This document provides information for parents of students at Hale Kula Elementary School. It discusses the school's mission to empower students through hands-on, inquiry-based learning. It also provides details about school hours, transportation, meals, attendance policies, dress code, extracurricular activities, communication methods, and opportunities for parents to be involved through volunteering, PTO, and SCC. The school aims to work with parents as partners to support students.

1. Parent Information
SY 2014-2015

2. Hale Kula Elementary empowers learners to
explore, discover, create, and share.
Our Mission
At Hale Kula Elementary, learners explore
through hands-on experiences and inquiry-based
learning to discover new ideas. We
expect students to collaborate and
communicate with each other and to rely on
critical and creative thinking skills to gain new
insight into their learning.

3.  http://www.halekula.k12.hi.us
 Check out our website for information about our
school:
 School calendar
 Monthly menu for breakfast and lunch
 Updated information on school activities and
events
 Grade level information
 Photo gallery
 Principal blog

4. For more information on your privacy rights, the
laws that protect them, and how to exercise your
rights, contact your school administrator or visit
http://bit.ly/FERPAHI
Learn more about:
Directory information
Opt-out forms
FERPA
PPRA

5.  The first bell rings at 7:45 a.m. It is strongly suggested
that students be in their classrooms by 7:50 a.m. to
ensure that they are on-time and ready to start the
school day with their classmates.
 If your child will be absent, we appreciate a phone call
to the office (808) 3400 or the teacher to let us know.
 School ends at 2:10 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays,
Thursdays, and Fridays. On Wednesday, students
are dismissed at 1:10 p.m. Please do not go to the
classroom until 5 minutes before the bell rings to
minimize classroom disruptions

6.  We do not accept cash from students in the breakfast
or lunch line except for milk only purchases. Parents
must deposit sufficient funds into an account for each
child. Please make payments in the school
office, cash or check only.
 Breakfast begins at 7:15 and ends at 7:40. Cost is
$1.00
 Students pay $2.25 for lunch. Extra milk is $0.60. You
can pay cash for milk or take the cost out of your child’s
meal account. Parents may block purchase of a
second milk.
 This year, we will not be providing a substitute drink for
students with milk allergies.

7.  Parents and non-Hale Kula siblings pay full price
for meals. Cost for breakfast is $2.00 and cost
for lunch is $5.00. Please let your child’s
teacher know the day before that you will be
joining your child for lunch so we can put in an
order for you.
Menu will be posted on the school website or
a paper copy is available in the school office.

8.  It is important for all parents to fill out an
application for free or reduced meals even if your
child will not be purchasing breakfast or lunch at
school.
 Parents have the option of applying on-line at
http://ezmealapp.com.
 If you qualify, cost for a reduced breakfast is $0.30
and $0.40 for a reduced lunch. Please make
payment into your child’s account in the school
office.

9.  Please be sure your emergency information is
updated. We need current telephone numbers for
yourself and for anyone you designate as a
contact person in case of emergencies.
 Let us know if your child has a medical condition
that we need to be aware of. If necessary, an
Emergency Action Plan will be developed.

10.  Your child may qualify to ride the school bus if you live
more than 1 mile away from Hale Kula.
 You must complete a bus application and prepay for a
bus pass. If you have not done so, please go to the
office and get an application. Cost for one way is $1.25.
NO REFUNDS will be given for bus pass payments.
 The bus driver will NOT accept bus fare. You must sign
up for a payment plan and pay when you complete your
bus application. Payment is accepted for the quarter or
the year. Coupons can be issued on a limited basis.

11.  We expect all students to dress appropriately for
school. Please read the guidelines in the Parent-
Student Handbook.
 On the days your child has physical education, it
is suggested that your child wear clothes that will
enable him/her to gain the most from their PE
experience. Shorts/t-shirt and athletic shoes are
recommended.
 High-heeled shoes and large hoop or dangling
earrings are inappropriate for school as they can
be unsafe and students can be hurt.

12.  Please make prior arrangements with the teacher
(24 hours in advance) if you would like to visit or
volunteer in the classroom.
 All visitors must sign in at the office and get a
visitor’s badge before proceeding to the
classroom.

13.  Our goal is bell-to-bell teaching. As such, we hope
that students will remain in school for the full day.
 However, if you need to pick your child up early,
we ask that you let your child’s teacher know that
day so the office can be notified.
 The child needs to be signed out at the office.
 Adults who will be picking up the child need to be
on the emergency pick-up list and the office staff
will ask for a picture ID prior to releasing the
student.

14.  If you will be late to pick up your child, please let
the office know.
 Your child will be waiting in the office.
 You will be required to sign out that you picked up
your child.
 If someone else will be picking your child up,
he/she must be on the emergency pick-up list and
show a picture ID.

15. Hale Kula is a TRIBES school and we follow the 4
TRIBES agreements:
 Mutual respect
 Attentive listening
 Right to pass/right to participate
 Appreciations; no put-downs
We expect all students, staff, parents, and school
visitors to follow these agreements. As adults, we
should model appropriate behaviors if we want our
students to do the same.

16.  Students have the opportunity to participate in
extra-curricular activities including service to the
school and community. Activities include Student
Council, Junior Police Officers (JPOs), Greeters
Club, Robotics, Media Club, and complex-wide
athletic events. Additionally, we have school-wide
activities such as a Turkey Trot canned foods
drive, Jingle Bell Run, Jump Rope for Heart, and
Pennies for Patients.

17.  Due to the increased student enrollment and the
need for safety, we will be implementing STAFF
ONLY parking in the school lot from 7:00-8:15
a.m. and from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
 We will have one lane of traffic; staff will be
assisting to ensure efficient drop-off and pick-up of
students. Exit will be RIGHT-TURN ONLY in the
morning.
 The parking lot will be closed to cars in the
afternoon until after the buses leave. Students
should wait for parents in the waiting area.


18. If your child is having problems in school, please
speak with your child’s teacher. This includes
academics, behavior, emotional, or social
problems.
The SSC, Teri Taguba, has responsibility for
coordinating all referrals if the implemented
interventions or support plan are not working. She
is located in Room A4.

19. We encourage parents to volunteer at Hale
Kula. The PCNC, Ellen Petry, coordinates
volunteer training and activities. Please visit
her in room P14 if you would like to meet
other parents and volunteer at Hale Kula.
 Volunteers are welcome for morning and
afternoon traffic duty. Please see Vice
Principal Leinau if you would like to
volunteer.

20.  We encourage you to join the PTO by paying
membership dues.
 The PTO sponsors activities throughout the
school year for Hale Kula students and families.
 Fundraising activities help to support our school
activities.
 The PTO president is Jeri Duncan.

21.  Ten members make up the SCC:
3 parents, 3 teachers, 1 classified staff, 1 community
representative, 1 student, and the principal
 The SCC monitors our Academic and Financial Plan and
develops an annual plan based on a weighted student
formula.
 The SCC also addresses any other issues which impact
student achievement at school, including distribution of a
parent and student survey at the end of the year to
gather data for school improvement.

22. The YMCA provides after school care
through the A+ program. All students
whose parents work or go to school
qualify to attend the program for a
nominal fee. Services are provided until
5:30 p.m. on school days. Applications
are available in the school office.

23. The Transition Center is located in Room P14 with
the PCNC and the PTO. Our Transition
Coordinator, Sheila Ward, assists and supports
new students and families by providing tours of
our school and answering questions you may
have.

24.  We received a 6-year term with a mid-term
accreditation from the Western Association of
Schools and Colleges (WASC). Our term expires
in 2015 so we will be having a Visiting Committee
in March. Parents will be invited to participate in
our WASC Focus on Learning process.
 We will address the recommendations of the
WASC Visiting Committee to continuously
improve student achievement for ALL students at
Hale Kula.

25. We communicate with our parents in a number of
different ways:
Our website – halekula.k12.hi.us
A Wednesday folder is sent home weekly
A monthly parent bulletin (available on-line or paper
copy by request)
A weekly push notification of upcoming activities -
hkeshighlights.blogspot.com
Facebook and Twitter – click on the link on our school
webpage

26. “Alone we can do so little; together we can
do so much.”
Helen Keller
We hope you will be able to assist and
support us at Hale Kula!