Aloha Lions Ohana,
As we boldly enter the last month of school I have a number of items to discuss today to let you all know what is happening in the school and community.
- CEP: Our school is in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program this year. This allows us to give all students free breakfast and lunch, saving a lot of work and helping many families who just barely didn’t qualify for reduced cost. What we are asking is that all families take some time to apply for SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. You can follow the link to apply to either the SNAP/TANF program at https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/snap/. Families in SNAP/TANF are automatically entered into the system for our CEP eligibility AND can receive other assistance to help them financially. In this challenging COVID time it is even more important than ever to take advantage of these benefits. If you need help with the website please come into the school for help.
- Ill students: Lately we have been seeing students who have been absent for a few days return to school without an explanation. Please remember, if your student is absent due to fever, coughing, sneezing, loss of smell/taste, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, or muscle ache they need to follow the COVID protocol and either stay home for 10 days, get a doctors clearance, or a negative COVID test to return. When our office calls for absences, please note they are calling to inform you that your child has been marked absent and to verify the reason. This will happen every day of their absence. Please be courteous to our staff as they are working to ensure the safety and security of all our keiki.
- May Day: Our school website has information on a state wide May Day Lei contest for families. You could win an awesome prize!
- Keiki Wellness: The Keiki Wellness Challenge is May 1st-7th. This is a great way to show how to be healthy. If your students complete it they can earn a finisher mask! Please visit our website kwes.org for more information.
- Aloha Assembly: This year, due to continued COVID concerns, we will not be hosting a live Aloha Assembly for our 5th graders. Our 5th grade teachers will be putting together a sendoff video and we will have certificates for the students to pick up on the last few days of school.
- Parking lot: When dropping off/ picking up students, please make sure you pull all the way forward and go all the way around the parking lot. We have seen some of our families turn around just inside the entrance, this is not safe, so please make sure to go all the way around.
- Returning devices: When returning borrowed devices to the school, please make sure to return the chargers as well. We will have to charge families for missing chargers and damaged, lost, or broken devices.
- Ho’ike: Unfortunately we will not be hosting our Ho’ike this school year. We hope to host it next year once everyone is vaccinated.
- COVID vaccine: The COVID vaccine is available for all people ages 16 and up. Kokua Kalihi Valley does have vaccines available on a limited basis. Please see them for details.
As we work our way through the last month of the school year I sincerely hope that we, as a school, have helped your keiki grow through this difficult time. We all know that this year has been exceptionally difficult on our learners. As we reach to accelerate their learning through the next year we will do our best to meet all your students’ needs, because, We are the Lions. We are the Future!
Aloha,
Mr. Larkin
V/R
Daniel Larkin, US Navy (Retired)
Principal
Kalihi Waena Elementary
Home of the MIGHTY LIONS!
W: 808-832-3210
C: 808-366-0140
Primary email: [email protected]
Secondary email: [email protected]
School address: 1240 Gulick Ave. Honolulu, HI 96819