The Heart of Haleʻiwa

March 11, 2022 Volume II Issue XIV

In this Issue...


  • Robotics State Champions!
  • Order your Yearbook Today!
  • Hawaiian Studies
  • EOEL: Butterfly Wings
  • Kindergarten: Butterflies and Lettuce
  • 1st Grade: Bees and Good Buddy ʻĀINA Lesson
  • 2nd Grade: Charlotte's Web and Cursive
  • 3rd Grade: Third Grade: Zero Waste Crew
  • 5th Grade: Service
  • 6th Grade: Squash It
  • Literacy Corner: Vocabulary Fun Spring Break Activities
  • Dental Screening and Sealant Event Coming to Haleʻiwa
  • Spring FUNdraising

Robotics State Champions!

by Mr. Haiola

This past Saturday, our 5th and 6th grade robotics teams had the opportunity to compete in the 2022 Elementary Vex IQ Robotics State Championship on the University Hawaii - Hilo campus. Their performance was one for the ages. Both teams made Haleiwa history bringing home three championship banners and five trophies.


I want to thank our kids for the hard work and dedication throughout the season coming in everyday, before and afterschool. All through the event, our kids showed class towards all their competitors guiding them in every way to score points. As dominant as our kids were, they remained humble, yet very proud of what they had accomplished.


To our Haleiwa staff and community, this is for you. Congratulations, Haleiwa Cane Fires!!!! Up next, The 2022 Vex World Championships in Dallas, Texas...Woohoo!!!!

Championship Parade

Big picture

Hawaiian Studies

Our students are learning from Kumu Kuʻuipo and Ms. Boo Lai this quarter. Please watch the video below to see what they have been doing.
Hawaiian Studies Quarter 3

EOEL: Butterfly Wings

by Mrs. Angelica

Our students have been having such a blast learning all about butterflies! We have been studying the type of butterfly that is specific to our campus and crown flower tree which is the Monarch Butterfly. We observed the different characteristics of the Monarch such as the colors and designs of its wings and therefore mimicked the Monarch's wings by creating our own using cardboard and paint! The students did such a great job creating such beautiful wings!

Kindergarten: Butterflies and Lettuce

by Ms. Brooks

Kindergarten has had a fun two weeks with caterpillars and butterflies! We recently learned about the life cycle of a butterfly and the students really enjoyed it. We went and visited first grades butterfly garden behind their class. Each student was able to find a caterpillar and we put them in their very own critter boxes. They have been taking care of their caterpillars by making sure they have leaves to eat and cleaning out their box every few days. We started to see cocoons last week, which has been very exciting! We also just had our first butterfly come out on Tuesday!

by Ms. Mori

This week in Ms. Mori’s class students have been harvesting their lettuce they have been growing in their garden bed. They have tried out different techniques of harvesting such as breaking it off with their hands and cutting it with their scissors. Everyone loves cutting the lettuce with their scissors. They even got to taste their harvest in class. Now that we have harvested our lettuce we can’t wait for our carrots and green beans to be ready for harvest!

Big picture

First Grade: Bees and Good Buddy ʻĀINA Lesson

by Mrs. Lee

Please watch the two videos below to see what amazing things first grade has been working on lately.
We are Learning about Bees
ʻĀINA in the Schools Good Buddy Lesson 1

Second Grade: Charlotte's Web

by Ms. Onek

Ms. Onek's class has had so much fun reading and discussing Charlotte's Web. Students have been working on mastering comprehension skills through having book-club-like conversations. They engage each other in inquiries about the text - asking other students how it made them feel or if they can relate in any way. Ms. Onek is so proud of their

T E R R I F I C reading skills!

Second Grade: Cursive

by Mrs. Kauffman

Mrs. Kauffman’s students have been learning how to write in cursive. Everyday they learn a new letter and they practice writing different words. Her students are very excited about learning cursive and they can’t wait to get through the whole alphabet! Mrs. Kauffman tells her student’s that it’s important that they learn how to write in cursive because one day they’ll need to sign their name.

Third Grade: Zero Waste Crew

Our third graders have been doing an amazing job as working as a team to create Zero Waste stations around campus. They take their work seriously and want to make our school and world a better place!

Look at their nice shirts created by Ms. Ode, Mrs. Yamakawa, Mrs. Rachelle, and Aunty Randee. Each shirt even has their names on the back- how cool is that!

Big picture

Fifth Grade: Service

Fifth graders have been participating in campus beautification service projects around campus. To thank them, the entire class received our special Haleʻiwa Elementary water bottles.
Please remember to bring your water bottles so you can get a water refill!
Big picture

Sixth Grade: Squash It

by Mrs. Tuvera

What a better way to share what was grown than with family and friends. Six grade students have been sharing squash we’ve grown with family and friends. As a family activity, students have brought home squash and shared their experience cooking and/or tasting delicious recipes from their family kitchen. Recipes included: Chicken and Squash, Pork and Squash, Garlic Pork and Squash, Squash with long rice, Ginger Squash and Chicken, Squash and Spam and Pickled Squash. The squash plants keep on giving. You might say,”They Squashed It!” with their delicious tasting meals.

Literacy Corner: Vocabulary Fun Spring Break Family Activities

Our school is part of a 4 year Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant and our focus this year has been to increase our vocabulary words and comprehension. For our parent activity, we would like to invite all of our families to participate in an engaging review during Spring Break.


We have created a Vocabulary Fun Spring break folder for each of our students. Please make sure to look for them in your child's backpack.


The folders include:


  • parent brochure with vocabulary tips
  • vocabulary words for the grade levels (these are the words classes have been working on this year)
  • a vocabulary choice board with explanation of some of the activities
  • additional pages to help families complete items on the choice board.



The goal is for students to work on their vocabulary words during the break so they can continue to practice. Parents, please email us pictures of your family doing 2 or more activities and you will be entered into a prize drawing. The activities are meant to be fun and educational- we hope you decide to participate with us!

Big picture
Big picture

Dental Screening and Sealant Event Coming to Haleʻiwa

by Nurse Connie

Tooth decay and cavities remain the number 1 disease in childhood. I am happy to announce that your child’s school will be offering dental screenings and dental sealants to all 2nd grade students whose parents or guardians would like for them to participate. This event will be held on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Please look out for the consent forms sent from school and please check yes.


Since this pandemic created less access to dental care, Hawaii Keiki’s school based oral health screening program aims to bridge the gap in the prevention of tooth decay in children. Dental sealants can be applied to back teeth (molars) as long as they are healthy so they can be protected from cavities. Preventing tooth decay in children improves overall health and helps children achieve academic success.

For more information, please click on the link below:

https://nursing.hawaii.edu/hawaii-keiki/dental-sealant-program/

Big picture