Letter from the Head of School

Aloha mai kākou!

In this double feature issue of our Kūlia magazine we celebrate the many people who have lifted us up during the global pandemic. Th e past two years have gone by quickly and it has been challenging for everyone, yet the hard work of our professional educators, the loyalty of our school families, and the generosity of our donors have made it possible for St. Andrew’s to remain remarkably stable during this time.

Particularly noteworthy are the students who successfully “did school” in trying circumstances and the teachers, families and greater community that went above and beyond to support their eff orts. Within these pages you will fi nd stories of hope, friendship, triumph, loss, success and great joy. We are especially proud of the many achievements of our seniors from the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2022 because the lives they are leading give us great hope for the future.

Joyful, enthusiastic, and kind are three words that the HAIS/WASC Accreditation Visiting Committee used to describe the students at St. Andrew’s Schools. “A visit to Queen Emma Preschool revealed an ambassadorship where the smallest of the small gave lei, off ered hugs, repeatedly, and shared introductions of nearly all their friends and classmates in quick order. Step foot into Th e Prep and Th e Priory and you’ll fi nd equal confi dence and tenacity. Attuned to their studies within their coordinate environments that meet their developmental needs and diff erences, the students, in the words shared by parents, are not stifl ed and instead given agency to be themselves where over time, they transform into engaged, empowered, and giving citizens of the world. It is a place where being yourself is what matters most and it is the gift received by all. Queen Emma would certainly be proud!”

Queen Emma Kaleleonālani’s vision for educating young women in Hawai‘i was realized when St. Andrew’s Priory School opened its doors in 1867. Since then, so much has changed, not only within our school but in the community around us in every way, including business, government, infrastructure, and the demographics of the residents of our islands. St. Andrew’s Schools today refl ects the diversity, innovation, and forward-thinking of our 21st century society.

And yet, important things remain the same.

Deeply faithful, Queen Emma and her husband King Kamehameha IV invited the Church of England to the Hawaiian Islands in 1862. St. Andrew’s Schools stays true to its Episcopal heritage with weekly chapel and special occasion Cathedral services; Christian values embedded into our curriculum at every grade level; and the pastoral guidance and leadership of Th e Right Rev. Robert Fitzpatrick, Bishop of Honolulu, and our school chaplain, Th e Rev. Canon Heather Patton-Graham.

Access to our high-quality education remains a priority with our school’s commitment to fi nancial assistance for families, including through the Ke Ali‘i Collaboration, our partnership with Kamehameha Schools that provides scholarships to Native Hawaiian children that demonstrate fi nancial need.

A strong connection to our founder is woven into the culture of St. Andrew’s. Queen Emma’s compassionate leadership and loving kindness are examples of the strong character that our students aspire to. Her adventurous spirit and skills in international diplomacy are refl ected in our goals for students to be global citizens who make a diff erence everywhere they go.

Th ere is much about St. Andrew’s Schools that Queen Emma may not have specifi cally foreseen but we are confi dent that our school of today serves her vision. In the span of a couple of lifetimes, thousands of young people have been blessed with a St. Andrew’s education. Our world is better because of that.

Because of the dreams of our founder, the strength of our faith, our commitment to the work, and the generosity of those who support us – the legacy of Queen Emma lives on. Each issue of the Kūlia tells those stories. We are proud and grateful to share them with you.

With warmest aloha,