Update from the School Director    

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. 

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.  ~ Margaret Mead

Dear Lanikai Families,

I am continually surprised at the thoughtful and committed community that defines Lanikai Elementary PCS.  I shared the Margaret Mead quote to both the staff and PTSA Board and parent volunteers as we are moving into committee work to better utilize the talents and passions of all individuals.  I believe that when we come together and work collaboratively as one group, we will achieve more and our students will ultimately benefit.  I want to thank our dedicated School Board and PTSA Board that began this year with great enthusiasm and fresh ideas.  I especially appreciate their leadership that always puts the focus on all our keiki.  Likewise, for the staff, we have a guiding principle that states that everything we strive to do must be focused on the students' needs not the adults.  With that said, I challenge and invite all families to get involved, stay involved and be a part of the change!

At this time, I would be remiss if I did not once again acknowledge our incredible Solar Celebration that we had on August 25th.  Lanikai Elementary PCS, "Powered by the Sun!"  Don't you just love it!  We are a model school in so many ways and now leading the surge in environmental sustainability and stewardship.  While the names of all the supporters are many, grateful acknowledgement goes out to the following individuals for their role in planning, funding and construction of our system.  Mahalo to Governor Linda Lingle, Senator Fred Hemmings, Senator Shan S. Tsutsui, Senator Donna Mercado Kim, Representative Chris Lee, Commander Jake Hinz, Ms. Jaime Higgins, Mrs. Veronica Willkie and the Lanikai Elementary PCS Board Members.  Special thanks to Adon Solar, The State of Hawaii and Hawaiian Electric Company for their partnership.   Below is an important message to students, parents and community from Commander Jake Hinz, former Lanikai parent and School Board member. 

"Students of Lanikai, this system represents the great things that science and math can bring to our lives.  It was kids just like you, but many years ago, that had visions of no more dirty smoke stacks and cleaner air that led to the scientific research and discovery that led to the use of the sun for energy.  You can be proud of the fact that you are part of a school that teaches you to think creatively and some day, with that great education, you can be the ones that create and install the next generation of clean energy.   

Where this system sits quietly, doing its job on the school roof, hidden from daily view, everyone should remember that their education is now powered by the sun, the very thing that the Hawaiians treasured and revered so much.  Hawaiian ancestors told many stories about Kane, the creator god, and La, the sun, and how critical they were to giving and sustaining life.  Hawaiians relied on the sun to grow taro for food, koa for canoes, and to warm the waters that grew their fish. 

Lanikai is carrying on its long tradition of honoring its kuleana, its responsibility, to teach the keiki, their parents and teachers, and the community as a whole, how to malama 'aina, to care for our land, by relying on sustainable, clean energy.  Lanikai is setting the example in honoring these Hawaiian teachings by choosing Solar.   

An old Hawaiian chant proclaims "E ala e, ka la i kahikina," which means "Arise, the sun is in the East."...and today, as everyday, it shines first on Lanikai." 

We are off to a great start of a new school year and I am very proud to be a part of such a wonderful learning community.  Let us all join together to be a part of the change at Lanikai Elementary PCS that can and will change the world!

Truly, 

Mr. Noh

Lanikai Elementary collects Box Tops for Education to raise money for our school.  Last year, Lanikai raised over $600 from this FREE and EASY fundraising project. But we can do better - if every student sent in just one Box Top every week, we would raise more than $1,200 for our school.

And it's easy to send in far more than one each week! Box Tops are on the packaging of hundreds of participating products that you probably use every day.  All you need to do is cut them off of the box they are on, stick them in a baggie, and send them to school with your child. You can even have friends and family clip them and share - you aren't asking them to buy anything they don't already use...just to clip the Box Top before they throw it away.

Box Tops are found on so many products: Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Yoplait, Cheerios, Kleenex, Ziplock, Fruit Roll Ups, Bisquick, and Nature Valley to name just a few. For a complete list of participating products or for more information about the program, visit www.boxtops4education.com.

We will be collecting Box Tops all year long, but our first submission deadline is at the end of October, so start saving and sending in your Box Tops today! Ms. Fong, our wonderful Computer Specialist, coordinates this program and makes it possible for us to receive this money. Be sure and see her if you have any questions.

Thank you for choosing to support our school by collecting Box Tops for Education!

         Counselor's Corner 

Dear Parents,

We've been back in school now for over a month, and it seems that while some things change, some things stay the same! I was lucky enough to travel to Thailand and Cambodia a few years back, to visit my adopted daughter's "home country" of Cambodia. They have a great saying in that part of the world, "Same same, but different." We found that to be a useful phrase for the rest of the trip, describing food, clothes, people and sights. And that is how I see the students this year...watching them grow before my eyes, many of them are "Same same, but different" from how they were last year!

For those parents new to Lanikai, here are two good websites to explore. The first one is about bullying. We showed the video in class last year to "rave reviews", and we will be showing it again this year in grades 3^rd - 6^th.  The second one has good articles on pretty much anything you can think of that might concern you and your children and family.

www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/#

www.parenting.com

We are also continuing with Character Education in the classroom. This is taught in conjunction with our anti-bullying curriculum.  Our Character Value for the month of September is HONESTY! Talk to your children about what HONESTY means to them, and what it means to you as a family.

Julie Halpern 

School Counselor