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PBA’s Autumn House Kicks Off the Admissions Season for Families Thinking about Next School Year
Dear readers of the What's New,
We had a pretty great crowd at PBA’s Autumn Open House. Most of an Admissions Open House involves mingling and meeting folks beforehand, publicly sharing a few words of welcome to kick matters off, then sending prospective parents and students on a tour with PBA student guides to meet the teachers and take stock of the place. So when the tour groups finally returned from the rotation of teacher presentations and Ms. Blanche Yarnell and I opened the Q&A to give folks the opportunity to pepper us with any questions they could think of, I was interested to hear what they would ask.
| Ms. Blanche and I lucked out a little this year. When the families came back into the Founders Hall for the Q&A, most of the prospective students had peeled off from their parents and crowded into the front rows of the assembly. In that collective group, I had a sense we’d be able to get the students asking questions as well. So when we opened the floor for questions, and the students waited for parents to speak, and I looked to the front of the audience and encouraged the students that they, too, should feel free to ask anything that came to mind, I had an inkling the students would ask away, and indeed, they asked several questions. | | “What electives do you have?” “Do you have any social events during the school year?” “Is taiko a required class or can you take it as an elective?” “Is the homework really hard?” To which I proudly spoke at length about the awesome fine, performing, and cultural arts electives programs we’ve developed at the school, the social calendar of Friday night socials to look forward to, the required AND electives opportunities for taiko,
And “yes,” I said, “the homework is really hard” … the student asking the question got a little squeamish … “Sometimes. Not all the time. It depends on the learning goal. Is the purpose just a bit of reinforcement for an assignment, or are we talking about the final project, paper, or presentation? If it’s the final, then yep, PBA wants to challenge you so you can grow. What would challenge you?” I asked. The evening ended, I want to say, 45 minutes later. The student questions gave parents time to gather their thoughts and impressions, and the parents asked after a range of deeper explorations. Following clean-up, I went home happy, a little tired from the longer work day, and grateful my wife had left a plate out that I could slide in the microwave, wait 55 seconds, and enjoy. As PBA kicks off our admissions season, we invite you to continue thinking of us. We will host two additional open houses this year, an in-person event in February and a virtual event in the late spring. But no need wait for an open house! If you know of a family looking for an awesome values-based, peace-focused, close community of a school, drop me or Ms. Blanche a line – [email protected], [email protected]. We’ll be more than happy to reach back. Have a spooky Halloween! | Warmly,
Josh Hernandez Morse
Head of School | Learning from a Lifetime of Service | As students rode the Buddha Bus to Hui Mālama O Ke Kai, they saw the stunning Koʻolau Mountains and sweeping views of the windward side that they don’t see from their downtown school. They were on their way to meet Dr. Glenn Miyataki for the final student-led honoree interview for the Lighting Our Way Banquet. | The honor recognizes both Dr. Glenn Miyataki and his wife, the late Dr. Ko Miyataki.
Students will recognize Dr. Ko from her portrait displayed in the Student Commons, a popular lunch and gathering spot on campus at PBA. Beside her portrait, on another face of Dr. Ko's Pillar, is a plaque with a short poem that reads | | Gratitude In memory of
Lynette ‘Ko’ Miyataki Service, Laughter, Gratitude During the visit, students asked Dr. Miyataki about his wife’s legacy and their shared commitment to service and education. He shared stories, including how they met at the University of Hawai‘i in a dance class. “So people say, wow, dance class. Did you dance with her? No,” he said, recalling how nervous he was to ask her to dance. Their friendship grew into a lifelong partnership rooted in service to others. To list just a few roles from their lifetimes of service, Dr. Ko worked as a school counselor, and president of the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific Foundation, and supporter of Pacific Buddhist Academy, while Dr. Glenn served as president of the Japan-America Institute of Management Science, former associate dean of the University of Hawai‘i College of Business, and continues working with Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul, while achieving many other distinguished accomplishments. | | | Before departing, Dr. Glenn gifted each student a copy of The Journey from Within, a book he authored, and included a personal message referencing each student’s goals and aspirations. Students, along with the PBA community, look forward to honoring Dr. Glenn Miyataki and the late Dr. Ko Miyataki at the Lighting Our Way banquet on November 14 at The Kahala Hotel & Resort. | PBA Students and Staff Present at the Schools of the Future Conference | The annual Schools of the Future Conference took place on October 16–17 at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center, exploring a range of topics and ideas related to best and emerging practices in education. PBA board member Sophie Halliday invited the school to speak in the Cultivating Peace Through the Arts room, sponsored by the Stevens World Peace Foundation. | Representing peace through the arts at PBA were Director of Advancement Megan Lee, PBA senior Ryn Hirai, and guest fine arts speaker Mina Huynh. They shared their summer school fine arts class experience in a presentation titled "Zines as Tools for Peaceful Protest and Creative Expression." “When we think about peace, we often imagine a world without conflict. But in our classrooms, peace is much more active,” stated text from a slide in their presentation. “It’s how we relate to one another, how we handle challenge, and how we nurture creativity and empathy in young people.” Audience members included educators from the islands of ʻOahu and Maui. | | Ryn Hirai spoke on their experience covering the Trans Rights debate. “Social issues can provoke strong feelings. Art can help us engage in conversations that are respectful,” said Ryn. The presentation highlighted how creative expression can be a powerful tool for understanding and dialogue, reflecting PBA’s commitment to fostering empathy, critical thinking, and peace in the classroom. | | OFFICE HOURS
7:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
OFFICE CLOSED
Tuesday, November 11 - Veteran's Day
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