Preschoolers will get a chance to be kindergarteners for a day at Sacred Hearts School’s Kindergarten Open House.

LAHAINA – On Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 10 a.m. to noon, Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina will host an open house for keiki heading to kindergarten in the 2014-15 school year.

This year, for the first time, a drawing will be held for a $500 tuition award for new Sacred Hearts School families. A parent must be present to participate; register with the school office by calling 661-4720.

A free, healthy lunch will be provided by Penne Pasta Caf, Sacred Hearts School’s school lunch provider.

Preschoolers will get a chance to be kindergarteners for a day. Parents will witness, firsthand, just what makes this school so special. Come meet kindergarten teacher Wendy Coon, first grade teacher Dana Kirby, second grade teacher Tonata Lolesio and Teacher’s Assistants Sara Kanemitsu and Holly Symank.

Sacred Hearts kindergarten students arrive at first grade able to read and ready to move to the next level.

SHS students outperform the nation’s kids in standardized testing, and more than 90 percent of its graduates go to college. The national average is 66 percent, and the average for the State of Hawaii is 53 percent.

Sacred Hearts’ philosophy statement on the school website (www.sacredheartsschool.net) sums up the approach to teaching at the school: “We believe that each child is born with a gift. As teachers, it is our role to help uncover that gift and inspire our children to flourish and reach their full potential. We believe that children learn best when they are having fun and that keiki need room to express themselves creatively in order to thrive. We teach our students to reach for the stars.”

Registration for the 2014-15 school year opens Feb. 11. There is a $100 tuition discount for registering by March 21.

Register for the open house by Feb. 4 by calling 661-4720 or e-mailing openhouseSHS@gmail.com (you will receive an e-mail confirmation of your reservation).

At Sacred Hearts, the staff believes that it is critical to create a link from grade to grade, so that keiki can build upon what they learn and experience. As such, the teachers work together as a team to create a bridge from one grade to the next.

Teachers are very experienced and keep their knowledge up-to-date, staying abreast of developments in child education by attending seminars, taking advanced classes and working together as a team to share experiences.

A graduate of Sacred Hearts School, Coon is in her 12th year teaching at Sacred Hearts and has a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. Her two daughters are both students at Sacred Hearts.

Kirby has been teaching first grade at Sacred Hearts for seven years and has a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. Her son is a student at Sacred Hearts School.

Tonata Lolesio is in her 13th year teaching second grade at Sacred Hearts School and has a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. Her son is a student at Sacred Hearts.

Kanemitsu is in her second year of assisting at Sacred Hearts School. She is a graduate of the school and has ten years of prior experience working in privately owned childcare services.

Symank is in her first year as kindergarten and first grade assistant at Sacred Hearts. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Trinity Western University and has more than ten years’ experience working with keiki running a church nursery in Oregon and holding full-time nanny positions. She is certified in CPR and First Aid.