Furniture, Storytelling and Bugs!

They’re here. All twenty of them. Strong legs. Sturdily built. Pecan and walnut “skins.” We finally received our Dining Room tables this past Monday, and our students have been enjoying the novelty. In fact, everyone ate at the new tables rather than on the picnic tables on the lanai, just to test out the furniture. Beginning next week, we’ll be having chapel in the Dining Room in larger groups, Kindergarten to Grade 2 and Grades 3-5. Preschool chapel will be separate from the rest of the school. We’re just awaiting the arrival of the new student chairs for several classrooms, items which had been ordered at the end of the last school year!

It has been a week of wonderful learning. On Monday, students from several classrooms attended the storytelling session by Alton Chung and writer Katy Rydell in the Dining Room. Through animated voice and gesture, they transformed the Dining Room into a village, meadow, or volcano as backdrops for memorable characters. Just ask your child about the stories these master storytellers shared. I believe there’s a Storytelling Festival at McCoy Pavilion that you and your family should check out this weekend.

On the same day, world-renowned entomologist Dr. Steven Montgomery came with all his bug-eyed (literally) friends such as a moth-eating caterpillar, cricket, spider, and other sundry characters (thanks to Randall Sakumoto, Colby, M 1-2B). He spoke to all the Multiage 1-2 students because they’re in the middle of researching insects. It was exciting for the children to hear firsthand from an expert who is passionate about learning and about caring for all living things and the natural environment. Fascinating!

For me, the highlight of the week was our schoolwide assembly this past Thursday. We honored several individuals — President Rice, Architect Lorrin Matsunaga of Urban Works, Project Manager Arne LaPrade, Contractors Conrad Murashige and Helito Caraang of Shioi Construction, MPI CFO Pat Garvey, and Hank Howlett, Director of Facilities and Maintenance —who helped to plan and build the new elementary school. The children presented each of them with a large framed photo collage of the entire school — children and facilities. Joe Rice explained that having a preschool and elementary school was his dream come true, and so he encouraged the children and staff to hold on to their dreams.

If you haven’t made family plans for this weekend, I suggest attending E Mele Kakou Children’s Choral Festival this Saturday, October 22, 6:00pm, at Kawaiaha`o Church. Several of our students from grades one through middle school will be participating in choral workshops on Friday and Saturday. The grand finale is the concert on Saturday evening. I attended last year’s concert, which brings together nearly 500 students from across the state, to sing as diferent school groups and altogether in a harmonious blend of 500 strong voices. I was totally impressed by the singing, choral selections, students’ self-control, and stage presence. And the concert is free.

For our children,

Edna L. Hussey
Principal

Posted on October 20, 2005 3:35 PM | Permalink