“This is going to be the best year yet. We have the best school, the best staff, and most of all, the best students,” exclaimed Koloa School principal Debra Badua at the school’s back-to-school assembly. This year, Koloa School welcomed
“This is going to be the best year yet. We have the best school, the best staff, and most of all, the best students,” exclaimed Koloa School principal Debra Badua at the school’s back-to-school assembly.
This year, Koloa School welcomed many new additions — a dozen new students, six new teachers and staff, a new playground, new lawns, and new building improvements — all working together to make this school year a great one, Badua said.
Some new students have transferred from other schools, and some are new to living on Kaua‘i. All received a red crochet lei, which they wore through the assembly and as they went back to class.
Badua is now the “official” school principal, having taken over Cynthia Matsuoka’s place after she transferred to Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School.
Badua was previously the vice principal at CKMS, and has been at Koloa School since February.
New teachers and staff were each presented with a red crochet lei, too. Marla Domingo, third-grade teacher, was previously at King Kaumuali‘i Elementary School. Joy Chisholm, school-wide computer and fifth-grade reading teacher, transferred from Kekaha School. Brooke Hurd is a first-grade teacher returning for a second year. New to the first grade is teacher Jackie Hubert, previously at Wilcox Elementary.
Newcomers to Kaua‘i are Jackie Yanagi, Title I coordinator, who previously worked as a positivebehavior specialist on O‘ahu; and counselor “Dr.
Stu” Figioli, originally of Michigan.
Improvements to the campus include construction of new railings and sidewalks so they comply with ADA (federal Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility requirements.
Fresh lawns are being cared for, and the A building has been re-roofed. The school is midway through a telecommunications-installation project, which will link classrooms to Internet access, has a new bell system, and new communications devices.
As the school year started on “Aloha Wednesday,” students were allowed to wear what they wished. But come Monday, Aug. 30, they’ll wear official red-and-black school T-shirts featuring the Ducks, the mascot of Koloa School.
Of special interest to most students is a red, orange and blue playground with a tower, slide and climbing bars, which also greeted them as they started their first day. Some students were seen gazing out of classroom doors waiting for recess.
