Aloha Island School ‘Ohana, We started the year with high hopes of being able to drop masks and distancing, and return to all of our “normal” activities within a few weeks, or certainly by second semester. In fact, it was a year in which we truly had to dig into our ho’omau - persistence, as well as our lokahi - teamwork. Through the disappointment of rising Covid cases, we found ways to remain connected, to collaborate, and to create and learn together. We proved that we can keep going, especially when we lean on one another when we need support, and lift each other up when we have some extra strength. Even though we had to keep or return to many of our Covid mitigation measures, we remained open and active. Our enrollment was the highest ever, and our re-enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year is even higher. We have maintained continued excellence in academics while increasing our social emotional learning initiatives and support. Our college admissions list and Senior Capstone Projects speak to this excellence as well as the kulia i ka nu’u - pursuit of personal excellence - of our seniors. Our younger students showed this value through their work and activities in many ways. Our students participated in a wide variety of Learning Voyages in February, both on and off campus. The theater program produced three plays, the last of which - middle school- was performed in front of live audiences for the first time in over two years. Our students placed highly at History Day, worked tirelessly in Mock Trial, showed their strong presence in Model UN, reignited the Robotics team, and participated in a variety of community service opportunities, especially after a student-led community service fair on campus. We deepened our connection to place by collaborating with island 4 Voyager
organizations and learning how to kilo - observe with a purpose of understanding - in a variety of classes. Our athletics rose to incredible heights, with 8 KIF championships. As a community, we celebrated Island School’s 45th birthday all together outside, with 6 of the 7 Founding Mothers in attendance. We continued our partnership with Kamehameha Schools, providing scholarships for native Hawaiians to attend Island School, and with KCC for our Na Pua Keiki program. We furthered our relationship with a number of community organizations, such as multiple days of work with Mālama Hulē’ia at the Alekoko fishpond. We have also grown in tangible ways. We broke ground on the David W. Pratt Hall, laid the groundwork for a baseball field, and continued to improve campus buildings. We have doubled our Voyager Fund since 2019 and in April, we had our most successful Gala Auction in the history of Island School. The continued growth of our fundraising is essential as we improve support for financial aid, our campus, faculty, and program. It is with a heavy heart that I step down from my role as Head of School. The Island School ‘ohana will be in the capable hands of Vince Durnan as he guides and stewards the school on its course while gathering input and information to chart the best course. I look forward to seeing the continued evolution of the school as it educates the mind, inspires the heart, and prepares Kauaʻi’s youth to lead lives of significance. Mahalo,
