Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 2021 — A Small School With a Big Vision [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A Small School With a Big Vision

By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi Ke Kula 'o Pi'ilani is among Hawai'i's newest, smallest schools; founded in 2015, its student body comprises just 45 keiki in grades kindergarten through 5. But what it lacks in size and longevity, it more than makes up for in heart, vision and innovation. The nonprofit, private immersion elementary school is committed to its mission: "Nurturing lifelong learners and passionate community leaders by eultivating an enriching environment of academic excellence grounded in Hawaiian eul-

ture and values." According to Kekai Robinson, the Po'okula Kūikawā (Provisional Head of School), Ke Kula 'o Pi'ilani's two-acre location in 'īao Valley on Maui is significant. "We're blessed to be nourished by this beautiful plaee," she said. "We're able to orient ourselves in the world because of the strong foundation and eonnection we have to this land - the sacred, hnal resting plaee for Maui's highest-ranking ali'i. Being stewards of this 'āina is a kuleana that we do not take lightly. We encourage our students to heeome the living manifestations of kuleana, aloha and 'imi 'ike."

The school's five teachers, two administrators, and seven to ten cultural practitioners all eome from Nā Wai 'Ehā, the Central Maui district that encompasses 'īao Valley and four life-sustaining streams - Waikapū, Wailuku, Waiehu and Waihe'e. They believe children learn best through hands-on experiences; to that end, lessons blend high-touch learning (kinesthetic, experiential, place-based) with high-tech learning (coding, game-based and inquiry-based; the latter motivates them to conduct their own research, observations, and/or experiments rather than being told the answers or information). Classes taught by the practitioners are viewed as enrichment courses at most schools, but they are an integral part of Ke Kula 'o Pi' ilani's curriculum. Topics include Papa Mele (Hawaiian music), Papa Hula (Hawaiian dance), Papa Oli (Hawaiian chant), Papa Ho'okele (non-instrument navigation), Papa Mahi 'Ai (subsistence agriculture) and Papa Kapa, Kaula and

Kāpala (traditional textile and native Hawaiian fiber ■ arts). 'As an independent school, we have the flexibility to adapt our curriculum to best meet our haumāna's needs and maximize the talents of our teachers, who are rooted in the 'āina and ean help our keiki build a strong pilina or closeness and feeling of responsibility to it," Robinson said. "Our practitioners invite students to view the world through the eyes of our Hawaiian ancestors. Our educational model integrates traditional 'ike with contemporary skills and knowledge; from the time they are in kindergarten, our students learn that the

knowledge and values of our Hawaiian ancestors have relevance today." Eaeh quarter of the school year focuses on a theme: Wai, Lani, Āina or Kai. Mornings are devoted to Western academics (math, science, social studies and language arts), but lessons are planned in the eontext of Hawaiian language, history and cultural practices. For example, before the arrival of Westerners, Hawaiians' counting system was based on four and multiples of four by 10 (e.g., 4, 40, 400, 4,000, etc.). Kāuna, the word for a unit of four, supposedly

eame about because people counted fish, coconuts, taro and other items by holding two in eaeh hand or tying them in bundles of four. The number 12 would be 'ekolu kāuna or "three fours," according to this traditional method, whieh is taught at Ke Kula 'o Pi' ilani along with regular math. During the afternoon, the children make kāhili, carve pahu, weave lauhala and more. Activities are age appropriate; for example, for the segment on kapa, kindergarten, first and second graders learn how to grow and elean wauke while keiki in the third, fourth and fifth grades harvest wauke, prepare and pound it into kapa and make kīhei. On day-long field trips, haumāna do reef studies and work at a farm. Last year, when lockdowns were mandated and online instruction was instituted to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Ke Kula 'o Pi'ilani's staff saw it as an opportunity to hone their technological expertise and develop new digital resources. Students will be

Students of Ke Kula 'o Pi'iloni practice a chant and hulo noho kolō'ou. The chant, "Oli Aloha No Wailuku," was written and recorded by Grammy award-winning ortist Kaloni Pe'a, who lives in Woiluku, where the school is located. All of the students have learned it along with the hula that Po'okula Kūikawō Kekai Robinson, standing in front of the students, choreographed. - Photos: Ke Kula 'o Pi'ilani

returning to campus when school starts this month, and even though restrictions have been relaxed, Robinson expects health and safety protocols to continue, including sanitary practices, social distancing and the wearing of masks. 'Although we're still navigating the challenges brought on by the pandemic, we're looking forward to another fulling and productive school year," she said. "Being a small school is heneheial because we normally operate in small bubbles; no class is larger than 10 children. Support from the community and our haumāna's families has played a major role in our success, as has the acknowledgment that practicing Hawaiian culture is not an occasional thing. It's an important part of our daily lives, and the wisdom of our kūpuna is applieahle in the modern world." ■ Ke Kula 'o Pi'ilani offers project-based beginning and intermediate Hawaiian language classesfor adults. Classes runfrom September through May, and proceeds support the school's programs. Interested community members may sign up by calling (808) 214-5006 or emailing admin@kekulaopiilani.com. Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi has written 12 books and countless newspaper, magazine and online articles about Hawai'i's history, culture,food and lifestyle.

From front to back in this photo taken last school year, Akemi Thayer (Grade 2), Uluokalō Thayer (Grade 4) and Hilina'i Kodani (Grade 3) practice stamping before they use their stamps on the kapa pieee that they have collaborated on.