MON / TUE / THU / FRI HULA CLASSES
Students are split into three groups for hula -- Gr K-1, Gr 2-3, and Gr 4-6. For each group, new hula steps are taught twice a week (see HERE for weekly schedule breakdown). Hula classes are taught on the outdoor stage in front of Room 22 (and on the cafeteria stage on any days it is raining). Parents can sign up for hula-only (a la carte) --or-- add-on homework help & activities (see next section below). You can also add an emergency drop-in day (even the day-of)!
Each semester, the different grade groups will each learn one kahiko and one 'auana number, specifically chosen for their age-specific abilities. They will perform these numbers along with a finale number that all the grades will dance together in an evening ho’ike performance for their families at the end of each semester in Dec & May (to total six learned dances each year). And every year, new kahiko & ‘auana dances of increasing skill level will be taught as the students advance. In their later years, older students will learn choreography with an implement (i.e. the puili, 'ili'ili, or kala'au), chant and pa'i on the ipu alongside Uncle Sean, and even start to try some of their own choreography.
MON / TUE / THU / FRI ADD-ON HOMEWORK HELP & ACTIVITIES
Parents can add on homework help & fun activities before and after their child's hula class. After doing homework, students can choose from our many toys, crafts, puzzles, games, books, enrichment workbooks, and other indoor activity options they can do individually or in groups (e.g. Legos, art, puppets, chess, etc.). We also have chromebooks for the kids to use for school-approved educational sites/games only.
After hula, homework, and indoor activities, we head outside so students can run around and get some fresh air. They can choose from different outdoor games/toys/activities (fort-building kits, kites, jump rope, you name it), or sports (e.g. basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, etc.), or play on the school playground structures. To keep things dynamic and fun, we go straight to the source and ask the kids what they're interested in or curious about -- whether it's drawing Sanrio, or doing magic tricks, or learning to juggle or hit a baseball. And between all the great Highlands, PCHS, and AHS junior leaders who volunteer weekly, coupled with our program tenet that we are all hula brothers and sisters, we aim for an environment of family and fun throughout.
MON / TUE / THU / FRI SCHEDULE
02:05-02:15 = Attendance & Snack (All students check in @ Rm 22)
02:20-02:50 = Gr K-1 Hula* + extra help for new 2nd/3rd graders
= Homework & Indoor Activities: Gr 2-6
02:55-03:25 = Gr 2-3 Hula* + extra help for new 4th/5th/6th graders
= Homework & Indoor Activities: Gr K-1 & 4-6
03:30-04:00 = Gr 4-6 Hula*
= Homework & Indoor Activities: Gr K-3
04:00-04:30 = Outdoor Activities (Diamond Head Playground)
04:30-05:00 = Games & Free Play (Choice of Indoor or Outdoor)
05:00-05:30 = Field Activities (Ewa Lawn behind office)
​* Choose from Hula-Only or Add-On HW & Activities w/ 2 pick-up options​
EARLY-RELEASE WEDNESDAY^ SCHEDULE
12:40-12:50 = Attendance & Snack (All students check in @ Rm 22)
12:50-01:20 = Gr K-1 Hula / Homework & Indoor Activities: Gr 2-6
01:25-01:55 = Gr 2-3 Hula / HW & Indoor Activities: Gr K-1 & 4-6
02:00-02:30 = Gr 4-6 Hula / Homework & Indoor Activities: Gr K-3
02:30-03:00 = Outdoor Activities (Diamond Head Playground)
03:00-03:40 = Cooking & Culinary Activities
03:40-04:00 = Games & Free Play (Choice of Indoor or Outdoor)
04:00-04:20 = Games & Free Play (Choice of Indoor or Outdoor)
04:20-05:00 = Mele / Language / Culture / Crafts (will vary weekly)
05:00-05:30 = Field Activities (Ewa Lawn behind office)​
^Add-On Early-Release Wednesdays & choose from 3 pick-up options
CULTURE, CRAFTS, AND COOKING ON EARLY-RELEASE WEDNESDAYS
Last Fall, in addition to hula and activities, the additional early release activities the students did included learning Pi'apa (a mele/hula teaching the Hawaiian alphabet), Eia Makou (a popular keiki song, with the accompaniment of kala'au, a wooden musical implement), and Ke Kino (a mele similar to Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes). They made two types of ti leaf lei, strung crown flower with lei needle, finger-knit eyelash fur kupe'e, wove lauhala bookmarks, made sensory bottles, painted wood ornaments, and created yarn/pipe cleaner/glitter/pom pom/googly eye creations galore. In addition to cultural and craft projects, they had sports days on the basketball court, started learning the ukulele, and cooked each week starting easy with spam musubi and smoothies, before moving on to following recipes for things like ham noodle chowder and scratch-made mac & cheese and more. They also proudly cooked thank-you gifts for others (and not just their own tummies LOL) including Portuguese bean soup for the school staff & administration, and two kinds of chex mix for all the teachers, EAs, and specialists at PCHES with special teacher appreciation pot holders.
To follow that up, last spring, they learned Oli Mahalo, colors and numbers in Hawaiian, and Hawai'i Aloha (so they'll be able to sing along when it's sung at local events), with the sixth graders also learning ukulele. On the fun and creative front, we made raffia lei, ribbon lei, mock orange & he'e lei, areca palm leaf fish, made (a few) sweet treats like cookies and tanghulu, and even worked in a pool field trip at the Pearl City Rec pool next door. They also started learning about each of the eight Hawaiian islands and their official colors/flowers, and of course, cooking was again a weekly feature where they made recipes that snuck in those veggies like fried rice and curry and even an entire day dedicated to cooking (and eating!) salads (5 kinds), along with dishes from different cultures like gyoza, lumpia, manapua, enchiladas, pasta, and sushi. And in our grand tradition of showing appreciation to our PCHES teachers and staff, we made fruit cake trifles for teacher appreciation week, and chocolate covered strawberries to end the school year.
