About Island School
E Komo Mai – Head of School Welcome
Happy 100th Day of School!
Aloha Island School ‘Ohana,
What a celebratory week we have had! For those celebrating Lunar New Year, we hope the start of the Year of the Snake has been an auspicious one. The symbolism of the snake, an animal that leaves behind its skin as it grows, is a reminder to us of our perpetual growth, of letting go as we move forward, and that our growth carries with us the lessons of our past. And this week was marked by a special learning tradition for our Kindergarteners.
This whole week was great fun as our Kindergarten students brought in their projects to celebrate the 100th Day of School! How fun to see 100 pieces of recycled plastic from the beach – the project was both a chance to mālama i ke kai AND practice counting to 100 – then there were 100 silly faces…what amazing photographs…100 ribbons in a fanciful rainbow, 100 meticulously rolled papers arranged to read the number 100…and so much more! WOW! You’ve got to swing by the Kindergarten room and see the work the students of Ms. Shantelle, Ms. Rachelle, and Ms. Dot have done with the meaningful support of the students’ ‘ohana. What a wonderful celebration of a child’s growing understanding of large numbers and the power “0” has in our counting system!
The 100th Day of School is such a wonderful celebration of learning. Whenever I have had the honor to work at a school with elementary-age learners, we always had great fun with this important milestone. The build up, the getting closer to the goal each day, each week, and then the anticipation of a special project as a way to express your learning…Isn’t this what school is all about? …learning foundational skills, having the chance to practice and experience those new skills for ourselves, and then sharing our learning in our own way. This cycle is as true for our Kindergarteners as it is for our Seniors. Whether it’s Senior Capstone or the 100th Day Celebration, these traditions and milestones we have to celebrate learning help our students build their confidence for whatever is next for them.
The spring will be full of so many different opportunities, traditions, and milestones to support our students, for you to support your children, as they build their independence skills as learners. I hope you’re looking forward to a great time; I know I am. For even when it is difficult, all my years of working with adults and students alike have taught me that learning and challenge are steadfast partners.
As always, thank you for the privilege to work with you and your children during these important years of their lives.
Together,
Nancy Nagramada P’29
Head of School
P.S.
Don’t forget to buy your tickets today for our Annual Gala - Voyage Under the Stars! Your support in whatever capacity you can for this important event is critical to our success. Mahalo for joining in on our shared effort that helps us raise funds for Financial Aid so that we can continue to be a school that truly represents the beautiful diversity of Kauaʻi.
