OUR SCHOOLS • HANALANI SCHOOLS
Family atmosphere surrounds students

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer

Just about everyone associated with Hanalani Schools has been asked at one point or another on which neighbor island the campus is located.

Preschool teacher Terry Choate hugs student Todd Hirao, 3, at the start of the Thanksgiving break yesterday. Choate and the students dressed as Pilgrims and American Indians and ate a meal together. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Hanalani Schools began in the early 1950s as the Grace Chapel Kindergarten on Westervelt Street in Wahiawa. Later, it was known as King's Schools and was located at the former U.S.O. facility in the same community. By 1973 the school's name had been changed to Hanalani, meaning "Heaven's Work." The school moved to its present location on Anania Drive in Mililani in 1981.

Although still small, the school has expanded considerably from its tiny beginnings. Today it is an independent, nondenominational school for students from preschool through high school. It's located on what the superintendent refers to as "six acres of heaven where God does neat things in people's hearts."

Its mission statement is straightforward: to "strive to develop students' intellectual, emotional and spiritual capacities in a wide variety of fields and to lead students to a deeper worship of God and closer conformity to the image of Christ."

"It's a really great school," said Wendy Stone, director of the Early Childhood School. "The people who work here really care about the kids. It's not just for the money."

Most of the teachers at Hanalani could be earning more as educators elsewhere. But many of them, along with administrators, speak of a "family atmosphere" at the school. That atmosphere is exemplified by an unusual bond between students, faculty and administrators.

A number of the parents and teachers went to Hanalani. Upper School principal William Hopper and Dean of Students Charles Hiers both graduated from Hanalani. Superintendent Mark Sugimoto not only went to Hanalani as a kid before it had a high school, but his mom taught third grade there. His dad was the principal and school founder.

• What are you the most proud of? "I think we're all excited about the new Student Activities Center," said Sugimoto. The center is under construction and is expected to be finished by early next year. "It's like the fulfillment of a dream. It will be the center of student life outside the classroom."

The 30,000-square-foot center will house a gymnasium, library, and a fine arts section complete with drama and band rooms. It will allow the school to focus on activities from sports to music to drama in ways that were limited in the past. Much of the $3.7 million needed to pay for the center was raised by students and their families.

"They know it's their center," Sugimoto said.

The school is also proud that in March, Minaya was selected as the Shell National Science Teacher of the Year; that in 2002 Hanalani eighth-grader Jessica Palola won the state Spelling Bee, and that for two years running the school has won the O'ahu Mathematics League B Division trophy.

• Best-kept secret: The most obvious secret is that the school is located in Mililani. Less obvious is the publicity-shy person whose contributions to the school's new activities center are nearly beyond calculation.

"We have a retired grandpa who doesn't like to see his name in print who built the Kailua gym, Kane'ohe gym, Kahuku High School gym and the Leilehua High School gym, among other things," Sugimoto said.

The expert grandpa is the reason the center was built so well, so fast and at such a savings, Sugimoto said.

• Everybody at our school knows: Richard DeLizo, the physical education teacher. "The early childhood kids think he's movie star status," Sugimoto said. "They love him, and he loves them. He'll jump behind a pole and act like he's hiding and peep around at them. They'll go, 'Mister DeLizo — we see you!' Cracks me up."

• Our biggest challenge: Providing the best for the students with extremely limited resources, Sugimoto said. "We try to keep the tuition very, very reasonable," he said. "Base tuition is about $5,000 (or less) — a fraction of what it costs in town, because we want as many kids as possible to be able come to our school. And we stretch pennies. We make Abe Lincoln scream, 'Stop squeezing me!' "

• What we need: "Resources," Sugimoto said. "We have great parents, kids and faculty. We have a solid program and a vision for where we want to be. And we have a good foundation because we have the word of God. So, we have all those things. What we don't have is enough money."

• Special events: Every year the school has a number of events pegged to holidays and seasons, such as the annual Christmas program, Lei Day program, Spring Play and Concert. Yesterday, the Early Childhood School celebrated its annual Thanksgiving Feast in which preschoolers dressed up as Pilgrims and American Indians.

"And we hope to have our Christmas program in the new activities center in December," Sugimoto said. "That will be extra special."