Nakamura

LAHAINA — “OPPORTUNITY ROCKS!” What a great community we live in.

On Feb. 22, our eighth grade students visited six hotels. This field trip was the second of its kind, exposing our students to careers in the tourist industry. The six hotels that participated in this event (of which five of them participated for the second time) were the Hyatt Regency Maui, Kaanapali Beach Hotel, Royal Lahaina Resort, The Westin Maui and the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. A newcomer this year was Napili Kai Beach Resort.

Rotarian Don Lehman and LIS Student Activities Coordinator Lori Koyama met and coordinated the planning meetings with the hotels, bringing together another successful educational tour behind the scenes in the hotel industry.

Needless to say, this experience is of great value and a wonderful career awareness event, as our students will soon be choosing career pathways when they enter Lahainaluna High School next year. Lahaina Intermediate would like to express our appreciation to all of our West Maui hotels that prepared presentations for our students in their hotels. I heard that the enthusiasm shown by the hotel employees was felt by everyone. Thank you to all the general managers and their key people who put together an outstanding educational tour for our eighth-graders. I also heard that our eighth-graders were well-behaved, parents. Can’t help but feel the pride, right?

To the volunteer chaperones, thank you for taking time off from your busy lives to help make this experience a success. We couldn’t do this without you. I hope you also learned from the presentations. Mahalo, everyone!

Parents, there are a couple of concerns that need to be reviewed. Unsafe practices in picking up students after school at the entrance of our school parking lot have been observed and reported. A concerned parent alerted us regarding students running and jumping into cars that stop suddenly near the entrance of our school. Thank you, “Mr. Parent,” for notifying us. We appreciate your concern. Before an accident occurs, please reflect on your actions. Is time and convenience more important than your child’s safety? Please be careful out there!

If you are dropping off an item for your child during the day, please allow time to personally deliver the item in your child’s hands. Due to a recent incident, you may no longer leave items for your child at the front office counter. You are requested to wait while your child is called to the office to personally receive the item from you.

LIS will be going through accreditation during the week of Feb. 28. A visiting committee will be on campus to interview teachers, students, staff and the administrators. If you would like to hear the results of the visit, you are welcome to attend the visiting committee’s exit meeting on Thursday, March 3, at 2 p.m. in the school cafe. The Lahaina Complex School Community Councils will present our schools’ Academic Plans for School Year 2011-12 on March 23 in our school cafe starting at 5 p.m. Please join us.

As always, be on top of your child’s progress. The end of the third quarter is right around the corner. Check edline.net, check your child’s planner, e-mail/phone your child’s teachers — we are here. Call 662-3965. IMUA!