The Heart of Haleʻiwa

• Mrs. Wetzel wins K12 Administrator Award from Champions for Children
• Outdoor Classroom
• Meet our bus drivers
• Literacy Corner: Read Aloud: The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers by Lisa Campbell Ernst
• Third Grade Writing Club: Should teachers assign work during Spring Break?
• Kids, School, and COVID-19 by Nurse Connie
• Loving Kindness Meditation for Kids
• Additional Resources
• Thank you for donating to our Spring Fundraiser

The 2021 Champions for Children awards honored community members who went above and beyond to support Hawaiʻi’s keiki during the COVID-19 crisis. Our principal, Mrs. Wetzel, was recognized at a virtual ceremony on April 7, 2021 presented by the nonprofit Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network. Mrs. Wetzel has worked relentlessly to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff to return to school safely. We are so proud and know that she deserves this award! Congratulations Mrs. Wetzel!

Below is the interview video for the award in the category of K-12 Administrator.

Our beautiful canoe hale has been turned into an outdoor classroom for our teachers to use. Waialua High and Intermediate School graciously let us borrow 18 student desks. We added additional tables and chairs to have enough space to seat 30 students.

Aunty Diana L. Kaaiwaawa-Hookano has been driving the bus for 30 years and drives our Waimea bus. When she has free time, she likes to go shopping, watch movies, play with her cats, and play board games with the kids. If she had a million dollars, she would take her family around the world.

Aunty Diana shared that "it has been a pleasure working as a bus driver. Many children have come through my bus door as babies. I see many with children of their own. Some of them have children riding my bus today." That is pretty awesome!

Uncle Dean McMillan drove The Bus for 15 years and has been driving the school bus for 17 years. On his free time, he enjoys surfing, camping, playing tennis, and hiking. If he had a million dollars, he would buy a house and invest the rest of the money. He can't wait to retire so he can travel and see the world!

Pio has been driving the bus for 5 years and drives our small bus. She likes to play music with piano, go to the beach, and be with her family during her free time. If she had a million dollars, she would: pay off debts, buy a big house, take a vacation, and invest in something that will have money coming even after her million dollars are gone! (Pictured left)

Chantilli is the aide on the little bus. She has been with the company for six years. On her free time, she likes to sleep, go around the island trying different food, and being around her family. If she had a million dollars, she would take a vacation. (Pictured right)

This week, push play to listen to Ms. Charisse read The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers by Lisa Campbell Ernst.

Should teachers assign work during Spring Break? Why or why not? Ms. Felz asked this question and used their responses to help her decide whether to assign work or not. Who do you think won the argument?

Teachers should not assign work during Spring Break

Teachers should assign a little bit of work during Spring Break

Time and Science have given us a better understanding of how to move forward with care and thought as we continue to experience this pandemic. The best available scientific evidence shows that COVID affects age groups differently. In general, the risk to children is low. Kids going to school in person does not put them at higher risk of getting or spreading COVID compared to kids’ risk outside in the community.

A safe school follows procedures that prevent the spread of infection while children are in school. Important actions include correct universal masking, distancing, improving classroom airflow, hand-washing, cleaning, and the ability to quickly identify close contacts of a person that tested positive for COVID to prevent spread by timely isolation and quarantine.

With the knowledge that all the above actions taken together gives the best level of prevention, the CDC has updated its core recommendations for physical distancing in schools from 6 feet to 3 feet in between young students regardless of the level of community spread. This change allows more students to come to school where they learn best and be with their friends. For more information, please read below:

https://covidactnow.org/covid-explained/school-guidance

School Counselors Website

Haleʻiwa Counselors Care

Haleʻiwa HELPS

Click on the file below to read

Thank you to everyone who has donated to our spring fundraiser so far! We are very grateful for your generosity!

To add a little "fun" competition, the class that has the most students who gave a donation will win a class prize. There will also be a grand prize winner chosen from that class who will receive an Amazon Fire 7 Tablet that was just donated to us for the fundraiser. Every student is eligible to win the tablet, even if they do not make a donation.

If you have not had a chance to donate yet, there is still time. Please send in your envelope. If you need a new envelope, just call the office and let us know.

Email: haleiwaschool@haleiwa.k12.hi.us
Website: haleiwaelementary.com
Phone: (808)637-8237
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haleiwaelementary
Twitter: @HaleiwaElement1