Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 7, 1 Iulai 1990 — Puohala adds new immersion class [ARTICLE]

Puohala adds new immersion class

A kindergarten class at Puohala Elementary School will be taught in the Hawaiian language beginning in September. The announcement was made recently by the state Department of Education's Hawaiian Language Immersion Program.

Students in the class will be taught entirely in the Hawaiian language. Students do not have to have any knowledge of Hawaiian to be in the class. They wil! be taught English, as a second language, starting in fourth grade. Registration is on a first-come first-served basis and is now underway. Enrollment is limited to 20 students. Registration is handled at eaeh school that offers the Hawaiian language immersion program. Children from any area or ethnic background will be accepted. Families living outside the school

district will have to provide their own transportation for the child to Puohala. For more information those interested mav eall the Department of Education at 395-7301 and ask for Richard Port, or 395-7132 and ask for Roberta Mayor.

Puohala is the fifth school to offer Hawaiian language immersion classes since the state approved the program in 1987. About 120 students are in the program in kindergarten to grade three at Keaukaha Elementary on the island of Hawai'i and at Waiau Elementary on O'ahu. Another 35 kindergarten students are enrolled in classes at Paia Elementary on Maui and Kapaa Elementary on Kaua'i. It is expected there will be a total of 250 students enrolled in the program this autumn.