mount Kaʻala
• Choose Love: Just Choose Luv Music Video
• PCNC Mrs. Cyndy: Keiki Can Cook
• Save the Date: Read Across Haleʻiwa Week March 1-5

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness. -Lucius Seneca

Kindness Rocks! For the past week, our school has been working on a rock painting project. We wanted to share our essence with others by spreading kindness and love to people around Haleʻiwa. We painted rocks with inspirational messages and images. Our Kindness Rocks are meant to make people happy and brighten their day.

Now that our students and staff are done painting the rocks, they will leave them in public places around Haleʻiwa for people to find! Students and staff can hide their rock or leave it in a spot that is easy to see. Rocks can also be gifted to someone special.

If you find a rock, make sure you tag us on Instagram (@haleiwa_elementary) or email us (haleiwaschool@haleiwa.k12.hi.us) with your picture.

Everybody knows Mr. Pai. He is everywhere and he can do just about anything. For the past several years, Mr. Pai is always seen with his trusty broom. He is a man of MANY talents, and some of them just might surprise you!

Here are some fun and interesting facts about Mr. Pai:

• Mr. Pai has been happily married to his wife Lorraine for 37 years. They have two sons and a dog. Kelson is a Registered Nurse at Straub Hospital and Geoffrey is a full time caregiver for his grandparents. Zu-Zu is a German Shepherd / black labrador / chow mix.
• A graduate of Pearl City High School, Mr. Pai and Mrs. Dolan are classmates
• He is the oldest of 6 children
• He is an Eagle Scout
• He was on the Pearl City High School Riflery team
• Mr. Pai was a disaster action team volunteer for the Red Cross and opened and ran shelters during Hurricane Iwa and Hurricane Iniki
• Originally, Mr. Pai wanted to be an R.N. and went to UH nursing school. Things changed in his life and he became a school counselor instead. Lucky for the DOE! However, he still finished and earned his LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse).
• No matter where he is, Mr. Pai always has a band-aid on him.
• Mr. Pai earned the distinction of being the Hawaii State Elementary School Counselor of the Year in 1998.
• Mr. Pai has worked at all levels of the DOE -- school, district and state. He has been in the DOE for 34 years. Hale`iwa has been lucky to have him at our school for the past 13 years.

The Origin of "The Broom":

Do you know why Mr. Pai carries his broom with him everywhere he goes? It started out several years ago when he wanted to help the custodians keep our campus safe. Each morning before school, he would grab a broom and sweep the walkways to get rid of leaves and other debris that could cause a slipping hazard. After a while, he decided to keep his broom with him at all times and began to add items to his broom to help keep the campus safe in different ways.

Items attached to Mr. Pai's broom:

• fly swatter
• zip ties
• drop cloth
• duct tape
• red first aid fanny pack
• Yellow caution tape
• safety vest and safety cap
• sleeves for protection from the sun
• hand sanitizer

Mr. Pai is the true embodiment of the ESSENCE of Hale`iwa. Everything he does for our school is to make it a better place for all of our students and staff. From parking lot duty in the hot sun or pouring rain every afternoon, to troubleshooting the numerous tech issues we have had during distance learning, Hale`iwa depends heavily on Mr. Pai and his numerous talents. Quite simply, he keeps the school running smoothly and safely.

Thank you Mr. Pai for all that you do -- Hale`iwa LOVES YOU!

Our pre-schoolers began learning about the life cycle of a butterfly these past few weeks. Mrs. Lee helped them by lending them some caterpillar tents and crown flower leaves. They have LOVED watching their caterpillars change. They even had their first butterfly appear this week. Click on the video link below to see all that they have been learning.

Now that you have read the book, I am Enough, you should write your own acrostic poem. An acrostic is a poem in which the first letter of each line spell out a word or phrase.

For this activity, the word should be your first name. Please share your poem with us by emailing it for a chance to win your own copy of I am Enough.

Our school is partnering with Kinsa's FLUency School Health Program this year. The KINSA program provides a free thermometer for use at home to help families create a culture of home- based wellness checks before coming to school.

Here is a copy of the flyer that went out with your child this week, so you can sign up for your free thermometer. Please contact the school if you have questions about this program.

To sign up for your free Kinsa thermometer, please click on the picture below or text FLUENCY to 900900 to begin. Make sure you select Haleʻiwa Elementary School.

The island of Oʻahu was formed by two volcanoes that joined in the middle some 3.8 – 2.9 million years ago. According to the Kūpuna (native elders) Oʻahu was two separate islands. Koʻolau is the brother and Kaʻala is the sister. The brother looked to the sister and said, “We are ‘ohana (family), we should be together.” So, they hugged each other and became one island.

If you look at Kaʻala from our school campus, you can see her majestic body lying down with her face to the heavens. Kūpuna also say that every morning and evening when you see clouds form above Kaʻala’s laying body, that the clouds are Wakea (Sky Father) who is embracing Papa (Earth Mother). They embrace each other often to show the aloha they have for one another.

At 4025 feet high, Mount Kaʻala is the highest mountain on Oʻahu. It’s fascinating to realize that Kaʻala, which is the Waianae mountain range, is actually the half of a caldera of a shield volcano. The other half of the caldera has eroded on the Waianae west side of the island.

"Now more than ever, we believe in choosing love, joy and kindness no matter the circumstance. While the past year has been challenging to say the least, there have also been many opportunities for us to learn and grow in caring for others, respecting each other even when we disagree, and putting the needs of others before ourselves."

Email: haleiwaschool@haleiwa.k12.hi.us
Website: haleiwaelementary.com
Location: 66-505 Hale`iwa Road
Phone: 808-637-8237