Is this the end of another year?

Yes, we are at the end of 2008 and what an awesome year it was. It was a busy year full of great growth for staff and students at HLC. I have seen many improvements throughout the years I been employed at HLC that's been both beneficial to our operation and challenging. Many staff and students came, stayed, and left for different reasons, but through it all HLC still stand strong and continues to make a positive difference in peoples lives. I really appreciate the commitment each staff have with their position along with the many hats and responsibilities everyone wear that supports our school. One of the many special things I like about our staff is that they make it a point to show how much they are appreciated and continue to celebrate successes for both students and staff. That type of action is very encouraging to the receiving person and gives them a grateful feeling. As for me, I love being part of this wonder operation and vision at HLC. Working in the education industry allows me to not only share my skills with students and staff, but also gives me the opportunity to learn life long lessons each and everyday. I have found that you can never be too old or too young to learn and at HLC it happens everyday. Therefore, I am thankful and grateful for a successful and fulfilling year and look forward to more awesome years with HLC.

When a child is born

This is the reason for the season. This little girl is amazing, she touched my heart and hope she touches your too on this special day. The birthday of our Christ the king.

Merry Christmas - Mele Kalikimaka

Just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Although, the weather in Hawaii have been a little wet with occasional showers and sun shine Hawaii is still a great place to be during this winter season. The surf is good, the people is great, and the ALOHA spirit is awesome.

Therefore from our 'ohana to yours, may this holiday season bring you all lots of LOVE, HAPPINESS and PEACE. Aloha no kakou!

Winterball '08

Winterball was at Kualoa Ranch Banquet Hall. Kualoa Ranch is located in the town of Kaaawa Valley and has acres of beautiful valley and mountain peaks on the windward side of the island. The event was a blast. Students dressed up in their best attire and their best attitudes. The evening was full of great ocean & mountain view, great food, great music, great dancing, great fun, and much much more. The Winterball committee and support staff did an awesome job planning, decorating and hosting the event. They did a lot of work and it all paid off. Mahalo nui to the committee and staff for all your hard work. We all appreciated your time and really enjoyed the event.

An invitation is needed to view our photo gallery. Please email you request to maulelava_hlc@yahoo.com .

Math Courses

HLC has 3 different types of Math course taught to our student this year. We have live instructional classes and 2 types of online programs offered by a company called It's All About Kids (IAAK). One online math program is called e2020 and the other is called Compass math. This is our first year using the Compass program, but our second years using e2020 program. For more information on those online programs [click here].

HLC board members decided to analyze the online program operation for one more year to assess its operation and see if it is a good program or not. Sound like a great theory but from a technical point of view its a nightmare. Most of our computers are old donated pc's, therefore, we are using those pc's on our thin client system, which allows computers to be used as terminals without hard drives and it gets all its information from the linux servers. Unfortunately, those servers have been giving me problems. One day its working the next its not working, especially with the lecture videos sounding very choppy and hard to understand. So, I have a lot of students and staff voicing their concerns and the issue is really challenging my technical abilities. I am really hoping to be able to improve our linux thin client system over the Christmas break. I am one of the few staff that will be still working during the school break, so if students on our online math programs need tech assistance with their work I will be available during regular business hours.

Click to view pics of Math

Christmas Party

Christmas Party for staff and special supporters was held today, Dec. 14 2008 at Buca di Beppo in Honolulu. It is a great Italian restaurant next to Dave & Busters & Ward Center. There was so much good food and great fellowship. It was my first time there and really enjoyed it. We had a wonderful time and really appreciated HLC treating us to a great dinner. Mahalo HLC.

Hoike Night

At least once every other month HLC offers a Hoike Night event were our students can share and present their projects to the public and receive credit under HLC Public Presentation Standard. HLC students are required to do 3 public presentations each year. The skills they learn by fulfilling this requirement is important life long lessons that will definitely be needed in their future endeavors.

This pass Tuesday, December 9 2008, was our latest Hoike Night. We featured 5 great presentations. The visual aids and topics was a Booklet on Hurricane Preparation, Video on Basketball, 3 Power point on Guns, Kilo / 'Ape, and Petroglyphs. Presenters were evaluated by their audience using HLC Presentation Rubric. This tool give good feedback to the presenters and their Advisors.

From the technical point of view, I believe technology has become a more demanding and essential support tool in today's presentation events not only at HLC, but throughout the business and educational industry. Therefore, I am confident that we are on the right track by setting up our students for success by providing these types of opportunities. Another important point to share is that these technical presentations were held at the same time in 2 different rooms, therefore, I needed tech assistance in one room while I supported the technology in the other. I really want to give credit to our HLC Jr Technicians who stepped up to the plate, took charge, and succeeded. By them controlling the lights, audio, and tech equipment the presenters could concentrate just on getting through their portion of the presentation. I am proud to say that our Jr Techs also gained an additional important life long lessons that can be used in their future endeavors.

Kaneohe Christmas Parade

The parade was Saturday, Dec 6, 2008. It's an annual parade that HLC participate in. We had a good group of students and staff there to support. We met in the back Sear's parking lot at Windward Mall, had coffee & snacks then walked across the street to Safeway, where the parade started. The parade was a good 2 mile walk on Kamehameha Hwy from Haiku Road to Kaneohe Bay Drive. Lots of people came to watch and support. I brought my 2 miniture dachshund dogs who seem to be the highlight of our group. While we was walking they would walk up to the croud and people would pet them. We all had a lot of fun walking, singing, & watching the dogs steal the show. An invitation is needed to view our photo gallery. Please email you request to maulelava_hlc@yahoo.com .

'Ai Pono Class

Click on image to see more pics

'Ai Pono class is a staff driven project class instructed by Aunty Tammy Smith. This class teach students Good Nutrition by learning about the different types of food, how to prep and cook, analize their body affects after consuming or eating their food, and much more. Students enjoy the benefits of eating and gaining life long lessons past down from our Kupuna through the Hawaiian Culture. Today, this class shared their experience with the community by preparing a delicious " 'ONO " meal for about 40 people at Key Project Community Center in Kahalu'u Hawaii. It was a lot of work, but the reward of sharing was huge. The people at Key Project was very greatful and impress with the life lessons the students are learning and sharing. The slogan of Hakipuu Learning Center is "Maka hana ka 'ike" Learning is in the doing. This class teach the students by having them do the work which in return give them knowledge that help them to make good decisions in life.