May Academics Reports

Here is a monthly check in on Namahana academics:

STUDENTS LAUNCH THEIR DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS: Students wrapped up the school year by becoming proficient in Google Sites and officially launching their digital portfolios. This marks the beginning of a multi-year academic journey. Rather than a mere collection of assignments, this digital home serves as a progressive archive of student work that tracks growth across core competencies. Over their time at Namahana, this site will also house an 80-page autobiography project that students will build upon, expand, and refine each school year until senior graduation.

COMMUNITY GATHERS: For the first time, our entire school community gathered at our temporary campus for a quarterly Hōʻike and family potluck. Hundreds of parents and community members filled the space to experience a diverse showcase of student work. The exhibition provided a public forum for students to present their learning through multiple mediums, including student-produced film documentaries, culinary exhibitions, scientific poster presentations, and artwork displays. The evening opened with a live performance from the school band, as well as a student-written Namahana oli (chant).

INSIDE THE CLASSROOM: Kumu witnessed clear growth as students presented confidently from their own internal knowledge. Projects directly stemmed from their 4th-quarter ulu ʻāina assignments, demonstrating a greater shift toward individualized, evidence-based learning. Students combined personal interests with broader global themes, sharing deep-dive research into how environmental factors such as climate change are structurally impacting our local marine ecosystems through field observations and data tracking.

NEXT YEAR: Leadership and kumu are preparing for next year. Our current 7th and 8th graders recently participated in "Rising Workshops" to meet their kumu and preview the year ahead. We also hosted an official welcome event for incoming 7th-grade families!