"Poppa" Linscott visits MPI

Some of you may still remember that our elementary school was, up to four years ago, known as Epiphany School, located in Ka`imuki on 10th and Harding Avenues.  We have been Mid-Pacific Institute since 2004 and are proud and honored to offer MPI’s first preschool and elementary program. We have a rich legacy in Mid-Pacific as well as in Epiphany, which was founded in 1937. One of the Church of the Epiphany’s most well known and respected church rectors is the Reverend Burton Linscott, who retired from his position in 1978 but continued to tutor many of the students. Father Linscott was also the head of school in 1950 (imagine — rector AND head of school at the same time!). Many who know him sing his praises as a no-nonsense administrator and unflappable church leader who built the existing Epiphany facilities in the 50s and organized the school program.  He gave Mrs. Gail Fukumoto her first teaching job, and that was more than 40 years ago. It was also Father Linscott, or “Poppa,” an honorific he prefers, from whom I asked consent to enter into negotiations with Mid-Pacific Institute and then to finally close Epiphany. I can vividly remember that afternoon in my office and how I had considered Father Linscott’s response a “deal breaker.”


Four years since we became Mid-Pacific Institute and left Ka`imuki, Poppa, who is now a spry 95 years old, finally visited us and yesterday toured the elementary campus with his son and MPI Trustee Dickson Lee.  He ate lunch with the children in the dining room and enjoyed the same beef stew and diced peaches that they ate. After lunch, the students formed a large circle around Poppa and the guests and sang two chapel songs for them. The adults in the room watched and listened misty-eyed, and Poppa most certainly appreciated their heartfelt singing.  He also enjoyed seeing the Epiphany Room, which contains Epiphany memorabilia.  Just before Poppa left the campus, he said to me, “I’m so happy that the children are here on this beautiful campus where there’s fresh air, big trees, lots of classroom space, and a nice playground. Yes, moving to MPI has been good for our children and teachers.”  And with that, he squeezed my hands and smiled. His “blessing” on our new life as Mid-Pacific Institute and his much-anticipated visit reaffirm that the efforts and challenges we encountered on this journey to MPI have all been worthwhile and truly full of many blessings each day!

Wonderful, exciting learning going on in the classrooms.  Just today, I visited Ms. LeBlanc’s multiage 1-2 classroom, where students had completed multi-genre biographical inquiries on historical figures, from Wilbur Wright to Paul Revere to Thomas Edison and many more, and were sharing their visual displays and information. In another classroom, a group of fifth graders met with their Kindergarten buddies to help them with their inquiry on the solar system by reading books and guiding them on their note-taking. All first and second graders trekked to the football field to meet with Hank Howlett, director of facilities. These multiage classes have been working hard on their inquiry about Wailele Spring in conjunction with our 100-years-in-Manoa celebration, and they generated many fascinating questions and assumptions about this water source. They met with Mr. Howlett so that he could address their questions.  And this is just a snapshot of so many learning experiences in one day!

Included in today’s packet is information about the annual Ho`olaule’a, a celebration of the MPI community, on March 14, beginning at 11:30am. Each year, the lower campus is transformed into a mini-carnival with games, slides, entertainment, and lots of foods. Check out the menu in today’s packet. All monies raised at the Ho`olaule`a are used to support the middle school and high school clubs’ and organizations’ activities. We will be taking all students, preschool through fifth grade, to the Ho`olaule`a to have lunch and to participate in the many activities.We would like to suggest that you purchase $5 - $7 of scrip, which will be more than enough for food and games. Parents, please do not indulge your child by purchasing more than the recommended amount of scrip, unless, of course, you plan to join your child. The faculty and parent chaperones (you are more than welcome to come with your child) will take students to the Ho`olaule`a and help the children manage their scrip. A few days prior to the event, the teachers will talk with students about pre-planning how they will spend their scrip.  As much as possible, we want the children in K-5 to practice making independent choices and to handle all their own transactions. A good learning experience in applied mathematics! We hope that you’ll also review the list of donations and be able to contribute something.

Your child’s classroom teacher(s) will be providing specific information on the class weblog about chaperones and other details such as pick-up arrangements after the Ho`olaule`a. We will offer the regular afterschool program on March 14, which is also the day before Spring break. I hope you and your entire family will celebrate our MPI community by attending the Ho`olaule`a.

Many parents purchase the Ho`olaule`a t-shirt, which can be worn to school. However,I have observed that several students are no longer wearing the uniform MPI green or beige t-shirt and are only wearing special-event shirts such as the Big Island trip, or past Ho`olaule`a shirts, or the special 1908 commemorative shirt. After the spring break, beginning the first week of April, students may wear these special MPI-event shirts on Fridays only. We do have a uniform shirt.

Reminders about morning drop-off and parking:
•  Students in Kindergarten through grade 5 are dropped off between 7:00am and 7:40am each morning. K-5 students who arrive after 7:40am report to the office for a “pass” slip, then proceed to their respective classrooms.
•  Preschool parents may park after 7:40am in the turnaround to walk their children to the classroom.  
•  Preschool parents who’d like to come to school earlier should park in an available parking space (not the turnaround) near the elementary school or by the gym.
•  Preschool parents are more than welcome to wait in the dining room, especially on rainy days.
•  Please, no double-parking.

Thanks to the 87 of you who read my past Thursday letters posted on the school website and responded with a simple email message to me, as I had requested. I applaud you because you take the time to keep informed about your child’s school, which enables you to also take a more active part in your child’s learning here at MPI. Yes!

For our children,

Edna L. Hussey
Principal
 
 

Posted on February 28, 2008 6:29 PM | Permalink