OUR SCHOOLS • PUKALANI ELEMENTARY
Maui campus proud of its harmony

By Christie Wilson
Advertiser Neighbor Island Editor

PUKALANI, Maui — Pukalani Elementary School, nestled in a quiet community of homes and businesses in Upcountry Maui, is a top performer in reading scores, but it's the friendly atmosphere that teachers and staff want visitors to know about.

Fifth-grader Thea Haggerty works with kindergartner Janson Kwon on a paper mosaic project, part of the Budding Buddies program at Pukalani Elementary School. Christie Wilson • The Honolulu Advertiser

Such good will didn't happen without help. School officials and parents have worked hard to provide programs that promote empathy and respect for others.

A Bully Prevention Program was started this school year with the encouragement of the Pukalani Elementary PTA in response to national concerns about school safety.

Another program called Friendship Groups brings together students involved in conflicts. The program meets once a week to teach these youngsters how to get along and ways to handle disputes.

Budding Buddies pairs students in higher grade levels with younger pupils. Once a week the pairs work together on crafts and other projects. Teacher Grace Ueoka's kindergartners have been studying the ocean with fifth-graders in Jared Simmons' class.

Ueoka said the Buddies program helps the older kids develop nurturing qualities and makes the kindergartners feel more like a part of the campus.

The school also uses Lions-Quest, a program of Lions Clubs International/Lions Clubs International Foundation that reinforces civic values and focuses on self-discipline, communication, respect for others, and resistance to alcohol and other drugs.

Academically, Pukalani met its adequate yearly progress benchmarks under the federal No Child Left Behind Act and was named a state SAT Honor Roll school for meeting or exceeding national norms for the Stanford Achievement Test.

Pukalani also is a recipient of a U.S. Department of Education Reading First grant that enabled the school to provide teacher training in literacy instruction and to hire part-time teachers to improve student reading skills.

More reading help is provided through Pukalani's Reading Resource Program supported with Title I money provided to schools with low-income students. The program has a full-time and a part-time reading teacher and tutors.

"Our Reading Resource Program is phenomenal. Children who have difficulty reading are given special instruction to improve their reading skills," Yamakawa said. "Their progress is monitored, the students are assessed, and those who meet benchmarks are exited from the program."

• What are you most proud of: "Our students. They are honest, responsible, respectful, and caring ... ," Yamakawa said. "Office referrals are minimal. We have a very peaceful and harmonious school climate."

• Best-kept secret: "It really is no secret: We have a very close-knit staff and the turnover rate is very low. We have team players on staff who are always ready to pitch in when help is needed. We have teachers who have been teaching here for over 20 years. The teachers come back to substitute after retirement."

• Everybody at our school knows: School secretary Pam Franco Koyanagi, who has worked at the school 17 years and is a second-generation employee. Her late mother retired as head custodian and her father also worked on the custodial staff.

• Our biggest challenge: "To meet the needs of each and every student and enable them to reach their highest potential."

• What we need: A new library and administration building.

• Special events: Budding Buddies, Gifted and Talented Computer Program, 'Ohana Day Celebration, fourth-grade Canoe Regatta, Grandparents Day, Lions-Quest, Bully Prevention Program, Chess Club, Friendship Groups.