Compassionate Koʻolau

At Compassionate Koʻolau, we strive to grow an island of support.

We support Windward District schools, families, and the community in becoming more resilient and connected through trauma-informed and restorative practices grounded in ʻike Hawaiʻi and ʻike kupuna.

What's New at Compassionate Koʻolau

Kailua-Kalāheo Alakaʻi Academy on Molokaʻi, August 2025

We partnered with Ka Hale Hoaka to lead the first Alakaʻi Academy for our Kailua-Kalāheo Principals and District Educational Officers on Molokaʻi in August. Since our hosts are kiaʻi loko (fishpond guardians), the theme of our experience was “Ke ola no ia o kiaʻi loko” which translates to “That is the livelihood of the keeper of the pond.” The 3-day academy included a bus tour and moʻolelo of wahi pana such as Kalaupapa lookout and Keawanui Fishpond, working at ʻOhalahala Fishpond, learning about the history of Aloha ʻĀina and education in Hawaiʻi, and culminating our learning with haku mele (writing songs) and a hōʻike (showcase) at Ka Hale Hoaka in Kūmimi. Watch the highlight video below to learn more about how this experience supports our work with students.

Alakaʻi Academy 2025.mov

2025-2026 Projects & 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, the Baker Center for Children and Families (a Harvard Medical School affiliate) 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. Kelsie 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.

Link to Mohala Na Pua Website

Uhau Humu Pilina with PAF

We held two professional learning experiences with Pacific American Foundation (PAF) to kick off the school year. Over the past two years, PAF developed a framework for our schools to be able to use to evaluate their social-emotional learning curriculum and schoolwide implementation of Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ). Mahalo to PAF CEO Kapono Ciotti and Kai Mead for your support.

Restorative Justice Peace Circle Keeper (Pōʻai) Training

This past July, we were able to host Circle Keeper training, facilitated by Dwanna Nicole from the Restorative Justice Partnership and Bella Finau-Faumuina. Mahalo to our partners at Liliʻuokalani Trust for allowing us to utilize the Kīpuka Koʻolau Poko for our 5-day training. If you would like to know more about RJ circles, please contact us.

SEL Support for Schools

Need support with SEL? Contact us! We can work with you to find a social-emotional learning curriculum and/or resources to fit the needs of your students.

RiseHI Collective was founded by local filmmaker Gabe Amey. Make IT Happen focuses on SEL, GLO, and life skills and ʻOihana Career Explorations focuses on career readiness. Both are secondary level video-based curricula featuring stories of kamaʻāina with student workbooks. We were able to purchase Make IT Happen subscriptions and workbooks from RiseHI Collective for Olomana School.
We attended Kimochis Training in September and have a Kimochis supply kit if elementary counselors or teachers want to try the program with your students.
Education Incubator also can offer support with Wayfinder for middle school students or Foundations of Aloha (appropriate for K-12).

Mahalo to Dee Takeno for her support with Title IV funding to provide SEL curriculum and professional development for our teachers. Title IV funds allowed us to host two Uhau Humu Pilina PDs to kick off this year, Foundations of Aloha PD last year, and the upcoming Mauliola Mini-Conference. We were also able to purchase supplies for school HĀ PDs this year and last year with support from Title IV, Ulu Aʻe, and CAS Izumi and CAS Hibbs.

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