Poʻokumu's Message

Aloha Kahuku Elementary School ʻOhana,

As we begin a new school year, I am grateful to continue serving as Poʻokumu of Kahuku Elementary School. This year marks the start of my third full school year with our KES ʻohana, and I continue to be thankful for the opportunity to learn, grow, and work alongside our haumāna, staff, families, and community partners.

This year, I am introducing Hoʻokele, Hawaiian wayfinding, as a guiding lens for my leadership and for our collective journey at Kahuku Elementary School for years to come. Our journey is grounded in the ʻōlelo noʻeau, “E lauhoe mai nā waʻa; i ke kā, i ka hoe; i ka hoe, i ke kā; pae aku i ka ʻāina,”  everybody paddles the canoes together; bail and paddle, paddle and bail, and the shore is reached. This ʻōlelo noʻeau reminds us that when we work together with shared purpose and kuleana, we can overcome challenges and reach our destination. Like skilled navigators, we must know where we are going, read the conditions around us, make thoughtful adjustments, and move forward together. At KES, our haumāna, families, staff, and community each play an important role in helping every child learn, achieve, and succeed. 

"Pūpūkahi i holomua," united, we move forward. As we hoʻokele together, our work in teaching and learning at KES is guided by five key components: 

Student Engagement: Every Haumāna in the Waʻa

We strive to create learning environments where every student feels connected, curious, encouraged, and inspired to learn. Just as every person in the waʻa has a place and purpose, every haumāna at KES must feel that they belong and that their voice matters. Strong relationships, caring adults, and effective instruction remain at the heart of our school culture.

Purposeful Learning: Knowing Our Destination

Learning at KES is intentional and meaningful. Like navigators who set their course before beginning a voyage, our teachers work to provide clear learning goals and success criteria so students understand what they are learning, why it matters, and how they can be successful. Purposeful learning helps our haumāna see the direction of their learning journey.

Standards-Based Instruction: Our Compass and Stars

The Common Core State Standards continue to guide our instruction and academic expectations. Like the stars, winds, and currents that guide navigators across the ocean, standards help us stay focused on the essential skills and knowledge students need to grow as learners and succeed in school, in our community, and beyond.

Meaningful Learning Experiences: Learning Through the Voyage

We believe students learn best through a variety of engaging, inclusive, and meaningful experiences. Like a voyage, learning requires practice, teamwork, resilience, discovery, and reflection. Our goal is to honor each child’s strengths, culture, voice, and way of learning while helping them build the confidence and skills needed to reach their full potential.

Data-Informed Decision Making: Reading the Conditions

We use academic, behavioral, attendance, and social-emotional data to better understand student needs and support growth. Like navigators who read the ocean, clouds, winds, and stars, we use data to understand where our students are, what they need now, where they need to go next, and how we can best support them along the way.

As Poʻokumu, I remain committed to helping guide our school with aloha, humility, high expectations, safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement. As we hoʻokele together, we will stay focused on what matters most: supporting every haumāna through purposeful, standards-based learning experiences using data.

Mahalo piha for your continued trust, partnership, and dedication to Kahuku Elementary School.

Me ka haʻahaʻa,
Poʻokumu Ikaika