9/11 Remembrance Day

On September 11th, 2001  a great tragedy occurred, one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history, two planes commandeered by the terrorist group Al-Qaeda were flown into the twin towers killing 2,977 people, making this the deadliest terror attack ever. These are staggering, awful numbers, and today Waiakea highschool  celebrates the brave survivors.

On the 11th our very own warriors sang the national anthem, and freed doves.

Welcome our new vice principal - Mrs. Ha!

By: Serenity Oda, and Sa-Tya T-yamai Caravalho-Vincent.

What are some of your responsibilities as vice principal?

Each administrator here on our campus is assigned an academy, and sometimes two. As for me, I am currently the Freshman Academy administrator; however, I also help out other academies when necessary. As vice principal, I am also responsible for other things such as:

● Hiring and training staff

● Planning emergency safety drills

● Handling student discipline

● Meeting with parents and/or community members

● Communicating with parents and students

● Enforcing school rules and policies

How has your experience so far being a vice principal?

My experience so far as a vice principal has been nothing but a learning experience. I am learning new things every day, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to learn my new position with two very knowledgeable individuals Mr. Koga and Mr. DeMello.

How is it different from working as a teacher?

Being an administrator is way different than being a classroom teacher. As an administrator, our responsibility is to everyone on campus which includes students, teachers, and other faculty members. We need to make sure that everyone is safe.

What are some of the challenges of your job?

I haven’t experienced any challenges yet; however it’s still early in the year so I’m sure there will be many as the year progresses.

What are some of the best parts of being a vice principal?

Some of the best parts of being a vice principal is learning my new position, and having the ability to interact with a lot more of the students on campus as well as many of our staff and faculty members.

What are your expectations for students at WHS?

My expectations for all students of WHS is to be respectful, and do all things with integrity.

Why did you want to become a vice principal here at Waiakea High?

I wanted to become a vice principal because I wanted to learn a new position outside of the classroom. As a classroom teacher we only know what’s happening within our classes, and sometimes we complain about a lot of things without fully understanding “the why.” Being an administrator, I now can understand “the why.”

How long had you been a teacher before this?

I have been a teacher for 12 years, but have been working in the HIDOE for 22 years total.

What are your goals or what do you want to accomplish this year in your position?

My goal or what I would like to accomplish this year is just being able to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability while in this position. I know I have a lot to learn, but I can’t see myself learning from anywhere else other than Waiakea High School.

Do you have a final message for all the students?

My final message is this… Nothing in life comes easy. You either work hard for what you want or hardly work and see what you get. Life is that simple. It only gets complicated if you make it that way. - Mrs. Ha