School Kine Cookies Pick Up

Cookies have arrived!  If you participated in our PTO fundraiser and ordered School Kine Cookies, pick up was on Friday from 2:00-5:30 pm and Saturday from 8:00-11:00 am.  Orders will also be available to pick up during the week from 8-12 at the PCNC office.


Thank you for your support!

Grade 1 Gingerbread Houses

Students in grade 1 invited a special guest to participate in a curriculum sharing event - making a gingerbread house.  Students sang a song and built gingerbread houses out of graham crackers and candy decorations.  The next day, students used a thinking map to organize their ideas and wrote about the steps they took to make their houses.

Science Fair

Twelve of our students participated in the Central District North Area Science Fair at Wahiawa Elementary School on December 2, 2010...

Saige Vellalos-Gouveia - Red, Green, Ready Set Grow!

Noah Hirota - Kaboom!

Samantha Bergan - Color Attraction: What Color Birdseed Do Cockatiels Like Better?

Kylan Iwamasa - Bounce Tennis Balls, Bounce!:  What Brand of Tennis Balls Have the Most Bounce?

Minami Massey - Plastic Bag Dependability

Kamryn Sasaki - Soil Competition

Nicole Weber - Which Cheese Reigns Supreme?

Cameron Deptula - Great Evaporation Race

Quaid Seu - Do Green Bags Work?

Amy Takaki - Does Milk Do a Plant Good?

Congratulations to...

Honorable Mention - Emily Poirer - Are Wii Fit?

Second Place - Cade Yoshimura - Mneumonics on the Brain

Book Fair - Mahalo!

A great big MAHALO to our students, teachers, parents, and the Mililani Community for making the Mauka Book Fair a great success!  We will be using our profits to update our collection and purchase technology for the library.  You also generoulsy donated books to the American Cancer Society Childhood Cancer Program "Familes Can*Sur*Vive Camp"   that is held each year in November.  We also had a great parent volunteer crew to make this Book Fair possible - thank you to all of them.

Cash Profits:  $5,102.87
American Cancer Society Book Donations:  $496.02

Volunteers:
Janet Smith
Janet Kawabe
Lynn Hamasaki
Andrea Owens
Yuki Scott
Andy Scott
Catherine Nguyen
Chin Nguyen
Tina Simpson
Anila Yiu
Fran Oyama
Marla Kawamura
Cheryl Mcquire

CHARACTER COUNTS! Ethics of American Youth Survey: Josephson Institute's Report Card

LOS ANGELES (October 26, 2010) — According to a new study by the Josephson Institute of Ethics (the largest ever undertaken of the attitudes and conduct of high school students), half of all high school students (50 percent) admit they bullied someone in the past year, and nearly half (47 percent) say they were bullied, teased, or taunted in a way that seriously upset them in the past year. The study reports the responses from 43,321 high school students. 

Read more at...
CHARACTER COUNTS! Ethics of American Youth Survey: Josephson Institute's Report Card

Bullying

Dr. Steven Sroka discusses the complex issue of deadly bullying and what we can do to prevent it.

BOE Community Meeting

Last week, on Thursday (10/14), a Board of Education Community Meeting was held in our cafeteria.  The purpose of the meeting was to meet with Dr. Eileen Clark from the BOE and other DOE leaders to discuss public education and public library issues.  Also at that meeting, Mililani Mauka, along with several other schools from the Central Oahu District, were recognized for meeting adequate yearly progress under NCLB.

Our Book Fair is Coming!

The whole school is excited about our upcoming Book Fair. An amazing selection of books is headed our way! At the Book Fair you will find the latest and finest titles for kids, as well as books of interest to parents. The Book Fair is a great way to get everyone excited about reading. See you there!

Dates:  October 25-29
Hours:  7:30 am to 3:30 pm

Click here to visit our book fair homepage.

Your Librarian,
Mrs. L. Tada

Flu Shot Clinic

Thank you to the Department of Health and our host of volunteers for making our annual Flu Shot Clinic a great success.

Grade 2 Celebrates Grandparent's Day

Students in second grade invited their grandparents to a curriculum sharing activity to celebrate Grandparent's Day.  Students sang a song and designed a kite.  After eating lunch with their guests, the weather cleared and students were able to fly their kites.

Picture Make-Up & Re-Takes - 9/27/10

This Picture Day  on 9/27/10 is for:

1. New Students who were recently enrolled
2. Students who missed picture taking in August
3. Students who want to re-take their pictures

Please see your homeroom teacher for more detailed information.

(Note for Retakes:  Please return pictures and envelope with a note on why they are being returned.  Photographers will try to correct the problem as they retake the picture.)

Toys in Motion

Last week, students in Grade 1 learned about physics and the concepts of forces and motion by experimenting with several popular toys. 

Child Passenger Safety Week - September 20-24

The Driver Education Program (DEP) and Honolulu Police Department (HPD), in cooperation with police departments across the state, are partnering with the State Department of Transportation to promote 2010 National Child Passenger Safety Week, September 20-24, 2010. 

Nationally, motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children 3 to 6 and 8 to 14 years of age.

Police officers will be randomly stationed at public elementary schools throughout the state during drop-off and pick-up times to ensure that children are properly restrained.  They will be prepared to answer any questions regarding Hawaii's child restraint laws and cite violations if necessary.

Green Earth Club

On Tuesdays & Thursdays, the Green Earth Club collects paper from our classrooms and offices and delivers it to the Community Recycling Bin.  As they help to reduce waste & conserve natural resources, they are also raising money for our school.  Proceeds from the recycling bins go toward student activities and technology.

Bike Education

This week, students in Grade 4 are participating in Bike Education - learning how to ride safely in our community.

Special Events (September 7)

Please come and attend the following events on Tuesday, September 7...

PTO Ice Cream Social - 5:30 pm
    - Enjoy a sweet, cold treat and get to know other members of our Parent Teacher Organization.

School Community Council Community Meeting - 6:00 pm
    - Mrs. Petersen will share details from the Hawaii State Assessment and goals for this school year.

KidBiz Parent Night - 6:30 pm
    - Learn about KidBiz, a web-based interactive computer program that delivers current events and activities for students customized to their reading level. 

Vermicomposting

Students in grade 2 worked with Mr. Morishige (science teacher) on vermicomposting.  Students brought food waste such as banana peels, old cereal, bread crusts, or old lettuce to feed worms.  The worms help decompose the food into vermicast (worm poop!).  The vermicast is air dried for a few days and then it's ready to be mixed into compost that can be used for planting.

Keiki Vision Screening

Students in 3rd grade had their vision screened by volunteers of the Rotary Club of Mililani Sunrise and the Hawaii Optometric Association.  Mahalo to our community partners!

Special for September

For the month of September, parents and guests can enjoy a complimentary cup of Starbucks House Blend with the purchase of an adult breakfast in our cafeteria.  Breakfast is served from 7:05 - 7:40 a.m.  Limited offer - while supplies last.  Please come and eat breakfast with your children - and get a great start to your day.

Kids Voting Hawaii

Kids Voting Hawaii is happening again in 2010!  Our school will participate and encourage students to vote on-line in the KVH Mock Primary Election from September 8-18 and the General Election from October 19-November 2.

Results for the Mock Primary Election will be announced and posted at 6 pm on Saturday, September 18.  (School passwords not required.)  Student passwords will be needed only for the KVH General Election.

The Kids Voting USA (KVUSA) curriculum supports the Hawaii Content & Performance Standards III (HCPS III) in Social Studies, addresses the civic responsibility requirement of Act 51, and meets the civic character parameters of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

Our future voters of Hawaii are learning through these experiences that their voices count and that democracy is everyone's responsibility.

School Quality Survey

The School Quality Survey (SQS) is a DOE-administered survey that asks teachers, students, parents, administrative office staff, and instructional support staff for their opinions of school quality. Schools may find survey results useful when developing self-reports for accreditation and standards implementation.


To see the latest results for our school, click on the following link:
SQS Spring 2010 - Mililani Mauka Elementary 

Meal Account Reminders

Please keep your child’s meal account current. Payments received after 10:00 a.m. will be posted the following day. Remember that your child may borrow only a limited amount of money from the school and then he or she will need to bring a home lunch. Please write your child’s full name and room number on the check.

If you were eligible for free or reduced price meals last year, your eligibility was extended automatically until 9/15/10.  After this date, your eligibility will expire.  If you have not done so already, please turn in an application for free or reduced price meals for the 2010-11 school year.

Picture Day - August 16 & 17

Picture Day is coming Monday & Tuesday, August 16 & 17. Mark your calendar! School portraits by Lifetouch feature studio-style photography that give students the freedom to create a look that’s truly their own. Look for complete information on the flyer provided to your child. Plus visit www.lifetouch.com for clothing suggestions, grooming tips, online payment details and more.

NCLB School Report

The NCLB 2010 Preliminary Reports are available for the public to view on-line at the Accountability Resource Center Hawaii (ARCH) website: arch.k12.hi.us

For Mililani Mauka, we were once again able to meet overall adequate yearly progress (AYP) and our status continues to be "In Good Standing, Unconditional."  

Overall reading proficiency was 86% (58% state benchmark).

Overall math proficiency was 70% (46% state benchmark).

More details on our school performance and family reports will become available as the new school year begins.

Congratulations to our students, families, and teachers for working together to meet and exceed these goals!

Meet & Greet - July 29, 2010

For Students in grades 1-5...
On Thursday (July 29) from 4 to 6 pm, bring your parents and stop by to meet your teacher, check out your new classroom, and drop off your school supplies. (The Meet & Greet will take the place of Open House this year.)

Class Lists for 2010-11

Class lists for students in grades 1-5 will be posted on the office doors on July 22.  Class lists for kindergarteners will be posted after 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 6.

Registration for School Year 2010-2011

Registration for the 2010-11 school year began on June 9, 2010 and will continue throughout the summer months.  Hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  All forms must be completed in the office - Please allow 45 minutes.

Click on the following link for more information: Registration Requirements.

Click here for Kindergarten Registration.

Summer School - Last Minute Openings

Due to last minute changes in plans, a number of students have withdrawn from summer school this past week.  Summer School Director Kyle Shimabukuro will be contacting families on the waiting list to see if they are still interested in attending summer school.  Application is available for download at the link below...

Download:  Summer School Application

Summer School Supply List

Summer School starts on Monday, June 7, 2010.  Class lists have been posted outside the front office.  Listed below are supplies for students.  (New supplies are not necessary.  However, please make sure everything is labeled.)  Mahalo!

For Kindergarten:

• 1/2 gallon milk carton filled with the following:  crayons, markers, glue, scissors, 6 pencils
• 1 primary writing composition book
• 1 legal sized plastic folder
• watercolors
• extra change of clothes (shirt, shorts, socks, & underwear)
• placemat
• apron

For Grades 1-4:

• 2 sharpened pencils
• 1 composition book (used is OK)
• notebook paper
• folder or binder
• scissors
• glue
• crayons
• markers
• 1 eraser
• fine tip sharpie pen
• watercolors

End of Year Activities

The end of the school year is a busy time for everyone.  Here are some pictures of 5th graders practicing for their Aloha Assembly and enjoying an ice cream party for going above and beyond their goal for KidBiz.

Please remember, the last day of school is Wednesday, 5/26.  Students will be following the regular Wednesday schedule and will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m.  Breakfast and lunch will be served and there will be A+ afterschool.

Kindergarten Bubble Fun

Kindergarteners started celebrating the end of the year with Bubble Fun.

Mahalo! Junior Police Officers

As the school year comes to a close, I would like to recognize our Junior Police Officers for helping to maintain a safe school environment.  These students volunteered to work every 3 weeks before and after school to monitor our parking lot and the crosswalk at the back entrance to our school.  In addition to being dependable and responsible, the carried out their duty with enthusiasm and a positive attitude.  I truly enjoyed working with this group of 5th graders throughout the year and wish them well as they go to middle school.

Mahalo,
Mr. Shimabukuro

Recycling Helps Our School

This year, we collected over $5000.00 through our recycling drives.  The money raised goes toward student activities sponsored by the student council and technology. Please continue to save aluminum cans and glass or plastic bottles over the summer.  The next recycling drive will take place in August.  Mahalo!

New Bike Racks

Mahalo to Scott Fukuhara and his family, friends, and fellow Boy Scouts for the preparation and installation of the new bike racks at the corner of B building near our back gate. They will install the bike racks (weather permitting) on May 9 or May 15. Mahalo also for painting new GLOs around the oval. New four square courts will be painted sometime during the next two weeks.

Honolulu Magazine Ranks Mauka #2

In the May edition of Honolulu Magazine, Mililani Mauka Elementary was ranked as the #2 public school in the State of Hawaii. See Honolulu Magazine - Grading the Public Schools.

Teacher Appreciation Week - May 2-8

National Teacher Appreciation Week provides us with a unique opportunity to express our gratitude to teachers. The Mililani Mauka Elementary proudly joins schools and communities across the nation in celebrating National Teacher Appreciation Week, May 2-8, and National Teacher Day, May 4.


A signed proclamation celebrating our teachers is attached. NEA’s Teacher Thank You Project will unveil a virtual mural with thousands of cards from celebrities, athletes, lawmakers, notable public figures, and individuals. Add your card or download/print a Teacher Day 2010 Poster (go to Artwork) at http://www.nea.org/ under "Grants and Events."

PTO Meeting - Wed, 7/14, 6 pm

Who:  Parent Teacher Organization
What:  Meeting
When:  Wednesday, 7/14
Time:  6 pm
Location:  Library

On the Agenda:  Fundraising for next school year

Summer School Registration Continues

Yesterday, 4/8/10, was the last day of summer school registration exclusively for Mililani Mauka Students. 

Starting next week, registration will be open for any students currently in grades K-4.

Summer school will be held June 7 to July 6 from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm.
The cost of tuition is $107.00.  Payment is required at registration.

Currently, there are still a limited number of openings in each grade level.  As classes become full, students will be placed on a waiting list and parents will be called as space becomes available.

Our summer school director is Kyle Shimabukuro (626-3350, ext. 2227).
Applications are also available for download at: Summer Application 2010

Science Club Launches Rockets

Yesterday afternoon, the science club launched their rockets.

HSA Testing Completed

Today was the final day of HSA Testing for 4th graders.  Students in 3rd and 5th grades finished on Wednesday.  It took extra effort from the whole school community to make this a positive experience where students can show what they know.  Mahalo!

Make-up testing will occur during the next week for students who were absent.  Results will be published and made available to parents in August.  Thank you for your continued support.

News from Mililani Middle School

Incoming 6th Grade Track Change Requests
For incoming 6th grade parents requesting a track change, forms for doing so will be available at the middle school office from April 12-16.  Forms are due back to the registrar's office by April 16.  A priority number will be assigned to each track change request.  Priority number will be randomly selected;  not first come, first served.

MMS School Community Council
There will be an informational meeting in the MMS cafeteria on Tuesday, April 20 at 6:30 p.m.  On the agenda will be the calendar for school year 2011-12 and plans on how the school will transition from the current 3-track calendar to a 4-track calendar.

For up to date information, check MMS website and blog:
http://www.milmdl.k12.hi.us/
mililanimiddle.blogspot.com

Kindergarten Makes a Difference!

Students in Kindergarten participated in our most recent recycling drive. Recycling aluminum cans and plastic bottles not only helps the environment, but also raises money for technology and student activities. They're learning that they can make a difference! Mahalo!

Summer School 2010

Summer school for students in grades K through 4 will be held June 7 to July 6 from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm. The cost is $107.00. Applications will be sent home with students on April 1.

Registration for Mililani Mauka students will be held April 5-8.
Registration for all other students will be April 12-15.

Payment is required at registration.

Our summer school director is Kyle Shimabukuro (626-3350, ext. 2227)
Applications are also available for download at: Summer Application 2010

Toothbrush Bot Competition

On March 11, 2010, the members of Mililani Mauka’s Science Club participated in a Toothbrush Bot Competition held after school in the library. A toothbrush bot is a toothbrush “robot” made from a toothbrush, motor, and battery. There are three major events to a toothbrush bot competition: speed challenge (where toothbrush bot race each other on a track); jousting challenge (where two toothbrush bots go head-to-head with each other to see which one will push its opponent backwards); and sumo challenge (where toothbrush bots have 30 seconds to either push their opponent out of the ring or stay closest to the center of the ring). There was also a team spirit competition and a most creative design challenge held at this event.

Students had fun designing, constructing, and testing their own toothbrush bots. Congratulations to the following winners:

• Most Creative Toothbrush Bot Award:Noah Rodrigues
• Team Spirit Award: Noah Rodrigues and David Suzuki
• Speed Challenge Award: Chloey Ishii
• Jousting Challenge Award: Shelby Arakawa
• Sumo Challenge: Noah Rodrigues

Recycling Drive - 3/31/10

Just a friendly reminder that NEXT WEEK WEDNESDAY, 3/31/10 is RECYCLE Day!

This is our big one of the year! We'll be competing in a state-wide contest, so we want to turn in as many cans as possible!

Ways to help you remember:

1. Check out the marquee everyday
2. Watch for our sign wavers on Tuesday morning!
3. Bring all your recyclables on Wednesday!

Grade 4 Makahiki

Here are some pictures from the Grade 4 Makahiki - curriculum sharing activity held on February 23, 2010.

Raise a Reader

See how our school is doing in the Raise a Reader program, sponsored by the International Reading Association and Parents magazine. We want to motivate students to read by rewarding their reading milestones. Our students can log their reading minutes as they devour books throughout the spring. Click on the link below for more details:


http://www.parents.com/reading/mililanimaukaelementarymilhi

So far, we have 11 students registered with 945 minutes of reading!

The school with the most minutes read per student enrolled at the school will receive $5,000 for their library. Eligible students also are entered for Barnes and Noble gift cards.

Census Day - April 1, 2010

School funding depends on everyone responding to the 2010 Census questionnaire, regardless of age, race, or immigration status. Census data affect school budgets, including the distribution of Title I funding and college tuition grant and loan programs. Census questionnaires will be delivered or mailed to households via U.S. mail in March 2010. Census workers will also visit households that do not return questionnaires. The 2010 Census questionnaire is one of the shortest questionnaires in history and takes just 10 minutes to complete. For more information, visit http://www.2010.census.gov.

Congratulations!

Student Reyn Tao (Grade 5) has been selected from a group of 22 applicants by the Japan-America Society of Hawaii (JASH) to represent Hawaii in Fukuoka, Japan at the 22nd Asian-Pacific Children's Convention (APCC) this July.

This year, JASH has selected six 11-year old students (three boys and three girls) to take part in a two-week home stay program and global youth camp in July as Junior Ambassadors at the APCC. The program promotes international relationships between children so that they will become adults with a strong social responsibility for the world. Over 225 children from more than 40 countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region are invited to participate each year. Congratulations, Reyn!

Traffic Notice

Please be aware that parking is not allowed in front of bus stops. The Honolulu Police Department received a complaint and will issue a parking citation for cars parked in front of the bus stop near the entrance to our parking lot. Because this bus stop is in close proximity to our drive way, this whole area is considered a no parking zone by HPD.

Character Counts!(sm) Celebration

On Saturday (2/20), the public schools in the Mililani Complex Area sponsored the Character Counts!(sm) Celebration at the Mililani Town Center. This event had two main goals: 1) to promote character education; and 2) to provide information on community resources for families. Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring & Citizenship are the core ethical values encouraged throughout our complex. A TeRRiFiCC time was enjoyed by all!

Lunch Time Story "Unlovable"

Members from the Student Council read the story "Unlovable" during lunch and talked to the audience about one of our core ethical values - caring.

High Schoolers Talk about Fairness

Students from the Mililani High School Marching Band performed a skit for 4th graders about one of our core ethical values - Fairness. The moral of their story... "Everyone's happy when 'Character' counts."

Pictures from Camp

Last week, Grade 5 students went to Camp Erdman for 3 days and 2 nights. Here are some pictures as they leave campus and participate in night time activities.

Character Counts! (sm) Week Begins with a Quiz

During lunch on Monday, members from the student council quizzed the audience with questions about our core ethical values: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. When asked, "How can you show caring?" one student answered, "By helping someone up after they fall down." Several students from each grade level got to answer a question and select a prize. What a way to start a TeRRiFFiC week!

Jump Rope for Heart

Students in Pre-School, Kindergarten & Grades 1-4...
got their hearts pumping,
and their feet thumping,
as they were all jumping,
in the Jump Rope for Heart.

Second Graders Receive Target Grant

Congratulations to Mililani Mauka second graders for receiving an $800 Target field trip grant. The grant will be used to help defray the cost of their field trip to Maili Beach Park for their annual reef walk excursion. This excursion is part of the second grade Curriculum Sharing Day, and will address two Hawaii Benchmarks: 2.3.1—Describe how animals depend on plants and each other; 2.5.2—Identify distinct environments and the different kinds of organisms each environment supports. Way to go second graders!

Character Counts! (sm) Week - Feb 16-19

According to the Hawaii Board of Education Policy 2109, "character education is the process through which students are provided opportunities to learn and demonstrate democratic principles and core ethical values such as civic responsibility, compassion, honesty, integrity, and self-discipline."

Please help us as we celebrate Character Counts!(sm) Week at Mililani Mauka:
Tuesday - Wear Purple for Citizenship
Wednesday - Wear Red for Caring
Thursday - Wear Green for Responsibility or Orange for Fairness
Friday - Wear Yellow for Respect or Blue for Trustworthiness

Throughout the week, students will also get to participate in a variety of activities during the lunch period.

And on Saturday, February 20, please join us at the Mililani Town Center for our Character Counts!(sm) Celebration - sponsored by the public schools in the Mililani Complex Area. There will be informational displays from community organizations, games & prizes for the children.

We look forward to seeing you there and hope that you'll take this opportunity to talk to your children about the six core ethical values encouraged in our schools.

Hawaii State Assessment - Parent Information

Last night, over 60 families attended a workshop on the upcoming Hawaii State Assessment. Students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 will take the Reading and Math portions of the HSA on 3/30, 3/31, 4/1, 4/6, and 4/7. Students in Grade 4 will also take the Science portion of the HSA on 4/8 and 4/9. Make up testing sessions will be conducted from 4/12 - 4/22. For more information and tools that will help you better understand testing and how it relates to state standards, visit http://www.alohahsa.org/.

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten registration for the 2010-11 school year will be conducted Monday through Friday during the month of February (excluding holidays & furlough days) at the following times:

Feb. 1-11 from 9 am to 1 pm
Feb. 16-26 from 9 am to 3 pm

If you have a child who was born in 2005 and will be 5 years old by December 31, 2010, please take advantage of the February registration time frame. Otherwise, kindergarten registration for school year 2010-11 will resume on June 9, 2010 from 9 am to 1 pm.


For more information on required documents: Kindergarten Registration 2010-11

HSA Parent Information Night

Please join us on Tuesday evening (2/2/10) at 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria for our HSA Parent Information Night. The HSA (Hawaii State Assessment) helps to measure student progress in reading and mathematics for grades 3-5. Hope to see you there!

Recycling Drive

Thank you for participating in our latest recycling drive! In addition to helping the environment, each can and bottle helps raise money for technology and student activities in our school. Mahalo!

Last night, parents in the Mililani Complex Area were invited to a workshop, "Bullying & Their Victims," with Jarret Horibata, Ph.D. Dr. Horibata is a Clinical Psychologist with the Hawaii Department of Education and talked about intervention strategies for the school, the family and the student.

As a part of his presentation, he gave advice for parents to prevent bullying:

• Keep an eye out for signs of bullying
• Ask children direct questions about how peers treat them and if they witness bullying
• Work with teachers, school staff, etc. to address bullying
• Inquire about the bullying policy at your child's school
• Suggest the implementation of a comprehensive anti-bullying program
• Be a positive role model by not bullying children or adults
  

For more information, please see Carol Petersen (Principal) or Kyle Shimabukuro (Vice Principal). Online resources are also available at:
http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/
http://www.ncjrs.gov/

Geographic Exceptions

Applications for geographic exceptions are available at all public schools. If you live in the Mililani Mauka Elementary School boundaries and would like your child to attend another school next year, return a completed geographic exception form to our office by March 1. We will forward the GE to your school of choice for their consideration.

School Quality Survey

Parents of 4th and 5th grade students will receive a School Quality Survey on Monday, Feb. 1, 2010. Your child will bring the survey home that day, so please ask your child for the survey if they forget to give it to you. Please help us improve as a school by completing the survey and mailing it in the postage paid envelope before March 1. If you have any questions about the survey, please call Carol Petersen at 626-3380.

Mahalo Andy Scott

During the winter break, Andy Scott (Asano and Akimi’s dad) spent four days painting all of the hopscotch and four square courts in the oval and pulling weeds in the planted areas around the office. Mahalo to Andy for making a difference in the appearance of our school!

NASA Visit

On January 19, 2010, Mr. Brian Hawkins, a NASA Aerospace Education Specialist, explained the history of aeronautics by sharing his Flying Gizmos presentation to the fifth graders at Mililani Mauka. In addition, Mr. Hawkins held a workshop for some science club members on how to build and operate a FPG-9 glider. Other science club members were treated to a special hands-on “Robotics” activity conducted by Ms. Taunya Sweet, a NASA Robotics specialist. Mililani Mauka was one of only a few schools selected to participate in this Aerospace Education Services Project conducted by NASA, after submitting an application in October 2009.

2nd Quarter Report Cards Distributed Today

Report cards for 2nd quarter will be sent home with students today, Tuesday, January 19, 2010.

Principal's KidBiz Winter Contest

Congratulations to the following students for completing 20 or more KidBiz articles at 88% or higher on their first try during the winter break:
Grade 2: Alexander Armenti, Justin Jakahi, & Kendall Scott
Grade 3: Phillip Amona, Cole Caberto, Landon Carter, Kaili Delos Santos, Thomas Kanemaru,
& Jeffrey Lee,
Grade 4: Cole Dudley, Emily Poirier, Lindsey Scott, Kaili St. Germain, Leia Takaesu,
Nicole Weber, Chaeley Winkler, & Bryce Yonemori
Grade 5: Toria Agbayani, Jarren Carter, Anissa Guillermo, Chloey Ishii, Nahakuelua Kekauoha,
Marisa Matsuo, Kyre Singletary, Lena Stevens, Hayley Strapple-Kim,
Chaleia Tamashiro, Reyn Tao, Meghan Usam, Chad Uyejo, & Cade Yamamoto

They will have lunch with me on January 26, 2010.

Mrs. Petersen

It's Book Time with Ronald McDonald

Kindergarten classes enjoyed an assembly with Ronald McDonald. This fun-filled educational performance engaged students with a creative mix of music, magic, student-teacher interaction and games, all intended to reinforce the idea that reading is fun and books are an important part of each day.

FIRST LEGO® League (FLL)

Congratulations for a successful season! Our two Robotics teams, Maukabots and Robotechs, represented Mililani Mauka Elementary School well this year. The District Qualifier was held in November at Moanalua High School, while the State Robotics Championship was held in December at the NBC Arena. The purpose of FLL is to stimulate students’ thinking through problem based research and a robotics competition, and to create a passion for math, science, and technology. The theme for this year was “Smart Move,” and the key to the challenge was accessing people, places, goods and services in the safest, most efficient way possible.

The students on the Maukabots team were: Ryne Aniya, Lauren Fujii, Joshua Kamisugi, Joshua Kida, Jonathan Lee, Tyler Niiyama, Akoni Pasoquen-Castillo, Chad Uyejo, Matthew Watanabe, and Sue Yee Yiu. The students on the Robotechs team were: Nicholas Alvarado, Tyler Inafuku, Stanton Lee, Marisa Matsuo, Sean McDonnell, Caden Morishige, Noah Rodrigues, Justice Rosario, Jena Uyeda, and Collin Walters. Alternate members were: Megan Lauw, Chaeley Winkler, and Bryce Yonemori. The theme for next year is “Biomedical Engineering."

Kid Biz Winner!

Congratulations to Ms. Craig’s Class, from Mililani Mauka Elementary School, for winning the Hawaii High Achievers Contest in the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area for Kid Biz 3000!

Ms. Craig, along with the student in her class who completed the most activities, will be honored at the upcoming Hawaii Literacy Conference!

Home Energy Challenge - New Year's Resolution Winner

All HECO Home Energy Challenge students who made a New Year's energy conservation resolution were eligible to win a classroom visit by Mad Science of Hawaii, madcap "scientists" who perform a unique and engaging science-enrichment show designed to excite kids about learning.

Congratulations to Kamryn Sasaki, who was selected as one of three winners across the state. Way to go!