When it came time for school Monday morning, Blake Rapoza was ready.
The 12-year-old spent the night before sharpening a fresh stack of No. 2 pencils. He also scrawled his name on a mix of newly purchased school supplies from Wal-Mart and Target. Eventually, his auntie told him to go to sleep — but he woke up early this morning, he said, and arrived at school before classes began.
“I was happy to come back,” Blake said.
Blake was among about 400 Keaukaha Elementary School students on Monday who returned to classes after more than nine weeks of a summer break.
Monday, the state Department of Education’s official first day for students, marked the beginning of the 2016-17 school year for most students in the Hilo-Waiakea Complex Area.
Students in the Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area will return Wednesday, said Superintendent Chad Keone Farias. The complex area took Monday and today for professional development — non-student days for planning and collaboration.
“We’re all very excited,” Farias said. “School is about the kids. It’s nice to have a break and plan with our teachers and set new goals, but there’s nothing like the kids returning.”
Many in the Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area also returned to school Monday, excluding Honokaa schools, which used Monday as a professional development day, said Superintendent Art Souza.
“The principals I’ve talked to feel pretty positive about what’s happening today,” Souza said Monday. “They’re in pretty good shape and have had a good startup.”
At Keaukaha, where a large portion of students are of Hawaiian ancestry, the school year started with a morning piko-cutting ceremony. As part of the ceremony, which represents opening students up for learning, the two oldest children in sixth grade cut a lei hung by the school office. This year, Rapoza and sixth-grader Tiani Kahihikolo cut the piko lei.
“I was nervous,” Tiani said. “There were so many people.”
Keaukaha students also are gearing up for some changes this year. Principal Stacey Bello said the school hired five new teachers who were recognized at Monday morning’s ceremony. Keaukaha teachers are focused this year on strengthening reading and math instruction, Bello said, and adding more courses including alelo, — or language — art and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes.
Earlier this year, lawmakers appropriated $600,000 in capital improvement funds to construct a full-service conventional kitchen at Keaukaha Elementary, which the school currently lacks. If funding is released, officials are hoping the kitchen can be open in the 2017-18 school year.
Bello said students ended the first day with an afternoon assembly reviewing expectations and procedures. The assembly culminated with students grooving to the popular Pharrell Williams song “Happy” and dancing the Electric Slide.
“Ninety-nine percent of the students were just so excited to come back to school today,” Bello said Monday. “I’d hear ‘Kumu Bello, Kumu Bello’ in the car, and I’d just stand there and open the door and give them hugs … So, it’s a really nice feeling. They are really excited.”
Statewide enrollment numbers for the new school year won’t be released until later this month. Farias said KKP schools started the year with about the same number of students as last year or slightly higher.
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
