WAIMEA – Mahina Paishon-Duarte, head of school at Kanu o ka Aina, has accomplished much in her five years at the Hawaiian-focused public charter school.
Beginning in January, she will hand over her responsibilities to David Clarke as interim head of school.
“In these five short years we have so much to be thankful for and so much we’re proud of,” Paishon-Duarte said. “The first is that we’ve tripled from 200 to 600-plus students with our online virtual learning program and extended our programs and mission from one island to five islands.”
About three years ago she and her colleague, Allyson Tamura, created a prototype to test a theory that if they could create a flexible learning platform to afford personalized learning while still meeting their unique school mission, all students could reach their highest potential.
“We felt that if we got it right in a small learning group of 30 kids it could be replicated and scaled to meet demand. In three short years we’ve received accreditation for grades kindergarten through high school,” Paishon-Duarte said. “WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation is a big gold star of approval. External evaluators agreed we are a high performing, rigorous and quality school that provides an excellent and viable learning option for students.”
She believes that Clarke can help KANU reach their next goal: to prepare staff and students for a new economy and a new global landscape.
“We know there are really significant global challenges that face us as a community,” Paishon-Duarte said. “Our students face a future where they will have to determine how they will continue to care for aina and community, despite the escalating cost of living, dramatic climatic change and an ever-dynamic and complex global political and economic landscape that will ultimately affect close-knit rural communities like Waimea.”
She continued, “To meet these challenges, Kanu students must be both nurtured and challenged to develop the mind-set, skill set and heart set to collaboratively find solutions for home and abroad. With the advent of online-virtual learning platforms that are culturally grounded and connected to Hawaii, KANU is confident that when their students matriculate to post-high opportunities — whether it’s to study at a university on the continent or here locally — they know that they have a responsibility to Hawaii’s cultural heritage and unique environment.”
In her fond farewell, Paishon-Duarte noted that KANU’s accomplishments would not have been possible without her school partners — K-12 principal Allyson Tamura and Taffi Wise, Kanu o ka Aina Learning Ohana’s executive director — in addition to the governing school board members, kumu, staff, families and students.
“In addition I want to welcome David Clarke. He is well known and well loved,” she said. “We’re so fortunate that he is joining our leadership team and we know that with his energy, his focus and his expertise he’s going to take KANU to the next level.”
Paishon-Duarte plans to spend time with her family, especially her young daughter, and pursue a doctorate.
