Currents Sept 05 - Punahou School

A PFA publication for the Punahou School communityVol. II Number 1September 2005In this issue2Hurricane Katrina:How Students can Help4On the Way to College #39Two Major Enhancementsto Campus Safety10Academy Students in theirNew Attirewww.mit.eduComing to Punahou in OctoberMarilee JonesDean of Admissions at MITDe-stressing Our ChildrenMs. Jones is well known in college admission circles for her convictionthat the increasingly stressful competition to get into an elite college,along with the related stress of overscheduling, is harming young people.Ms. Jones wrote:“There has been some national press about the effects on joints andgrowing bones of the 40lb backpacks carried by primary and secondaryschool students. But few of us are aware of the physiological effects ofstress on those same growing bodies…We see in the results of major studies over the past decade, we have donea good job of teaching kids that alcohol and drugs are bad for them. Yet we seem to have no problemturning them into workaholics, which though a socially acceptable one, is a trueaddiction…Expecting kids to work so hard at everything with equal vigor for external awards forcesan addictive pattern that will be devastating for many of them later in life.”Marilee Jones is Dean of Admissions at MIT. A scientist by training (biology and chemistry) withdegrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute andthe Albany Medical College, she joined the MITAdmissions Office in 1979 to lead the recruitmenteffort for women. She was a Graduate ResidentTutor in Burton House for four years and hasserved as an advisor to nine MIT student organizations.Jones has served on several national professionalboards, including the National Associationof College Admissions Counselors, the NationalAssociation of Foreign Student Advisors, and theWomen in Engineering Program AdvisoryNetwork. She is the 2001 recipient of MIT’s highestadministrator award, the MIT ExcellenceAward, for the category “Leading Change.”Wednesday, October 57:30 – 9:00 p.m.Dillingham HallAcademy ParentsThursday, October 67:00 – 8:30 p.m.Twigg-Smith PavilionJunior School Parents

Last March, Kelly Aldinger ’06 andher parents began a year-long series ofarticles in Currents about their experiencesand perspectives as Kelly worksher way through the college searchprocess. In this issue, Kelly, who isnow preparing to make her choicesabout where to apply, and her mother,Charlie, who is also getting ready forsomething -- letting her child go --muse on the meaning of senior year.Kelly Aldinger ’06:Today I had a chat with a goodfriend who told me she was angrythat her parents told her she coulddo whatever she wanted to do inlife. She was finally looking at collegesand realizing just how toughthey were to get into. To be honest,I was at a loss for words: as much asI love her, what she said was a true statement, for everyone.We all figure we can get in anywhere (we’re Punahou kids!)and discovering we can’t is a scary fact. The only piece ofadvice I could give her was to not let it get you down. No,we can’t all get into School X, but there are 3,641 collegesout there, and chances are, one of those will make you a veryhappy person. Finding it just takes a bit of work.This summer, I definitely put in time searching collegereviews and websites. I’m glad I did because I’m two daysinto senior year and feeling pretty overwhelmed. My classesexpect more out of me, as do my friends and family. Gettinga good grasp on where I want to apply has at least given me asolid foundation as I enter the year; it definitely takes offsome of the pressure. I also filled out the informationalaspect of the common application: my birthday, social securitynumber, sports played, etc. This was another simple wayto slowly ease into the whole process. It helped me regain alittle control in my life and now, as deadlines approach, I’mglad I don’t have to start from scratch. Getting excited andfamiliarized with the amazing options available for next yearhas really kept me from being swallowed by the vastness ofthe unknown ‘world ofcolleges.’What I couldn’t prepare for wasthe fact that I’m a senior. Asschool begins, I’m starting todeal with the impact of thatstatement. Nine months fromnow, I will not be a Punahoustudent: an identity I’ve had for11 years. It’s frightening. It’sexhilarating. It’s emotional! I’vefound that my friends and I arereminiscing more and moreabout the Winne Years and thegood ol’ days, primarily becauseI think looking back seems easierthan looking forward. I’vewelled up in tears at the beachbecause, as a senior, every surfsession and every moment withfriends all mean that muchmore. I didn’t realize how incredibly different it would feel.As Forrest Gump’s “mama” used to tell him, “Life is like abox of chocolates; you never know just what you’re going toget.” And this is pretty much how I feel about college andsenior year. The only thing keeping me sane is that I’vefound you can pick which box you choose from: get a truffleassortment if you like truffles! Get a box of dark chocolates ifyou prefer them. Research the nutritional content if you’reworried about your figure! Maybe you can’t have exactly whatyou want, but in the end: is eating chocolate ever bad?On The Way toCollege #3:September 2005Charlie Aldinger:Summer always seems foreshortened by the echo of schoolbells ringing across the country. There were many remindersthat this year will be a momentous one: A new school ringon my daughter's finger. Senior pictures. The new dresscode. And plenty of college applications filling the mailbox.I feel as if I am preparing myself for the long goodbye...thelast Book Day....the last Carnival and Variety Showfinale...those April pronouncements of acceptances and rejectionswhen the reality of it all smacks you upside the4 CURRENTS

FINANCIAL AID INFORMATIONFOR 2006–2007head...and finally...the pomp and circumstance of graduation. I expecta push-me-pull-you relationship with my youngest, who is now more ayoung woman than my baby child, perched on the brink of a new ageof independence. I struggle with knowing how much to let go, howmuch to trust, how much to risk, and when to hold on. I pray dailythat her maturity catches up with her desire for self-direction. I seemore signs that it has and fewer signs that it has a long way to go. Itake it to heart. But cautious optimism is tempered by the reality thata mother friend of mine lost her precious senior because of one singlemoment of bad judgment -- he chose to drink and drive.Have we done it well enough? Have we raised decent human beings?What did we forget and what must we focus on right now because ourtime is running out? Our parenting goalsthis year are all about accountability andgeared toward increasing self-directed,independent behavior. Independence andaccountability are inseparable. You makethe choice, you pay the price. We openeda new checking account in her name. We'llapply for a student credit card when she's18. The curfew has been extended. Newfreedoms and new responsibilities are theorder of the day. And with every minor setback,we echo our own parents’ lament,"We'll start treating you like an adult justCharlie Aldingeras soon as you start acting like one."Summer provided lots of time for cyber-searching through collegecampuses on the Internet. A few more possibilities emerged, whileothers were left in a wake of disinterest. She doesn't like me lookingover her shoulder while she writes her essays. Finding a college is herjob, not mine. I try to give her lots of space, but I can't help but becurious. She thinks I want her to go to a big name school. I reallywant her to know I'll be proud to wear whatever name is on the t-shirt. Really proud. Regardless.Yes...those hallowed hallways of learning are beckoning one lasttime...the bells are ringing....Seniors rule!But I can't help wondering, "Where did all those summers go?”If your family is considering applying forneed-based financial aid for the 2006–2007school year, please read this notice carefully.Applicants for financial aid may apply onlineafter November 1, 2005, atwww.punahou.edu, or may contact theFinancial Aid Office after November 15,2005, to receive applications by mail.For those interested, there will be financialaid information sessions on the followingdates:January 5, 2006, ThursdayJanuary 11, 2006, WednesdayBoth sessions will be held in CornuelleLecture Hall from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.IMPORTANT: Any current aid recipientwhose mailing address has changed sinceApril 2005 should notify the Financial AidOffice immediately.Punahou uses School and Student Service forFinancial Aid (SSS) to collect data and providea summary report of family finances tothe Financial Aid Committee. TheCommittee makes financial aid award decisionsfollowing a careful review of the SSSreport, family tax returns, and other requireddocumentation.You will note that financial aid applications(including the 2005 tax returns) are duebefore federal and state tax filing deadlines.Please plan accordingly. Preference will begiven to completed applications filed by thedeadline. Late or incomplete applicationswill jeopardize eligibility for an award.If you have questions, please contact theFinancial Aid Office at 943–3627.September 2005 5

DON’T DELAY….JOIN THE PFA TODAY!The Punahou School Parent Faculty Association (PFA) is anon-profit volunteer organization whose mission is to fostercommunication and cooperation in order to empowerall members of the Punahou community, students and parents,faculty and staff, trustees and alumni, to becomevaluable resources and partners in the education and developmentof every child at Punahou School.If you are not already a member, please consider joiningthe PFA by completing and mailing the blue PFA membershipcard that was sent to you this summer.We work to:• initiate activities and events which enrich student life• support school programs and activities• promote an understanding ofour purpose and functionWe welcome and encourage yoursupport.The PFA office is located on thelower level of the SullivanAdministration Building onChamberlain Drive. Office hoursWendy Bazemoreare Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. –PFA Coordinator4:00 p.m. Call 944–5752 ore-mail PFA Coordinator WendyBazemore at wbazemore@punahou.edu if you have anyquestions or need another membership card.• increase communication, promote understanding, andfoster mutual trust and respect among the members of thePunahou communityMike Walker addresses the K–5 Homeroom parents.K–5 Homeroom parents get an early start on the year with a PFA-sponsoredwelcome coffee at the President’s Pavilion on September 7 th .Volunteer Opportunities LuncheonFriday, September 30, 200511:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.In the PFA OfficePlease come and join us for acasual get-together to learn about the variousopportunities for involvement with the school.All Parents WelcomeCall 944–5752 for informationLissa Lau, PFA 3–5 Chair, and Joyce Wong,PFA K–2 Chair.6 CURRENTS

Brain PointersThis summer, two Junior School teachers attended the MichaelGurian Institute for a workshop entitled “Boys and Girls LearnDifferently!” with fifty other teachers from around the nation andabroad. For four days, they focused on studies of the brain as itrelates to teaching and learning. Returning to campus, they summarizedthese pointers to share with colleagues. We thought parentsmight be interested, too!From teachers Mark Eliashof (6 th grade) and Max Nu’uhiwa(3 rd grade):The following list of facts about the human brain comes fromwhat Mike Gurian calls “nature-based theory” about learning.According to Gurian, we need to pay attention to the biologyof brain development and acknowledge human nature whensetting up a learning environment.1. A typical toast and cereal breakfast, loaded with carbs, canmake a child’s brain groggy and make it difficult to focus. Ahigher protein, lower carb diet promotes learning.2. When a student is under stress, the level of cortisol, a stresshormone, increases in the brain. Cortisol interferes with learning.For example, if children fight with their parents beforeschool, causing stress, cortisol may interfere with that student’slearning at school. How do girls typically deal with this stress?Being more verbal, girls tend to use their words by talking withfriends. How about boys? They typically need physical activityto reduce cortisol levels.3. During middle school years, when boys are lower in thesocial pecking order, stress hormones go up and learning goesdown. As teachers and parents, we need to identify such childrento help them reduce their stress levels and improve theirlearning.4. Is too much TV bad? According to research, for every hourof TV a child between the ages of 1 and 3 watches daily, therisk of an attention disorder by age 7 increases 10%. This is notbecause of the content, but because of the unrealistically fastpace of the visual images on TV which may alter brain development.5. During elementary school, boys are more interested inobjects and things, girls in people and relationships. Boys tendto build high towers and then knock them down, girls build lowand expansive. What about their stories? For boys, they involveexcitement and action, with little concern for victims. For girls,they involve human dynamics and concern for victims.6. The average attention span of a person under the best conditionsis seven minutes! Attention is regulated by the hippocampusof the brain, which acts like an executive secretary, sortingand filing information.7. The hippocampus gets overwhelmed easily, so there is theneed to focus/break/focus/break, so the hippocampus can rejuvenate.8. To help children pay attention to the things we want themto learn, we need to provide their brains with “brain breaks.”These can be short activities, providing novelty, that allow thebrain to shift gears and refocus on learning when the break isover.A seminar for parents and friends of PunahouOffered by Jerry Devlin, Academy teacher.• Experience what it is like to engage in an Academy class• Become familiar with the enduring and perennial questions of importanceaddressed in The RepublicPlato:The RepublicFocus: The central challenge of Plato's 300-page dialog demands its active readers to develop a "constitutionwithin" that serves as a model of excellence. Plato's demand is made through the inquiry of Socrates, his teacher.(Tough, this challenge.)Details: Based on the feedback of the last two seminars, this class will meet once a cycle (week), 7:45 a.m. – 9:45a.m., for a dozen weeks beginning in early October. If there’s enough interest, this seminar may also be offeredduring the second semester.Interested? Contact Ping Collis at pingcollis@gmail.com or Cathy Griffith's scrapbook5@juno.com.September 2005 7

FROM MIKE WALKER, PRINCIPAL OF THE JUNIOR SCHOOLA Gentle BeginningIn the midst of the anticipation,excitement, and preparation thatgoes into the opening of a schoolyear, and as the sequences of events,orientations, and rites that welcomein the new year are launched, a tone,a tenor, or character always emergesthat comes to define the year.Whereas each academic year is madeup of a carefully managed curriculumand a fairly predictable calendarof activities, each school year is asunique as the children that fill our classrooms.Based on my conversations with teachers, and through myinteractions with students in the hallways, on Barwick, or ontheir way to and from classes, I would have to say that I woulddescribe the beginning of this school year as ….gentle. Therehas been a calmness, a purposefulness, a joyfulness that hascharacterized the opening of the school year. This wasenhanced by the images and metaphors of water, and the messageof renewal that was the theme of the opening cycleChapels. The parent volunteers welcoming the new familiesand helping with the orientations contributed to this spirit aswell. The faculty most certainly returned rejuvenated; throughthem I sensed optimism about directions and possibilities. Theygenuinely looked forward to the arrival of the students.My feelings about this year are most certainly influenced by thefact that for the first time in several years we have had access toall of the school roadways and parking; I have discovered thatthere is a direct correlation between the number of parkingspaces on campus and the general disposition of parents whenthey interact with me. Even though we have gotten used to andfriendly with the various construction crews and project managerswho have been a part of campus life these past years, wedid not miss their presence during the opening days of school.Hall went through a rejuvenation over the course of the summer.In addition to the fresh paint, we put in new lighting, ceilings,floors, and furniture, resulting in bright, airy classrooms.We moved the fifth graders down to the second floor, and withthe sixth graders in Case, the building does not feel crowded orconfining. We relocated my office to Castle over the summer,and as pleasant as it is having the fifth graders upstairs, I amabsolutely enjoying the daylong parade of students from all ofthe grades on their way to their art and music classes.Over the course of the first three weeks of school, we rolled outover 1,000 laptop computers in the fourth through seventhgrades. This is clearly a major instructional initiative for us, andthe logistics are significant. That being said, I have been in theclassrooms as the students have been given their laptops andseen their comfort, competence, and enthusiasm for havingaccess to this level of learning tool. The teachers are preparedfor how the technology will be incorporated into the curriculum,and the technical support systems are all in place.So, the year is off and running. As I write this, I am lookingout my Castle office window, watching a group of studentsplaying on the beautiful green lawn above the Lily Pond,Chapel in the background, all of this framed by the majesty ofthe Manoa mountains. A group of first graders pass by on theirway to lunch, hand in hand, radiating nothing but the innocenceand promise that we see in each and every one of thesechildren – and that, ultimately, is a gentle reminder of whatschool is all about.Starting the school year with the entire Case campus up andrunning felt wonderful. From the very first day, I watched studentsgravitate to their new spaces; they immediately settledinto their team gathering areas, made use of the CLC’s, andclaimed the various nooks and crannies – although I have topoint out in a few isolated incidents that we encourage studentsgoing all the way around corners, as opposed to the more directroute which takes one directly through the shrubbery – but theyare Middle School students, and that is to be expected. Castle8 CURRENTS

Two Major Enhancements toCampus SafetyBy Laurel Bowers Husain, Punahou School Director of CommunicationsPunahou continues to improve its security policies and proceduresto protect students during their day at school. Weare pleased to advise parents of two recent technicalenhancements that specifically address our ability to communicatewith regard to any emergency.• An on-campus broadcast system which will facilitatecampus coordination and communication in responseto an emergency.• An Internet-based communication tool, Connect-ED, which will enable us to individually communicatewith parents about emergency situations or importantschool events. It will allow us to send personalizedtelephone and/or email messages, essentially reaching allour families within minutes.In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we are all at aheightened level of awareness concerning various types ofemergencies which may affect our community. In assessingPunahou’s procedures, it has been clear that our ability tocontact families and notify them of a wide variety of importantevents is a critical component of our Emergency Plan.phones. In an emergency situation, it will be programmedto simultaneously dial up to six phone numbers (home,work, and cell phone for two parents) per student and deliverimportant announcements.Our goal will be to test this notification system by deliveringmessages of interest to parents. To make this importantcommunication tool effective, accurate phone numbers arecritical. Routine testing will help to ensure numbers are upto-date.We will notify families of planned tests so that youcan become accustomed to this useful communication tool.The safety of our Punahou community is a high priority forthe school’s administration, faculty, and physical plant staff.We are pleased to have these communication tools in placeto assist us, whether we are coordinating a response to aninfrastructure problem or to a natural disaster.For information on this system: Connect-ED servesK–12 schools throughout the United States. Learn more atwww.notification.com.Connect-ED, this new notification system, can routinelyreach families through a call or voice message to all homeSeptember 2005 9

Academy Studentsin their New AttireAcademy Style10 CURRENTS

New Attire in the Academykokua line ByLissa SchiffNeed answers you can’t find in the handbook or anywhere else? We can get them foryou. Contact the PFA's Kokua Line either by phone at 943–3250 or by e-mail atkokualine@punahou.edu. You will receive an acknowledgment within 24 hours. Allcalls and e-mails are confidential. However, if the question is of general interest andthe answer will serve the rest of the Punahou community, we may publish it in anissue of Currents (without your name attached).Q: I can’t find my Punahou events calendar. Where can I get information aboutwhat’s happening?A: A Punahou school calendar can be found on the inside cover of the 2005–2006Handbook. A more comprehensive list of events and activities information isavailable on the Punahou website, www.punahou.edu, and even more informationcan be found by clicking on the ePunahou link on the website’s homepage.See the ePunahou article on page 12 in this issue of Currents for details aboutaccessing your personal ePunahou account.September 2005 11

In the know at ePUNAHOUThe successful pilot of ePunahou wrapped up over the summer, with more than 1,200 parents participating. Among the feedbackprovided by parents was a strong need for individual (rather than household) ePunahou accounts. New ePunahou accounts havebeen created for each current Punahou parent. Letters, containing the new login information, have been sent to all currentfamilies.What will you find when you log into ePunahou? Lots!Now, more than ever, parents can access important information about Punahou life by accessing ePunahou. Several new channelsare available to make your day easier:• Parent Volunteer Form – Now you can sign-up, adjust, and monitor your volunteer commitments online• Carnival Information – This busy multi-activity event is planned throughout the year. Stay up-to-date with Carnival byreading this channel.• Coming soon!: Classifieds – Want to sell that old lanai furniture? Or, perhaps look for a helpful house painter? The newclassifieds can help.Still helpful resources:• Daily Bulletins – These helpful tools provide information to parents, faculty, staff, and students about goings-on aroundcampus. They include deadlines for athletic tryouts and arts auditions, upcoming scholarly activities, even club meetings!• Parent Links – Contains information about the junior school breakfast and lunch menus as well as links to Admissions andAthletics.Have questions? Send an email to connect@punahou.edu.2005 CELEBRATION OF THEYEAR OF WORLD LANGUAGESDo you suffer from xenoglossophobia, the fear of foreignlanguages? Fear no more! 2005 has been designated thenational Year of Languages, and programs have been initiatedacross the country in support of language learning.Punahou School is pleased to be doing itspart in promoting awareness of the benefitsof learning another language.In November, during InternationalEducation Week, the world language teachersof Case Middle School and theAcademy, in cooperation with the WoInternational Center, will present A WorldShaped by Words, a campus-wide programwith interactive classroom activities, such asgames, stories, songs, dances, and otherprograms for elementary school studentsthat promote second language learning.Punahou School will include our students in these activitiesand also invite elementary/middle school studentsfrom our “ahupua`a” -- the neighboring public and privateschools in Manoa and Makiki -- to join us.In addition, we are also planning a panel discussion oncareer possibilities using second language skills. We willhave prominent speakers representing professional occupationsin business, government, the arts,sports, diplomacy, research, science, and theculinary arts who can address the importanceof a second language in their careers.More detailed information will be forthcoming.Should you have any questions, pleasecontact Terrina Wong at the Wo InternationalCenter at twong@punahou.edu or 944-5883.12 CURRENTS

FROM DR. KEVIN CONWAY, ACADEMY PRINCIPALImplementation of Attire PolicyWe begin each school year refreshedfrom a summer break, having hadsome time for reflection and theongoing examination of what we do,why we do it, and how it is going.In rejoining our school community,we share the stories of our time offand then quickly we move to theexcitement of the arrival of students,new classes and the learning ahead.This year, our second academy faculty meeting turned our focusto the cultural shift we spent last year planning: a new attirepolicy that would be in force on our first day of class. A yearprior, I had announced the formation of an Academy AttirePolicy Steering Committee. Its purpose was to define our concernsabout student attire and to recommend solutions. Thetasks of the committee included:1) developing a statement of educational philosophythat framed the problem and any potential solutions2) taking the temperature of the community regardingvarious types of dress codes or attire policies3) researching the issue and looking at how otherschools have done this4) identifying challenges and obstacles to the implementationof a new policyLast December, our faculty met again and listened to a presentationby the Attire Committee on their work and findings upto that point in time. Between December and April, the committeespent an enormous amount of time listening to faculty,students, and parents and discussing the various options.In April, the committee presented their recommendation to theadministration and, ultimately, the Trustees. The recommendationwas accepted with some modifications, and we immediatelynotified faculty, students, and parents of the change and went towork on the specifics of implementation: the selection of a vendor,and the identification of clothing options, styles, andcolors.extremely supportive. We could not have attempted a culturalshift of this magnitude without the support and cooperation ofthe faculty and parents. My experience here is that the more difficultand complex the challenge, the more creative and cohesivewe become in working together to address it in a thoughtfuland student-centered manner.Cultural change such as this is hard. We did not want studentsmissing class because we believe that what we do in class is tooimportant for them to miss. We did not want attire policyenforcement to disrupt our classes, but as Jim Scott remindedus, we made this change because we want to create and sustain ahealthy learning environment during the school day and weneed to take a stand as educators.I promised that there would be a change and on the first day ofschool, we saw what it looked like for the first time. With creativity,style, and even humor, our students had taken on theattire policy. The wide variety of responses celebrated the diverse“in policy” options available. There remain issues of enforcementand we know that change takes time. We remain committedto making this work and will continue to make usefuladjustments and review the situation in order to achieve ourshared goal.I’d like to share the following quote from an article entitledRevisit Your Dress Policy in the August issue of IndependentSchool Management.“Believe it or not, more students than you realize agree that certaintypes of clothing just have no place in an educational environment.A recent Gallup Youth Survey polled students, ages 13to 17, about what types of clothing public schools should readilyban. About half of the respondents agreed that "provocative"clothing, such as shirts that expose the midriff or short skirts,should not be allowed…Students attending private schoolsexpect to contend with stricter rules regarding their dress andgrooming - especially when uniforms are required. In fact, yourstudents may even agree with your school's fashion police!”Throughout the year, the people on the committee wereextremely mindful of process and bent over backwards to ensurethat all voices were heard. In what I have come to consider typicalPunahou fashion, the overall response of the community(students, faculty, and parents) was thoughtful, sincere, andSeptember 2005 13

The College Counseling Department of Punahou Schoolinvites all junior and senior students and their parents to theannual College Previews presentation on Wednesday,December 28, 2005, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m., in Dole Cafeteria.Punahou alums from the Class of 2005 and Class of 2004are volunteering to represent their colleges and share personalexperiences. Current students and parents will have theopportunity to sit and chat one-on-one with students representing over seventy colleges and universities from acrossthe nation.Look for your reminder with further details in the mail right after Thanksgiving.Susan KurisuCollege Previews ChairMark Your Calendar...for College Previews 2005Girls Just Wanna Have FunDoes your daughter have a prom dress that probably won’t be worn again?Would you like to help make someone’s prom special? How about recyclingthat dress? Become part of a community-wide project and help an importantcommunity agency --The Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline(DVCLH).The Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline is sponsoring theproject Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Prom dresses donated by high school girlswill be collected and sold at a pre-prom season sale in February. The communityis invited to come and shop for a good cause.The Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline offers support andservices to hundreds of woman and girls in Hawaii who suffer from abuse. TheDVCLH provides education, telephone information, and referral and assistanceto victims by helping them navigate their way to safety as well as by supportingthem on their way through the legal system, including going to court.On our campus, the dress drop-off site is the Luke Center for Public Service during the week of November 14–-18, 2005. Please gothrough your closets and join us in our participation in this community project. If you have questions, contact Eileen McCool (K–6Counselor) at 945–1327, or email her at emccool@punahou.edu.14 CURRENTS

PFA thanks and recognizes:Margie and Glenn Sexton and Xerox Corporation for underwritingand producing our new PFA brochure.Communications Vice President Cheryl Hetherington,Publicity Chair 2004–2005 Jan Kanetoku, Past PresidentLinda Goto-Hirai, Director of Communications LaurelBowers Husain, and Graphic Designer David Cox for creatingthe input, and designing, editing, and distributing thePFA brochure.New Family Vice President Gail Grief and New FamilyReceptions Chair Annette Udom, Tours Chair Alan Kido,and Buddy Chair Terry Akiyoshi for coordinating the NewFamily Receptions, the Buddy Program, and the campustours.The volunteer tour guides who participated in the Augustcampus tours.Academy Chair Ann Aratani, Middle School Chair MelissaChing Benjamin, Grades 3–5 Chair Lissa Lau, Grades K–2Chair Joyce Wong, Grade Representatives K–12, parent volunteers,Kevin Conway, Academy Deans, Mike Walker, andJunior School Supervisors for planning and organizing theNew Family Receptions and Open Houses.Academy Chair Ann Aratani, Middle School Chair MelissaChing Benjamin, Grades 7–12 Representatives, and parentvolunteers who participated in Book Days.Grade 9 Representative Carolyn Kuriyama, Grade 12Representative Kathy Dos Santos-Tam, and room parents forproviding refreshments for the Freshman and Senior ParentNights.Director of Communications Laurel Bowers Husain,Designer David Cox, and all writers and contributors to theSeptember issue of Currents.Academy Faculty Representative Mike Hu for making thearrangements to have Yunus Peer speak at the September PFAmonthly meeting.Jim Scott, Kevin Conway, and Mike Walker for joining usand speaking at our PFA coffees.Office Support Chairs Collette Chung and Holly Moy andtheir volunteers for the summer mailings and Currents mailing.History Chair Denise Yoshida for collecting, organizing, anddistributing our Annual Reports and Notebooks.Jim and Maureen Scott for so generously hosting the PFA atthe President’s Pavilion for many of these events.PFA Coordinator Wendy Bazemore for all of her support ofthese events.2005–2006 PFA Monthly Meeting ScheduleAll WelcomeAll parents are welcome to attend the monthly PFA meetings. These meetings feature speakers from thePunahou community, including administrators and faculty and staff members. The meetings are held atthe President’s Pavilion from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lunch is provided. Please join us (even for 30 minutes),and find out what is happening at our school. This year’s meetings will be held on:October 14, 2005 • November 18, 2005 • January 20, 2006 • February 17, 2006March 17, 2006 • April 21, 2006May 12, 2006September 2004 15

Introducing new faculty at Punahou Part I...Look for Part II in the November issue of CurrentsJunior SchoolGrade 1Keileen Isono (Teaching Assistant)B.Ed., (Early Childood/Elementary), M.Ed. (Curriculum and Instruction), M.Ed. Admin, U of Hawaii. Mrs. Isono grew up in Manoa Valley.From 1987 to 1995, she taught English/Language Arts at King Intermediate School in Grades 7 and 8. From 1995 to 2000, she served as VicePrincipal at Ala Wai Elementary School.Marci Johnstone ‘87Librarian, Ing Learning CenterB.A., Communications, University of Hawaii. Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, University of California, SantaBarbara. Masters in Library and Information Sciences, University of Hawaii. Miss Johnstone grew up in Nuuanu.She first taught grades 1 and 3 at Star of the Sea, then taught multiple grade levels at Holy Nativity School for sixyears. Most recently, she taught Kindergarten at Waialae Elementary.Erich Bloch (K–8 General Music and Band)B.M., Music Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MichiganMr. Bloch grew up in Michigan and was a student teacher at two schools in the Detroit area, forboth middle school and high school students.Cheryl Durso (Grade 5 Language Arts and Social Studies)B.S., State University College at Oneonta, New York. Certificate of Advanced Study, Elementary Education, St. ThomasAquinas College, New York. M.S., Education, St. Thomas Aquinas College, New YorkMrs. Durso grew up on Long Island in New York and has lived in Washington, Oklahoma, Germany, Indiana, West Point,New York, and Hawaii. She has been teaching for the past seven years in the New York public school system, at West PointElementary School (Grade 4), and for the DOE here in Hawaii.Pamela Edwards (Grade 6 Math and Science)B.A., Eckerd College. M.A., University of Colorado, BoulderMiss Edwards grew up in Florida, moved to Seoul, Korea, in Grade 10 and got the“travel bug.” She returned to the U.S. for college and teaching and then headed outoverseas, where she taught in Kuwait (for two years) and in Belgium.Catherine Vaughan (Grade 7 Science)B.A., Geology, Colorado College. M.A., Teaching, Stanford UniversityMiss Vaughan grew up in Chicago and has lived in Colorado, New York, andCalifornia. She taught geology at Palo Alto High School, and last year taught at Kailua Intermediate.Middle SchoolAcademyEnglishJordan KandellB.A., English Literature & Creative Writing, University of Southern California, 2005, with minors in Cinema/TVand Italian. Mr. Kandell was born and raised in Hawaii and graduated from Iolani in 2001. He has lived in LosAngeles; Florence, Italy; Oaxaca, Mexico; and Salvador, Brazil. He obviously enjoys traveling. He is also passionateabout writing and film.Mark OttB.A., University of Wisconsin – Madison. Ph.D., University of Hawaii, ManoaMr. Ott comes to Punahou from the Blake School in Minneapolis where he was English Department Chair. He wasalso Director of the Summer Program in England and an Instructor of English for Phillips Exeter Academy. He iscurrently publishing a book on Ernest Hemingway.Anita WatsonB.A., Anthropology, Education, Central Washington UniversityProfessional Teacher Certification, Pacific Lutheran UniversityMrs. Watson grew up in Southern California and moved to Washington for college,where she stayed to teach. For the past four years, she has taught at a Grades 7–12school, teaching English as well as leading an online learning center for high schoolstudents.Christopher WatsonB.A., English, Teaching Credentials, Central Washington UniversityProfessional Teacher Certification, Pacific Lutheran UniversityMr. Watson grew up in Bremerton, Washington, where he continued throughcollege and began teaching. In addition to teaching English, he also taught Washington State History.16 CURRENTS

MathCharles DeckB.A., Chinese Languages and Literature, Mathematics, Pomona College. Mr. Deck was born and raised in Boston,lived in Los Angeles for college, then studied in Beijing for six months. He traveled around China for another sixmonths, backpacking and playing his saxophone.MusicJonas Carlson (Director of Orchestras)M.F.A., Royal Music Academy, Stockholm, Sweden. M.M., Brandon University, Brandon, Canada. D.M.A., (Doctorof Musical Arts), University of Minnesota. Mr. Carlson grew up in Motala, Sweden, and has also lived in Canada and Minnesota. He comes toPunahou from Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, where he was Director of Orchestras, and Gustavus Adolphus College, where he was a professor of cello.Both schools are in Minnesota. He is an avid musician and spends his summers in Sweden playing in a piano trio with his wife and anotherpianist.PsychosocialKanoe Lum ’01B.A., Psychology, Harvard College, 2004. Miss Lum was born and raised in Honolulu and lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for the past fouryears while attending school and working. She has been a teaching assistant for Academy Economics and British Literature courses at PunahouSummer School. She also served on the Harvard Admissions staff, and was a residential proctor for a dorm of Harvard freshmen.AcademyMara Pavich ‘99B.A., Sociology, with minor in Women’s Studies, University of Redlands. M.A., Community Counseling, Gonzaga UniversityMiss Pavich grew up on Oahu and has lived in Southern California and Washington. Following graduation from college, she has served as ProgramCoordinator at Washington Service Corps Campus Compact, an Americorps project coordinating two mentoring programs, one for middle schoolstudents and one for elementary school students.SciencePeter ChalmersB.A., Biology and Chemistry, Dartmouth College. Mr. Chalmers grew up in Portland, Oregon, and attended college in Hanover, New Hampshire. He wasa teaching assistant at Dartmouth in Chemistry and Biology, and spent two months traveling in Costa Rica after college.Darcy IamsB.A. in Chemistry, University of Washington. M.Ed. in Exercise Physiology, Oregon State. Mrs. Iams returns to Punahou after teaching on the mainlandfor over 20 years, mostly in Georgia. She has taught Chemistry, including Honors and AP, Biology, and Physiology.Social StudiesHarry Egner, Jr.B.A., College of the Holy Cross.Mr. Egner grew up in Pennsylvania and spent his four years of college in Massachusetts.SpanishAndrew BirkB.A., Colgate University. Mr. Birk grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, but has also lived in California, Maine, Connecticut,Georgia, Missouri, and New York. He just graduated from Colgate and loves the Spanish language,Noah BuhayarB.A., English with minor in Spanish, Pomona CollegeHe has planned post-graduate study at Universidad de los Lagos in Osorno, Chile, as part of a Fulbright Fellowship in 2006.Mr. Buhayar grew up both in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in Kansas City, Missouri, but has lived in California (Los Angeles area), Salamanca, and Santiago deCompostela, Spain, and Costa Rica (briefly). He taught Princeton Review test prep classes for the past two years and has served as a teaching assistant forSpanish and English courses at Pomona.Wim SprengerB.A., Spanish/Environmental Studies, University of OregonM.A., Spanish, Mexican Revolutionary Literature, University of OregonMr. Sprenger was born in the Netherlands and raised in Spain. He emigrated to the U.S. at age 16. Before becominga teacher, he operated a show horse barn in Central Oregon for 10 years. He has taught in private and public highschools and colleges in California and Oregon, and in Quito, Ecuador. When not in the classroom, he stands watchas captain on private yachts and teaches advanced blue water sailing classes.Punahou also welcomes Rev. George Scott as a new Chaplain, Malia Boyd ’87 in Academy Social Studies, Kristie Grimes in Academy Music, RalphPascucci in the Academy Art Glass Shop, and Fay Slattery in Academy Spanish.September 2005 17

BY ANNE HOGAN ‘70 EZER, PFA PRESIDENTCaramel ApplesI would like to extend a warmaloha to all of our Punahou families.I hope that you and yourchildren have begun this newschool year with a renewed senseof anticipation.When I reflect on the fall season,I think of golden, red leaves,caramel apples, Nebraska football(I grew up in Nebraska and it isindoctrinated in you from birth),the first day of school, and newbeginnings. For my family, September 2005 brings many suchnew beginnings: Kelsey’s freshman year in the Academy, Matt’sleaving home to attend college at Claremont McKenna inCalifornia, and parenthood for Scott and me with only onechild living at home.The PFA encourages all parents to become active partners intheir children’s education. We believe that such a partnershipcreates a bonding experience for our students and their familiesthat will last for the rest of their lives. We know that many, ifnot most of you, are working parents and that your time is precious.However, we hope that you will consider volunteeringfor one of our committees or attending one of our meetings.For the last thirteen years, these monthly meetings have broughtme closer to the life of the school and have provided me valuableinformation about what was going on in our community.Our mission at the PFA is to extend a sense of community to allof you. We are constantly striving to find ways to improve ourcommunication with you, and we always appreciate hearinghow we can serve you better. I sincerely hope that the 2005-2006 school year brings you and your families many happy andenriching experiences.We took Matt up to Claremont several weeks ago, and as I satin the opening ceremony of the orientation program listening tothe welcoming remarks by various dignitaries, I experienced oneof those “aha” moments. As emotional, and in many ways difficult,as the experience was, I realized how well Punahou hadprepared each of us for this moment in time. On Matt’s firstgrade classroom bulletin board, there were three values listed inbold letters: Respect, Responsibility, and Resourcefulness.These values were woven into lessons throughout the year. Ineach subsequent year, inspirational and supportive teachers,supervisors, coaches, and deans reinforced these values andintroduced new ones. Throughout his career as a Punahou student,Matt was challenged to think outside the box, to selfadvocate,and to give back to his community. These values andskills have instilled in him a confidence to navigate life outsidethe Punahou cocoon.Throughout our years as Punahou parents, we have beenweaned ever so subtly from hands-on participants to behindthe-scenesadvisors, cheerleaders, counselors, and observers. Forme personally, I credit my involvement with the PFA in preparingme for this next phase of my life as a parent. As a PFA participant,I have become a part of something larger than myself,and it has provided me a connection with many caring and supportiveindividuals.18 CURRENTS

Aloha United Way Drive Helps Kick off the New YearFor Punahou families, each September symbolizes both newbeginnings and a return to the familiar. September meansnew teachers and new classes. It means reconnecting withold friends after summer vacation, and making new friends.It means Open Houses and learning new and interestingthings. September is also the month when Punahou traditionallykicks off its annual Aloha United Way (AUW)drive.Punahou participates in only one schoolwide communityfundraiser each year: the Aloha United Way drive. Faculty,staff, and students across campus work together with theChapel and Luke Center for PublicService to coordinate this drive.We encourage you to take advantageof this annual event as anopportunity to give thoughtfullyand to get to know our communityagencies and resources. If you lookat the list of 63 AUW partneragencies that receive funding fromAUW, you will probably be surprisedat the broad range of servicesthey offer to the people ofHawaii. From health care to drugrehab, from legal services to seeingeye dogs for the blind, from foodfor the hungry to mentors for atriskyouth, from disaster relief tosupport for families faced withAlzheimer’s disease, the servicesprovided are wide-ranging and have the potential to touchevery one of us.The focus for chapels in cycle 4 (September 21–28) wasAloha United Way. The purpose of these chapels was tohelp students begin to feel personal involvement and sharedresponsibility for the human needs in our community.Please take the opportunity to continue this learning processwhen your child approaches you about making a contributionto this year’s drive. We hope your family will discussthe drive and why giving to these agencies is so important.We also encourage students to give a portion of their ownallowance or do some extra chores around the house to earnmoney for AUW. What’s important is the act of thoughtfulgiving, not the monetary amount.Following the Aloha United Way Drive in September, threeother schoolwide service initiatives will take place duringthe school year. They are:Solving Hunger and HomelessnessAdvancing LiteracyEnvironmental StewardshipOctober & NovemberFebruary & MarchApril & MayThese initiatives are generally introduced in chapel, andoffer the entire school a myriadof opportunities to get involved.Later this year, watch for curricularresources, books, serviceproject ideas, and more relatedto these important communityissues. Or feel free to contactthe Luke Center for Public Service(944–5718, service@punahou.edu)for more information. For periodicservice updates, you can alsojoin the “Service-Luke Center”group on the ePunahou portalsystem. We hope your Septemberhas been full of all the thingswe love about each new year!A Special Day of AUWDue to our heightened awareness and concernfor victims of Hurricane Katrina, moniescollected on September 27th will be directedto the Red Cross whose efforts through theirHurricane Relief Fund support those affectedby this disaster.September 2005 19

PFA Executive CommitteePresidentAnne EzerPresident-ElectHae OkimotoVice President – Communications Cheryl HetheringtonVice President – MembershipJann BoxoldVice President – New FamilyGail GriefPast PresidentLinda Goto-HiraiRecording SecretaryJoan LumCorresponding Secretary Jasmine Mau-MukaiTreasurerLyanne HiromotoPFA CoordinatorWendy BazemoreAcademy ChairAnn ArataniMiddle School Chair Melissa Ching BenjaminGrade 3–5 ChairLissa LauK–2 Chair Joyce WongAcademy Faculty RepresentativeMike HuMiddle School Faculty Representative Maile LamJunior School Faculty Representative Jennifer HongCurrentsEditorLayout EditorCommunications Vice PresidentMargery JacobsonTracy ComerfordCheryl HetheringtonCurrents is staffed by parent volunteers. The opinions expressedin Currents do not necessarily reflect those of the administrationof Punahou School. Volunteer contributors to this issueincluded Charlie Aldinger, Kelly Aldinger, Jann Boxold, AnneEzer, Susan Kurisu, and Lissa Schiff.Currents extends a warm thank you to the members of thePunahou administration, faculty, and staff who also contributedto this issue.Punahou School PFA1601 Punahou StreetHonolulu, Hawaii 96822PFA Telephone 944–5752 PFA Fax 943–3601write us at…currents@punahou.eduA PFA publication for the Punahou School communityPresortedStandardU.S. PostagePAIDHonolulu, HIPermit No. 360