Quick Links:    
 
 Recipient of a Full 6-Year WASC Accreditation - 2014 - 2020  Vision:  Mission: "Waimea Middle School empowers all students with the skills, values, and cultural understanding to successfully navigate high school and beyond.” I KAIR Core Values: 'Ike * Kaizen * Accountability * Integrity * Respect September 22, 2016 Important Coming Events: Please click here! For great photos of students learning by doing, and school event news, click on: www.Facebook.com/WaimeaMiddleSchool. Behaviors For Learning - WMS Student Discipline Policy -- click here. WMS Schoolwide Chant & 'Ike Hawai'i Lessons - click here. HIDOE Student Information Privacy, go to http://bit.ly/FERPAHI 2015-'16 SY Bell Schedule - click here. WMS "Connecting For Success" Program -- click here.  Mahalo To Our Legislators & Governor For $16 million STEM Building! Construction underway! - click here. School Wellness Policy - click here. New Employment Opportunities -- click here. URGENT SCHOOL-COMMUNITY ADVISORIES:
 WMS Fun Run Maps for 1.5-mile and 3-mile courses! There will be marshals along the route w/ radios for safety and emergency needs and to provide directions.   To contribute to Waimea Middle School using PayPal, please click on the link below: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=XSX5REABX7EQG Or, please make check payable to: Ho'okako'o Corporation (WMS' 501(c)3 Local School Board) Bring or mail the check to: Waimea Middle School 67-1229 Mamalahoa Highway Kamuela, HI 96743
Contributions via Ho'okako'o Corporation are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. All of the funds contributed go direct to the school. MAHALO!
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Coming Soon - Please Check Back!
New online student grading-attendance-contact system With the collaborative effort of our faculty-staff, especially our Registrar Lorna "Mas" Muromoto, we are proud to launch a new, improved online student information system, called INFINITE CAMPUS. This will allow families and students to log on to access a wide array of student information including current grades, status of assignments, attendance and class schedules. This also will enable families to email teachers for more information and to schedule follow-up meetings, etc. A free app will be available for mobile devices for notifications on student news including current status of assignments, changes in schedule, attendance, etc. It will be awesome and easy to use! Students are being given their USER NAME and PASSWORD throughout the next 10 days. Then, families will receive a USER NAME and PASSWORD. In the meantime, Mid-Quarter Academic Reports for students will be sent home Wed., August 31. * * * * * Mahalo to everyone who participated in our Family Open House!
* * * * * New This School Year: Parent Partner Positives! Mahalo to families who have attended various back-to-school events. To better support your child's success in middle school, and also enjoy rewards, please see our Family-Community Outreach Coordinator Amy Kailimai in the office.   * * * * * Welcome to the 2016-17 School Year! School hours: 8 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. - M, T, Th, F 8 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. - W Families are expected to have students at school ready to learn every day on time, wearing a uniform shirt and bringing their AVID Binder w/ Student Planner.
* * * * * 2016-17 School Year Free Hot Chocolate Club! 2 Choices: Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays OR Tuesdays-Thursdays - 7-7:50 a.m. Families must provide own transportation to school. Still time to sign up. For more info, click here. After-School Extended Learning Opportunities: 1st Quarter - Tuesdays & Thursdays. All include bus home @ 4:30 p.m. for participating students. Mahalo to our funding partners! o Athletics/Cross Country: 2:25-4:25 p.m. w/ Coach Tamaye. The following choices begin with (1) Basketball Fundamentals in the gym w/ Mrs. Samura, OR (2) Study Hall from 2:25-3 p.m. Students may not leave campus. All includes bus home at 4:30 p.m. o Robotics: 3-4:30 p.m. with Miss Murphy, Mrs. Bowman and Miss Gusman. o Mini-Mermaids: 3-4:30 p.m. w/ Miss Shafer – an all-girls running club to learn about a happy, healthy life. $20 per quarter, waived for students eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch. o Hands-On Science: 3-4:30 p.m. Learn to think like a scientist w/ Mr. Binder. $20 per quarter, waived for students eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch. After-School Extended Learning Opportunities: K(Arts) After-School Classes - Wednesdays, Aug. 17 - Nov. 2 - 1:25-4 p.m. Finale Performances - Wed., Nov. 2 (5:30 p.m.) & 3 (1 p.m.) Includes bus home at 4 p.m. For more information, please click here. Thurs., Sept. 15 - Student Photo Re-take Day (first-round photos going home Aug. 31) Not a Free Dress Day but students may bring Dress Code-appropriate change for photos. Sat., Sept. 17 - Cross Country Meet hosted by Waikoloa School. Fri., Sept. 23 - WMS "Take a LAP Fun Run/Walk & Silent Auction" - 4 p.m. Registration - All WMS & WES students & families and entire community invited to participate! See registration form above. Free for WMS & WES students; $10 for all others - includes t-shirt & delicious, healthy dinner and Silent Auction. Sat., Sept. 24 - Mala'ai School Garden 'Work & Learn Day' - 9 a.m. to noon. Light lunch provided. Bring weather protection. All invited! Sat., Sept. 24 - WMS 9th Annual Na Paniolo Invitational Cross Country Meet - 9:30 a.m. Registration; 10:30 a.m. Race begins. Hosted by WMS. Awards presentation and lunch follows for student athletes from middle schools around the island. Sat., Oct. 1 - HPA Isaacs Art Center’s 100th Birthday Celebration of Waimea School’s Historic N Building - 1-4 p.m. All invited. WMS students of Mrs. Leesa Robertson will share a newly released oral history project they did last school year interviewing Waimea kupuna about their experiences and memories related to N Building. Mon.-Fri., Oct. 3-7 - WMS Scholastic Book Fair - 12:30-3:30 p.m. Check back for more information please. Mon., Oct. 3 - WMS LAP Meeting, 4-6 p.m. K-03 (Note: Date may change - please check back.) Mon.-Fri., Oct. 10-14 - Fall Break - No School for Students Additional After-School Enrichment Classes – ‘STEM Academy’- 2nd Quarter – Mondays & Wednesdays beginning October 24. Informational flyers will be sent home soon to families. · Kāne Kūpono (`Ai pono, physiology, kinesiology - science) · Mahina Makers (`Ohe kāpala - science) · `Āina Mele (Traditional songs/’ukulele - art) · Palani Paheona (French instruction w/ digital media) Mon.-Fri., Oct. 17-21 – Spoken Word Guest Teacher Myrlin Hepworth – Will work with all WMS students throughout the school day this week with a finale performance tentatively set for Tues., Oct. 25, 2016 at Kahilu Theatre. All Invited. Please check back for details. Wed., Nov. 2 - WMS K(Arts) Grand Finale Performance at Kahilu Theatre - 5:30 p.m. (Repeated 1-2 p.m., Thurs., Nov. 3.) Tues., Nov. 8 - Election Day - No Classes Fri., Nov. 11 - Veterans' Day Holiday - No Classes Sat., Nov. 19 - Mala'ai School Garden 'Work & Learn Day' - 9 a.m. to noon. Light lunch provided. Bring weather protection. All invited! Mon., Nov. 21 - Teacher-Staff Professional Collaboration Day - No Classes Tues.-Wed., Nov. 22-23 - Student-Family-Teacher Conferences - No Classes for Students * Tuesday - Noon to 6 p.m. - Student attends w/ family members * Wednesday - 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Student attends w/ family members Thurs.-Fri., Nov. 24-25 - Thanksgiving Holiday - No School Thurs., Dec. 22 - Fri., Jan. 6 - Winter Break - No School Mon., Jan. 9 - Second Semester Classes Begin Mon., Jan. 16 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service - No Classes Thurs., Feb. 16 - Hawai'i Island Teacher Institute Day - No Classes Mon., Feb. 20 - Presidents' Day Holiday - No Classes Mon.-Mon., March 20-27 - Spring Break - No School Fri., April 14 - Good Friday - No Classes Fri., May 12, 2017 - May Day Celebration for Waimea Middle School Fri., May 26, 2017 - 8th Grade Exit Ceremony & Final Day of School for All Students  WMS 'Full STREAM Ahead Summer Adventure' Ho'ike (A concluding presentation for families and friends - Friday, July 1) Our choir was awesome - singing the Beatles "Hello, Goodbye!" and songs from "Lion King"! Mahalo to all our our teacher and staff team - especially singing teacher Mr. Ryan Tan, shown here with students. Mahalo, too, to our many community partners who made this memorable journey of learning possible! Go to www.Facebook.com/WaimeaMiddleSchool for video clips of the students' singing, and pictures from throughout the 3 week adventure!  WMS' 'Full STREAM Ahead!" Summer Adventure - Opening Day Student Assembly.  Day 1 Field Trip for our Summer Adventure Environmental Science Class. * * * * *  Congratulations to our Exiting 8th Graders...    Waimea Middle School Class of 2020!  Five Waimea Middle School Exiting 8th Graders Receive ‘College Pathway Scholarships’ Five of Waimea Middle School’s (WMS) Exiting 8th graders are receiving College Pathway Scholarships to assist with transitioning to Parker School or Hawai’i Preparatory Academy for 9th grade. Recipients of these new College Pathway Scholarships are Kawehi Bell Kaopuiki, Hunter Kalahiki Arnbrister and Samantha Burgeron, who will be attending Parker School in the fall, and Jaysen Bragado and Dillon DuPont who will be attending HPA come fall. Funding these College Pathway Scholarships is Dr. Roger Gremminger of Waimea (center), who has been a volunteer tutor for WMS students for the past two years. Dr. Gremminger grew up in Wisconsin with seven brothers and sisters on a small family farm of meager means. He attended seminary for nine years which introduced him early to community service. Four years before completing seminary, he shifted focus to medicine, and, thanks to hard work and the support of his parents and older sister, he was able to go to medical school and achieve his goal of becoming an emergency room physician. The support he received from his family to pursue higher education, and his early years of involvement in helping others, inspired him to continue giving back to his community even while working as an ER doc. For many years, he dedicated hundreds of hours as a volunteer physician at free clinics to ensure that quality health care was available to many. His “giving back” continues even after retiring to Waimea with tutoring both Waimea Elementary and Middle School students and occasionally helping at the Waimea Elementary School Thrift Shop. From personal experience, he says he knows that completing high school and pursuing further education in college can open many doors, hence the scholarship’s name. "I am most grateful for generous community members like Roger who support our students with their time and talents, making Waimea Middle School an amazing place for students, families and staff to successfully prepare to navigate high school and beyond," said WMS Principal Amy Kendziorski (left). Waimea Middle School’s new College Pathway Scholarships are being administered by the school’s Local School Board, Ho’okako’o Corporation.
Pictured here with Dr. Roger Gremminger and WMS Principal Amy Kendziorski (left) are the first recipients of Dr. Gremminger’s new scholarships (L-R) Kawehi Bell Kaopuiki, Samantha Burgeron, Jaysen Bragado, Dillon DuPont and Hunter Kalahiki Arnbrister. Dr. Gremminger anticipates providing these new College Pathway Scholarships annually for WMS Exiting 8th graders. * * * * * 6th Grade Culture Faire - celebrating a year of learning, growth and pride!  Photo courtesy of Shelby Matsumoto Saluting our 2016 Waimea Middle School May Day Court!  See many more pictures and video: www.Facebook.com/WaimeaMiddleSchool Here's a quickly prepared video of our May Day morning performance by WMS students - prepared by a community friend, Niel Thomas. It’s a 429.3 Mb file - here'a a link to watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/805Xraj5URU.\ It begins with a chant and just a photo, then the video kicks in with excerpts from the rest of the program. Enjoy! And mahalo Niel! Spring 2016 K(Arts) @ Kahilu Theatre The Grand Finale was fabulous! See Facebook for lots more pictures! For a full video of the K(Arts) evening performance: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B95FHlC-y5GCZDJYbEQ4TW5PdXc/view?usp=sharing  MAHALO To All Who Participated In Our Incoming 6th Grade Family Orientation!  We also thank 8th Grade East Coast Travelers and advisors & teachers-staff for a warm welcome to new students and families! If you were unable to attend, please see 2016-17 school year information - click here! NOTE Date Change: The 2016-17 SY will begin Tuesday, August 2, not Aug. 1. For School Supplies List, please click here. * * * * *
 Waimeaʻs leaders of tomorrow from Waimea Middle School, Parker and HPA with the "Plastics and Our Oceans" project gather for one last photo after having shared their new-found wisdom about why Plastics are so very harmful...and what WE can do to make it better...concluding a 3+-day immersion in the science and public policy of plastics.  Today was an amazing day for many Waimea middle school students -- from WMS, Parker and HPA! After a wonderful assembly at Kahilu Theatre (above) with 15 students sharing their newly gained knowledge and wisdom about the science and public policy related to Plastics and Our Oceans...the students concluded the program with an art class with artist Dianna from PlasticPollutionCoalition.org...creating this mural: Hold the Foam! The students (below) are "flying" with Dianna like the albatross they met and depicted in the mural. Again, we mahalo University of California - Santa Barbaraʻs science team and partners including NOAA, UH Marine Scientists, Kokua Foundation, Surfrider Foundation and more including Councilwoman Margaret Wille and Kahilu Theatre. We also thank each of the 15 students for being such fabulous ambassadors for their generation! And to the teachers, family members and staff who supported this program...itʻs all about "the village" doing whatʻs best for our children.
If your child brings lunch and needs to warm it up, we will make arrangements for this but they will be asked to then go to the cafeteria to eat. * * * * * Mahalo To Our Students, Instructors, Kahilu Theatre and Other Funders! This Semester's Free K(Arts) Grand Finale Performances Were AWESOME! * * * * *2nd Quarter Begins: * * * * *  * * * * * MAHALO, too, to all who participated in and contributed to our 8th Annual Na Paniolo Invitational Cross Country Meet!  * * * * * MAHALO To 6th Grade Families Who Participated in Culminating Celebration of 'Tech Together' STEM Science Program  We were honored to welcome the Ka Ula Ana's "Tech Together" -- developed and funded by Partners In Development Foundation -- to introduce our 6th graders to renewable and non-renewable energy technology and related physical science and math concepts. The program also incorporated Hawaiian cultural concepts of sustainability including conservation and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). The program ran two hours daily for two week in September with a culminating gathering for students, families and friends Sept. 21 in the Cafeteria. A very warm MAHALO to Partners In Development Foundation for this new collaboration that's based on Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards and traditional cultural knowledge and protocols! Mahalo, too, to our teachers and staff who facilitated this exciting introduction to STEM teaching and learning! * * * * * WMS 9-Classroom STEM Building Groundbreaking - Sept. 9, 2015 Mahalo To Everyone Who Came & Contributed! It Was A Great Day For All Waimea Students & Our Entire Community! News Feature - WEST HAWAI'I TODAY - THURS., SEPT. 10, 2015: http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/new-stem-building-set-construction-waimea-middle Groundbreaking for our 9-Classroom STEM building was a really G-R-E-A-T DAY for the children & families of Waimea! This is a pivotal moment for our students, school and community -- doing what's right for the next generation of Waimea children. MAHALO to all who helped make this long time dream come true. We also thank all of the construction crew who will make this a safe, inspiring and beautiful learning center for our children. Please click here for more details!     WMS 'Ike Hawai'i class led by Kumu Keala Kahuanui and Angela Pastores work with students to create ti-lei for some of today's VIP guests.  * * * * * August 2015 MAHALO To All Who Participated In Open House! No Disruption Of Student Class Time: WMS will no longer allow calls to classrooms by office staff to convey messages during class time, and also will not call classrooms during the school day to arrange release of a student. Families must send a note to school in the morning so that student comes to the office to get a pass to give to his/her teacher. Planning ahead is essential for families. Why? To avoid disrupting lessons.  ALL WMS STUDENTS: Celebrate Your Birthday With a FREE DRESS DAY! Students may come to school not wearing a school uniform (must comply with Dress Code of course), and must first go to the office to see one of the office team to get one of these buttons to wear and a pass to show teachers and staff. If birthday falls on a weekend or holiday, the student may celebrate with a Free Dress Day on the following Monday. Special thanks to teachers and office staff for making this possible! * * * * *  Most WMS 2015-'16 Faculty-Staff gathered for a blessing of our new buses and vans today! Mahalo to all for participating -- and to Kahu Billy Mitchell for your wisdom and deep aloha for our mission, our children and our community!
Whoa! Look What Arrived July 14 At Our School!  Check out Waimea Middle School’s new buses – fully loaded with state-of-the-art student safety devices including seat belts, student card scanners and audio-video cameras which are connected “live” to the school via wifi. The buses, along with two new vans, will help the public conversion charter school better serve student transportation needs, afford more educational, athletic and arts field trips, and also save money that can be redirected back into the classroom to support academic achievement by all. The buses and vans were donated to the school by The Neilan Foundation after students, faculty and families held a “Take a LAP Fun Run/Walk” fundraiser last school year to launch an Accreditation-driven “We’re Going Places” sustainability campaign. Shown here signaling “Whoa!” with Interim Principal Amy Kendziorski (2 nd from right) are (L-R) WMS Head Custodian and Athletics Director Warren Tamaye, office staff members Kiki Kihoi and Bernie Marsh, new bus driver Ray Aina, Susan Fernandez who assisted with procuring the buses, new bus driver Val Brighter, office secretary Michelle Kauhi and Community Liaison Patti Cook. For busing application, please click here. For questions about busing, please call Auntie Kiki Kihoi at 887-6090 Ext. 224.
Photo below taken with the 2015 May Day Court with Waimea community heroes that are featured on our school's HERO WALL and who will be honored during this year's May Day program. To read more about May Day and honoring our heroes, please click here or go to www.Facebook.com/WaimeaMiddleSchool Photo below taken at the 2014 evening performance featuring both the WMS May Day Court and, in the foreground, many former court members! * * * * *
WMS is blessed to have received two beautiful brand new vans, and soon, two brand new buses to enhance student learning and activities and also help the school become more financially sustainable. We extend a very warm mahalo to The Neilan Foundation for making this possible!
 * * * * * IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL STUDENTS & FAMILIES!
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A New Laptop Coming For Every WMS Student!  What an awesome gift to our students & teachers! To learn more about the Beneski Foundation gift of almost $147,000, please click here! News Feature in West Hawai'i Today & Hawai'i Tribune-Herald: http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/waimea-middle-school-gets-147k-donation-computers News Feature in Pacific Business News: http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/morning_call/2015/02/texas-foundation-gives-147k-in-laptops-to-big.html News Feature in North Hawai'i News: http://northhawaiinews.com/sections/news/generous-donation-benefits-every-waimea-middle-school-student.html * * * * *
* * * * * Big Brothers Big Sisters program coming to Waimea Middle School! Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015: http://media.westhawaiitoday.com/eedition/2015/01/25/index.html * * * * * Congratulations to both our WMS boys and girls teams who won the Huki Huki competition at the 2015 Ka Moku O Keawe Makahiki!
* * * * * News Flash! WMS 9-Classroom STEM Building Bid Opening December 19! Yes, we’re very excited that not only did Gov. Neil Abercrombie release the full $14.89 million appropriated by the 2013 and 2014 Legislatures, but DOE Facilities staff have opened bids from 8 contractors and are now reviewing and certifying the low bidder. Construction will be challenging for everyone — noisy, dusty and disruptive, but we couldn’t be more thrilled over the prospect of having 9 REAL Science and Technology Labs to teach students essential 21st century skills and critical thinking! Mahalo to all who have made this possible - most especially our DOE Facilities partners, our State Legislators and Governor. * * * * *
ANOTHER HUGE MAHALO TO EVERYONE WHO IS CONTRIBUTING TO OUR SCHOOL BUS FUNDRAISING! Special thanks to our fun run volunteers & community businesses who supported the event including the silent auction! Mahalo, too, to The Neilan Foundation for underwriting event expenses and contributing to bus purchases, too! See great photos on Facebook and check out this video footage taken from a mini-helicopter by Alan Nakagawa: Also, check out this West Hawai'i Today Front Page News Feature on WMS School Bus Fundraising (9-16-14): http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/waimea-middle-school-raising-transportation-funds Click on the following link to a North Hawaiʻi News Feature Story (9/2/14 Edition): http://northhawaiinews.com/sections/school-news/we%E2%80%99re-going-places.htl * * * * * Please join us to explore an exciting opportunity for our Waimea children... Wouldn’t A ‘Boys & Girls Club’ Be Great In Waimea!? To read more, see news story or click here: * * * * *  * * * * *
New Uniform Shirts Have Arrived! (Students may still wear uniform shirts from prior years but not special event or program/activity shirts -- ie, K(Arts), athletics, etc. Please stop by the school office to pick up shirts...or plan to do so during Gear Up at the end of the month! Uniforms are required every day at WMS.  * * * * *
 WMS School Bus Fundraising Project Receives $2,000 From Windermere Foundation! Mahalo! Windermere Foundation’s Waimea real estate sales team presented — for a second year — a $2,000 donation to WMS, thanks to its supportive marketing practices. Team members here to present the check are (L-R) Kerry Balaam (RS), Harold Clarke (Windermere Partner), Joshua Conklen (RS), WMS parent John Balaam (Broker in Charge), Beth Richardson (Principal Broker), Puakoa Taga (Bookkeeper – hidden a bit), WMS parent Charito Balaam (RS), and Guy LaGuire (RS). Windermere sets aside a percentage of every single real estate transaction to contribute to its community and we sincerely appreciate their support for our school bus fundraising project!
* * * * * The 2013-ʻ14 School Year Is Done!
Congratulations To All, Especially Our Exiting 8th Graders!
* * * * *   Crew members of the Hokule'a and Hikianali'a wa'a are shown proudly wearing their bright yellow olena-dyed bandana gifts hand-made by Waimea Middle School students and they are holding hand-written notes from students! The wa'a are set to depart Pelekai Bay -- Hilo -- today, Friday, May 30 between 11 a.m. and noon on the first leg of their World Wide Voyage.
As Papa Mau Piailug always said, "Prepare well and make strong like a mountain for the journey!" . To track the voyage, go to www.Hokulea.com
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Mahalo To All Who Attended Our WMS Steak Fry Celebration! and Congratulations To The WMS Recipients of Student 'Grit' Awards & Faculty-Staff 'Culture of Excellence' Awards Sponsored by Tom & Gail Gimbel – The Neilan Foundation  WMS Student 'Grit' Award Recipients - May 14, 2014
TO THE STUDENTS OF WAIMEA MIDDLE SCHOOL: GRIT is not something new to you or Waimea. In fact, Grit is what Waimea’s paniolo are all about! Loosely defined, Grit is persistence over time to overcome challenges and accomplish big goals. It’s a legacy that is imbedded both in the Waimea community’s heritage and your school’s Core Values of ‘Ike, Kaizen, Accountability, Integrity and Respect. We are big believers in GRIT as one of the most important character traits for students to be truly successful in school and in life. Our family believes in you and wants to support your success. We invite you to reflect on the current school year – the hard work you have done as a student and the challenges you have faced and overcome – and then enter this essay contest explaining why you deserve a GRIT AWARD! With Aloha, Tom and Gail Gimbel, The Neilan Foundation - Click here for more information! Spring 2014 'Grit' Award Recipients:
CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE AWARDS - Spring 2014   Spring 2014 Award Recipients – Presented May 14, 2014 - Each recipient was awarded a $1,000 unrestricted gift from The Neilan Foundation. 1) Student Academic Growth – Some outstanding individuals, be they teachers or other school staff, have a measurable and profound impact on student achievement through their persistence and focus. Preparing students for a brighter future begins with a solid academic foundation and high expectations for learning and growth. The recipient of the “Culture of Excellence – Student Academic Growth” award demonstrates clear evidence of a dramatic impact on student growth in core academics as a result of his or her work. Shelby Loo and Sarah Teehee 2) Teacher Leadership – The recipient of the “Culture of Excellence – Teacher Leadership” award not only demonstrates exceptional professional practice, but also intentionally shares his or her successes, resources, and struggles with others. Creating a true “Culture of Excellence” relies on individuals with the courage to open themselves up to share ideas for improving the classroom learning environment. Nau'i Murphy and Janice English-Somerville 3) Personal and Professional Growth – A “Culture of Excellence” is characterized, primarily, by continuous improvement for the organization and for individuals. The recipient of the “Culture of Excellence – Personal and Professional Growth” award embodies continuous improvement through his or her own personal and professional growth; he or she is an open example of learning from experiences, including personal missteps, and continually striving to improve. Tanya Malani 4) Caring and Inspiration – Everyone can think of that adult from their past who has made an extraordinary impact on them by caring and inspiring them to being their best. The recipient of the “Culture of Excellence – Caring and Inspiration” award goes well above and beyond to make connections with students and inspiring them to reach their full potential both today and for the rest of their lives. Warren Tamaye and Bernie Marsh 5) Family and Community Connectivity – To provide the best education possible for students and to create a “Culture of Excellence” that lasts requires resources and connections beyond the schoolhouse walls. The recipient of the “Culture of Excellence – Family and Community Connectivity” award finds countless ways to establish and maintain meaningful connections to the community to benefit students; these connections raise the bar for everyone within the school. Pua Case and Patti Cook
* * * * * WMS Receives 6-Year Accreditation! & $15 Million STEM Building!
At 7:30 a.m. yesterday morning, May 5, Waimea Middle School was informed it was receiving 6-year Accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)! “This represents national recognition of the great work our teachers and staff are doing. It validates the school’s academic and organizational effectiveness in delivering what’s best for students and also being committed to continuous improvement,” said Principal Matt Horne.  “We are ecstatic to have the building fully funded and thank our legislators – State Sen. Malama Solomon and Rep. Cindy Evans in particular. We also thank Gov. Neil Abercrombie for recently releasing the first $5M and visiting with us last week and committing to expedite release of this year’s $10M to get construction started as soon as possible,” Horne said. “Accreditation – coupled with 21st century STEM education classrooms -- puts Waimea Middle School on the map as one of the state’s most progressive and effective public middle schools,” said Horne. “This is a real milestone in Waimea Middle’s history as a school – congratulations to everyone who was involved. We couldn’t be happier for the students and families of Waimea,” said Dr. Megan McCorriston on behalf of Ho’okako’o, which is school’s governing board. “I couldn’t be happier for the whole community of Waimea; it’s wonderful to have such a great school in our town,” said WMS parent John Balaam. Daniel Gomez, another WMS parent who serves as a volunteer member of the school’s Local Advisory Panel, said: “The real testament of what your efforts have already achieved is in more than WASC’s Accreditation…but in the daily and weekly effects seen in kids and families who, like mine, regularly experience the benefits or your life-giving passion! Thanks to each of you for your limitless giving and care towards each of our keiki (including the smallest unseen acts from the many of you behind the scenes who might go unacknowledged).”
“We extend deep gratitude to our entire faculty and staff, every single one of whom has participated in the Accreditation process,” said Horne. “We especially thank our school’s Accreditation Steering Committee that included teacher Nau’i Murphy and school counselor Mary Martinson working with long-time Waimea educator Pat Rice. We also thank our focus group chairs, our volunteer Local Advisory Panel (LAP), our Ho’okako’o Local School Board, and also students, parents and community members who have been deeply involved in our accreditation,” said Horne. WMS applied for accreditation with the assistance of Hawai’i Association of Independent Schools (HAIS) and Kamehameha Schools. We established eight focus groups tasked with examining all aspects of school life, from curriculum, assessment and governance to student supports and family engagement, to facilities and financial accountability and transparency. These focus groups produced a comprehensive Self Study that identified strengths and challenges. These conclusions were prioritized and four Action Plans developed that commit the school to an accountable course of continuous improvement, said Horne. HAIS then identified an Accreditation Visiting Team of respected educators to thoroughly review the school and its Self Study and Action Plans. Visiting Team members in addition to Dr. Shiraki included Ryan Masa, Chief School Officer with the Hawaiian Education Council, Dr. Katina Soares, Vice Principal of Kualapu’u Public Conversion Charter School on Moloka’i, Mollie Sperry, a retired head of school, and Puanani Wilhelm, Education Director for Kua O Ka La Public Charter School. The Visiting Committee spent three days here in late March conducting an in-depth review that involved observing every teacher in action, as well as interviewing each of the focus groups and also students, families, community members, partners, the school’s administrators and its local school board. The Visiting Team then produced a 57-page report for WASC that included both extensive commendations and recommendations to guide the school’s ongoing improvement process. “The Visiting Committee had high praise for WMS as a safe and caring school with strong student supports and family and community involvement. The Visiting Committee also commended our school’s dedicated team of teachers for going above and beyond to fulfill the school’s mission of ‘empowering all students with the skills, values and cultural understanding to successfully navigate high school and beyond’,” said Horne. “To celebrate these two significant achievements, we are today inviting the entire Waimea school-community to a steak fry next Wed., May 14, from 5-7 p.m. in the school cafeteria. It’ll be a wonderful celebration to recognize community-wide support for doing what’s best for the children of Waimea. The steak fry is being hosted by a private funder, The Neilan Foundation, which is helping WMS become more sustainable by underwriting cost saving strategies such as converting to photo voltaic and exploring purchase of our own school buses. The steak fry is free to children 14 and under; it’s really free to everyone else but we do suggest a donation and all money raised will go to our new School Bus Fund,” said Horne. The steak fry also will include presentation of The Neilan Foundation’s new WMS “Grit” Awards for 30 students, and five $1,000 Teacher-Staff “Culture of Excellence” Awards. “What a great year it is for the children of Waimea! We hope the entire community will join us May 14 for a delicious meal and to thank everyone who has made this possible,” said Horne.  A Very Warm Mahalo to the 2014 State Legislature For Putting Waimea Children First! $15 Million Appropriated for WMS' 9-Classroom Science-Technology Building! Awesome! WHT (June 7, 2014) - http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/waimea-middle-school-gets-5m-more-toward-science-building News Release (June 5, 2014) - http://governor.hawaii.gov/blog/governor-releases-87-1-million-for-public-school-improvements/ To read more click here. * * * * * Mahalo to everyone who participated in and contributed to a priceless 2014 May Day Celebration!
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Mahalo To Our Accreditation Visiting Committee!
Mahalo, too, to our entire school-community for making this a meaningful, collaborative experience!
To read about preliminary (not final) Commendations and Recommendations of the Visiting Committee,
and/or to review our Accreditation Self-Study and Action Plans, please click here.
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Mahalo to All For Joining Us for our "Connecting For Success" Family Dinner & Talk-Story With Mayor Billy Kenoi!
 What a great evening for our WMS students & families, faculty & staff! Mahalo Mahyor Kenoi for sharing your message that we all "Get Chance"
if we
Dream BIG, Work Hard, and Never Give Up! Mahalo, too, to Hawai'i Community Foundation and all who support our new "Connecting For Success" program including more than 25 volunteer mentors!
We also thank our program team leaders -
Suzi Herhold and Lori Ching with support from Principal Matt Horne, Vice Principal Amy Kendziorski and Former Principal Pat Rice!
Photo courtesy of West Hawai'i Today/Brad Ballesteros To read Carolyn Lucas-Zenk's news feature in West Hawai'i Today (3/14/14), click here: http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/mayor-shares-his-keys-success To view Big Island Video Newsʻ video news feature, click here: To learn more about "Connecting For Success" including what's involved to become a student mentor, please click here. * * * * * Mahalo to 'Cable One' & Kamehameha Schools' 'Aina Ulu Lahui for Your Malaʻai School Garden Work Day Contribution!
Mahalo, too, to Buttons Lovell for your tireless generosity and pa'ahana for our students and school-community!
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State House of Representatives Includes $9.89M in Budget for WMS 9-Classroom Science-Technology Building! * * * * * A Very Warm Mahalo to Hawaiʻi Island Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Trustee Robert Lindsey and Fellow Trustees! We are deeply grateful to OHA Trustees for again voting to contribute a total of $1.5 million to Hawaiʻiʻs 17 Hawaiian-focused public charter schools including WMS! We are not sure yet how much this will mean to our students, but last yearʻs contribution was about $27,000 and this is deeply appreciated and will be put to good use!
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 WMS 6th Graders enjoyed tasting Blueberries during our weekly USDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetables sampling to introduce a wide array of fresh produce to the nation's children. * * * * * Mahalo to all who participated in our I KAIR Campus Clean-Up on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service! 
At the prestigious NFL Punt, Pass & Kick Regionals held in San Diego Dec. 8, WMS 8th Grader Kelsan Cacoulidis (2nd from right above) placed 2nd in his 12-13 Boys age division, missing 1st Place by only 7 feet! In all, there are 2,230,000 participants of all ages in this competition and Kelsan was ranked 5th in the nation as of Dec. 9. We are still awaiting final results as other regional competitions are held across the country. What we do know is that the top four high scorers in each of the 10 age divisions from all 32 Team Championship events advance to the Nationals and that these 40 winners – along with one guest each – will travel to the PP&K National Championships that will take place in January at an NFL playoff game. We’ll let you know if Kelsan’s in this group! Regardless -- Congratulations, Kelsan, for making your family, school and community very proud!
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Mahalo To All Who Attended...and Contributed to Our Sensational
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 WMS entered two teams in Saturday’s First Lego League competition in Kona and our “LaVog Runners” took 3rd overall so are the Alternate Team for the State Championships if either of the top two teams is unable to go to Honolulu. Competition involved an Interview where the team was judged on teamwork and problem solving; then a Research Project related to “Nature’s Fury” — this team invented a volcano-resistant one-piece hooded weatherproof jacket with built-in hard hat, built-in first aid kit, built-in rope and LED lights. The third part was the actual robots competition. Mahalo to our teachers and former Civil Defense Director Ed Teixeira for supporting this! * * * * *  * * * * *
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 This is the Island Princess of Lana'i and her escort -- riding in the Keiki Pa'u Unit of the 38th Annual Waimea Paniolo Parade this past Saturday...please look closely at their beautiful pa'u horse lei which were created by WMS students with guidance from a team of dedicated lei makers – Kumu Keali’i Bertelmann, Kumu Keala Kahuinui, Ana Kaho’opi’i, Ku’ulei Keakealani and ‘Ike Hawai’i Resource Teacher Pua Case. To see dozens more photos of Saturday's beautiful parade, go to www.Facebook.com/WaimeaMiddleSchool.
PS: That's Waimea's 150+-year-old historic Spencer House in the backdrop! Photo courtesy of Sherman Warner
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Students Learn ’Sense of Place’ Skills To Perpetuate Tradition & Preserve Resources Connecting Culture To Curriculum & Practice To Perpetuation As the magnificent pa’u units pass by spectators during this Saturday’s 38th Annual Waimea Paniolo Parade, the scene that unfolds will be breathtaking. The fabulous flowing pa’u garments and stunning lei worn by superb horsewomen are the highlight of the parade, and this year will be no exception, especially with Anna Akaka riding as Pa’u Queen, accompanied by her husband, Danny Kaniela Akaka, Jr. But to WMS 6th and 7th grade students -- and 8th, too from lessons learned in previous years -- it will mean so much more. Through a two-week series of rigorous, integrated Language Arts, Social Studies, Science and even Math lessons involving “close reading”, detailed study and note taking, watching documentaries, listening to personal family stories by one of the community’s best storytellers who “lives” the paniolo life, calculating costs involved, and topping it all off with helping to make from scratch four horse lei for the keiki pa’u unit...our students have a much deeper understanding of what they will be seeing. They’ll know both the significance of each pa’u and lei as well as how much effort and expense went into the visual feast for the eyes...and also how important it is to help preserve this tradition and with it -- protect and preserve the natural resources required -- our forests and shorelines.      * * * * *
Waimea Middle School's Mission:
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 * * * * * STUDENT & CAMPUS SAFETY REMINDERS: √ Campus Closed: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. M-F except for families dropping off/picking up children and others on school business. All visitors to campus must first report to the office to secure a Visitors Pass - No exceptions. √ Emergency Contact Info: Families must keep the school office informed about phone and mail contact information to ensure that the school is able to reach families quickly. Questions? Call the office: 887-6090. * * * * *
Introducing our 2012-'13 Schoolwide Theme: 
-- Adapted From "'Ölelo
No'eau - Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings" by Mary Kawena Pukui"
And...as shared by Chadd Paishon at the opening day assembly and in Mala’ai:
He wa’a he moku. He moku he wa’a. Literally – The canoe is an island, the island is a canoe.
Figuratively - Everything you must do to survive on a voyaging canoe — the values you must have, the respect and
compassion for others, the supplies and work ethic necessary for survival—are also essential to living on an island.
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Click here to learn more about 'Ike Hawai'i at Waimea Middle School. * * * * *  News Flash:
WMS Becomes
'A Candidate For Accreditation'!
Congratulations To All - This Is A Major Step Forward!
Click here for more details. WMS 8th Graders Visit King Kamehameha Statue in Washington, D.C. - May 2011
Brief History of Waimea Middle School: Why we became a public conversion charter school and what it means to our students and families. While there was a school for Waimea children going back to the mid 1800s, Waimea School as we know it today began as a one-room school house in 1916 for students in grades K-12. In the 20th century, it became initially a K-9 school, and then evolved into a K-8 school. In the year 2000, through faculty, staff and family initiative, the school was split into two schools, and became Waimea Elementary (a P-K-5) and Waimea Middle (a 6th-8th grade) School. In 2003, the Waimea Middle school-community voted to become Hawai’i’s first Public Conversion Charter School (PCCS) under a new law passed by the 2002 State Legislature. Act 2/2002 was created with the support of many educational visionaries in Hawai’i including Kamehameha Schools and the Hawai’i Business Roundtable, who together sought to nurture student achievement by providing public schools — who were willing to embrace change — with greater local control over curriculum and resources through active collaboration that involves and respects all stakeholders. Act 2/2002 created the not-for-profit Ho’okako’o Corporation, which works in partnership with the Department of Education, Kamehameha Schools and others. Ho’okako’o Corp. serves as our “Local School Board.” DOE continues to fund WMS and is responsible for our facilities though most day-to-day maintenance and repair is funded out of the school’s per pupil allocation from the Legislature. Upon becoming a PCCS, WMS conducted a comprehensive Systems and Organizational Audit (SOA), which provided a “road map” for developing an Educational Strategic Plan that was formally adopted by the school-community and guided all decisions. This plan focused on student achievement, family engagement and community involvement. Our school governance model is one of respectful collaboration involving all stakeholders — teachers, staff, parents, students and community. Beginning in 2011, WMS applied for Accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and after extensive, in-depth collaboration involving all stakeholders, it was awarded a full 6-year Accreditation for 2014-2020. Accreditation is really a commitment to "continuous improvement." This requires Action Planning focused on a set of priorities related to student achievement. For more about Accreditation, click here please. Foundational Commitments:
Key Partnerships: Waimea Middle Public Conversion Charter School works closely in partnership with the Hawai’i State Department of Education (DOE), the State Public Charter School Commission, Kamehameha Schools and Hawai'i Community Foundation. Also, WMS is Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). These partnerships require evidence of "continuous improvement" and therefore, substantial data reporting for academic and financial accountability. This, too, has helped our school better serve all students. Many other community partners also support our students and families and we thank all for their generosity and for understanding the important role public education plays in preparing the leaders of tomorrow. This includes the The Neilan Foundation and Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). We cannot do this alone and we welcome partners and volunteers including mentors! Please call us! More Information: If you have questions or would like to get involved in supporting student learning, please contact our Principal Amy Kendziorski at 887-6090 or email Amy_Kendziorski@wmpccs.org To register your child for school, please call our Registrar Lorna "Mas" Muromoto at 887-6090 or email: Lorna_Muromoto@wmpccs.org
Perpetuating Waimea Traditions...
 2015 May Day Court
 2013 May Day Court
 2012 May Day Court
 2011 May Day Court
 2010 May Day Court
* * * * *    2013 6th Grade Culture Faire
 2012 6th Grade Culture Faire
 2010 6th Grade Culture Faire
 8th Grade East Coast Trippers: Thanks to their own fundraising efforts and help from their families and community friends, WMS 8th grader students may conclude the year with an educational visit to Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia to bring alive American History! |
