The Maui Preparatory Academy board of directors has appointed George C. Baker as head of school.

Baker has worked in numerous capacities at Maui Prep, beginning as an educational consultant prior to the school's opening in 2005 and most recently as interim headmaster.

The Vietnam veteran has served on the Harvard Graduate School of Education's National Advisory Board since 1996 and was named co-chair in 2000, and has been involved in other national education groups.

While at Maui Prep, Baker helped developed curriculum, policies and procedures, and was involved in hiring and training faculty and staff. He also spearheaded the school's efforts to seek accreditation by the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools and the Western Association of Schools & Colleges.

For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.mauiprep.org or call 665-9966.

ORCHID EXPERT TO TALK AT LIBRARY

The Kailua Public Library will host The ABCs of Orchids at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in its courtyard, 239 Ku'ulei Road.

Scot Mitamura, an orchid horticulturist for the Honolulu Botanical Gardens, will share his knowledge of horticulture in general and of orchids, the specialty for which he has won awards.

The free program is an hour long and is suitable for ages 12 and up.

JOHN GUTRICH GETS HPU AWARD

An environmental science professor who has taken environmental learning beyond the classroom was awarded Hawai'i Pacific University's 2008 Trustees' Award for Teaching Excellence on Tuesday.

Dr. John Gutrich, who has taught at HPU for six years, was nominated by students for his "inspirational" teaching style and ability to make environmental topics — from water quality to native biodiversity and Guam's brown tree snake — applicable in real life.

Gutrich credited his students with bringing excitement and diversity to his courses.

"You get an award like that and it's great, but I kind of already got that reward back in the classroom interacting with bright people," he said.

Alissa Arp, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and vice president of research, said Gutrich is a "humble" and "compassionate" person whom students have described as "a genius."