2025-26

2025-2026 Projects & Partnerships

Yearlong Partnership Schools 2025-2026

In addition to ʻĀhuimanu Elementary, we had several other yearlong partner schools. We worked with Sharyl Lynn Fujii to support Heʻeia Elementary School staff in ʻāina-based Project-Based Learning. We partnered with Education Incubator to support Kahaluʻu Elementary’s staff in their Rooted in Aloha journey. We were recently connected with King Intermediate School’s Innovations Program and their students joined their former Heʻeia teachers on a huakaʻi to Paepae o Heʻeia. The Innovations students are experts on ʻāina and have developed strong pilina with the ʻāina and Paepae staff.

In the spring, our Waimānalo Elementary PreK-Grade 1 went on huakaʻi through the ahupuaʻa with community leader and cultural practitioner Kimeona Kane as our community partner and guest kumu. We also joined Halau Hekili’s 11th graders on their huakaʻi and planning day at Nation of Hawaiʻi in Waimānalo. The Hālau Hekili students planned and led an ʻāina day for Waimānalo Middle School in April.

Future Ancestors of ʻĀhuimanu

In the 2024-25 school year, we worked with the 4th grade teachers and students on a journey through their ahupuaʻa. We also partnered with the Windward Academy for CTE/Academic Integration Team and Purple Maiʻa Foundation to engage our students in bringing their learning about their community to life with computer science and emerging technologies. Thanks to Hawaiʻi Association of Independent Schools, Hawaiʻi Educational Networking Consortium, filmmaker Clinton Uyehara, and our own Kelsey Matsu, we were able to tell the story of our future ancestors of ʻĀhuimanu in a 30-minute documentary. We held a film screening on Friday, December 12, 2025 at ʻĀhuimanu Elementary cafeteria for the current 4th grade students and 5th grade students (who were in the film), as well as their ʻohana and our community partners from Kaiāulu ʻo Kahaluʻu, Purple Maiʻa Foundation, and Judy Valencia from Windward CTE. Mahalo to Principal Kimi Ikeda and teachers Kammi Abe & Lorene Baker for your trust and willingness to learn and grow with us!

4th Grade's visit to Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi in March 2025

Future Ancestors of ʻĀhuimanu Film Screening at ʻĀhuimanu Elementary School on Dec. 12, 2025

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We continued our partnership with ʻĀhuimanu Elementary this year and continuing to work with community partners to make the learning more engaging for our 4th grade students. As part of the 2nd quarter unit on Polynesian migration and navigation, students got to create their own star compass with Apprentice Navigator with Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hye Jung Kim Tano.

In November, students and teachers got to do a live Zoom call with Captain Kaleo Wong aboard Hikianalia as he was sailing with the crew from Rarotonga, Cook Islands, to Aotearoa (New Zealand). Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia sailed to Aotearoa as part of the Moananuiākea Voyage and are currently docked by the Auckland Maritime Museum until weather permits the next leg of the voyage in spring 2026.

In February 2026, our 4th graders visited Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi and were joined by our King Intermediate Innovations Program students and Kumu. The King students regularly visit Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi and care for a loʻi. We were able to weed the loʻi next to the one they normally care for. Kumu Nalani Kaio of Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi told us the moʻolelo of Hāloa, led us in quiet kilo and taught us about the importance of showing up with respect and aloha in a space.

A Journey through Our Waimānalo Ahupuaʻa with Guest Kumu Kimeona Kane

Waimānalo Elementary School PreK, Kindergarten and First Grade

Kumu Kimeona Kane & Aunty Tammy Smith at our ʻOhana Orientation. Aunty Tammy cooked ʻono Hawaiian food for all of our staff, students, and ʻohana who attended the orientation.

Students picking ʻohelo kai "berries" in the Native plant garden next to Muliwaiʻōlena. We planted these the next day at school and will return in April to hopefully plant the seedlings that sprout at school!

Kumu Kimeona leading our students, staff and mākua in protocol at Waimānalo Beach Park. Students have learned E Hō Mai at school and are able to practice this oli with Kumu Kimeona on ʻāina.

Our students were excited to plant naupaka kahakai clippings from outside the Waimānalo library with Kumu Kimeona. Students will mālama the clippings at school and will plant them on the shoreline at Waimānalo Beach Park in April.

Heʻeia Elementary Staff - Strengthening HĀ & ʻĀina PBL

Poʻokumu Danny Garcia at Heʻeia Elementary envisions his staff having a strong sense of belonging to their community, in particular, Heʻeia Ahupuaʻa. He has partnered with Kumu Frank Hewett of Kāneʻohe for several years. To kick off the 2025-26 school year, we hosted a Pilina Day for Heʻeia El. staff at Kealohi Point at Heʻeia State Park. Kumu Kaimana Chee who stewards this ʻāina introduced us to the space and taught lauhala weaving. Kelsey led an expressive arts activity outside and we ended the day with Kumu Frank Hewett sharing moʻolelo of Kealohi Point.

In November 2025, Heʻeia staff were able to go on huakaʻi to Paepae O Heʻeia to learn more about this wahi pana in the Heʻeia Ahupuaʻa. We strengthened a sense of belonging through mālama ʻāina, learning moʻolelo of Heʻeia Fishpond and through working together. We were fortunate to be joined by the King Innovations Program kumu and students, including former Heʻeia Elementary students! The King students shared with us their ʻike of Heʻeia Fishpond as well as what they have learned through their work at the loko iʻa on a regular basis.

Kahaluʻu Elementary Foundations of Aloha

Kahaluʻu Elementary Staff participated in a yearlong Foundations of Aloha series in partnership with Education Incubator. We learned about the values of ALOHA and engaged in activities that helped us to understand each value and how we can practice them in our daily lives and with students.

For our culminating Foundations of ALOHA activity, we repotted native plants and hosted Kupuna Breakfast at KEY Project in May 2026. Our Kahaluʻu Elementary 'ukulele ensemble performed for the kūpuna at the breakfast and some staff members even performed hula! The kūpuna were grateful to take home their native plants after the breakfast.

Hoʻākea at Kualoa

We were fortunate to join our Castle Complex 6th graders at Hoʻākea Koʻolau at Kualoa in March. Organized by our friends at Kānehūnāmoku Voyaging Academy, Hoʻākea Koʻolau featured a number of our waʻa community partners, ʻāina organizations, and industry partners. They all showed students how the ocean and waʻa connect us to ʻāina, to ʻike kupuna, and to one another. Check out the highlight video for more stories from the event!

Pōʻai Kealoha: Restorative Peace Talking Circles

Dozens of Windward District educators have been trained in keeping Restorative Peace Talking Circles by the Restorative Justice Partnership since 2017. Pō ʻai Kealoha is rooted in indigenous practice and also the values of restorative justice, that honor our shared humanity and connection, and allow for equity of voice and power. These circles help to build relationships and a sense of community. We continue to hold Circle for Circle Keepers & Friends experiences twice a quarter, open to Windward District staff. These experiences allow our trained Circle Keepers to maintain the practice of keeping Pōʻai as well as giving those new to the practice the opportunity to experience a Pōʻai as a participant. If you are interested in joining our February or April 2026 Pōʻai, please email Kelsey at kelsey.matsu@k12.hi.us.

Our December 2025 "makana" themed Pōʻai led by Kumu Kalena Hansen Del Rey & Poʻokumu Ikaika Plunkett was held at Kahuku Elementary School.

Community Partnerships

Ulu Aʻe Transitions Project

We are happy to share that we are continuing our partnership this year with Ulu Aʻe Transitions Project. Tammy Tom, Niki Gosiaco, Sheanae Tam, and Beau Uehara provide many of our Windward schools with direct support with implementing culture-based and ʻāina-based learning, HĀ, and SEL to strengthen pilina amongst students and staff, as well as with tech integration in the classroom. Ulu Aʻe also assists us with funding schoolwide and class projects, field trips, and resources aligned with our work at Compassionate Koʻolau. Mahalo to Tammy & the team for your ongoing support!

Mohala Na Pua

In August 2024, Dr. Kelsie Okamoto was awarded a 5-year research grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to implement a culturally grounded substance prevention curriculum in our middle schools, starting with Kailua Intermediate. This partnership began several years ago with our Compassionate Koʻolaupoko team, Dr. Okamura and Dr. Scott Okamoto (UH Cancer Center), and is based on the work of Dr. Okamoto on Hawaiʻi Island with the Hoʻouna Pono curriculum. Dr. Okamura is an implementation researcher and is our grant lead, Paloma Almanza is our Community Curator, and Kaylyn Mejasich is the lead teacher for the Kailua Inter. team.

Jan. 2026 Update: We completed our Design Sprint at Kailua Intermediate, facilitated by the Education Incubator, Compassionate Koʻolau, and MNP team. We are moving into the feedback phase with the Kailua Intermediate students and staff. As of Jan. 2026, Mohala Na Pua is no longer with the Baker Center and the project has moved to the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine.

Link to Mohala Na Pua Website

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