Waimea Middle School families are invited to an Open House to learn why ‘Pa’ahana’ and ‘Kaizen’ are now school-wide expectations.

Pa’ahana:  A Hawaiian term for hard, industrious work.
Kaizen:  A Japanese term for striving every day to do better than the day before.

These two core values are “driving” Waimea Middle School’s “journey of learning” for its 6th-8th Graders this school year, and WMS families are invited to the annual Open House from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Wed., Aug. 19, 2009, to meet teachers and staff and see how these core values touch every aspect of school l ife and academic success.  As a “School In Restructuring,” WMS has dramatically revamped many aspects of school life by changing its bell schedule, initiating a mandatory uniform policy, raising the expectations of all teachers, staff and students, reconfiguring the after-school Homework Help program, and introducing with the help of our Kamehameha Schools “partner” a new online math program called ALEKS to help boost academic proficiency.  Families are invited to come for a delicious chili-rice-and-fresh Waimea greens salad, then to meet school teachers and staff, visit classrooms and learn more about how best to support student learning.  There is no charge for the gathering but families are urged to RSVP to help with determining how many to prepare dinner for.  The school’s 8th Grade East Coast Trippers and their families will be preparing dinner.  Families also will be able to purchase additional uniform t-shirts and register their children for free after-school Homework Help+ and learn about other educational supports.  For information, call WMS’ family-community liaison Patti Cook (937-2833).