Head of School Update – May 29, 2025

Happy Aloha Thursday Saint Mark Parents!

I hope and pray that you all are doing well. I am writing with the final (and brief) Saint Mark updates and reminders of the 2024-25 school year.

VARSITY BASKETBALL
The 2025 Saint Mark Varsity Basketball season is complete! Both teams played hard all season with the girls finishing in 2nd Place!  We are proud of the efforts of both teams and congratulate every player (Kenzie Brayce, Kaiea Fernandez, Ka`i Hao, Aila Kawamoto, Kira Keawe, Kailena Kepaa, Bella Rodrigues, Faith Rogers, Paige Ware, Fynn Blanco, Micah Estell, Gabe Hartenstein, Jojo Kaneyuki, Troy Mahaulu, Titus Ornellas and Javan Whittington) as well as Coach Erin and Coach Markillie on the completion of a long and spirited season!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS!
Our 24 finalists (12 boys and 12 girls) from grades 5 – 8 participated in a highly competitive championship race earlier this month.

• The top three girls were 1st place – Kenzie Brayce (gr 7); 2nd place – Gavrielle Major (gr 5); and 3rd place – Kara Makue (gr 8).
• The top three boys were 1st place – Carter Bode (gr 6); 2nd place – Carter Coleon (gr 7); and 3rd place – Jacob Wong (gr 5)

We congratulate all of our runners and again mahalo Mr. Markillie and Mrs. Manu for their work to make this fun event so successful.

WARRIORS OF THE QUARTER
Congratulations to the three middle school students who received the Warriors of the Quarter Award for the 4th quarter – Faith Rogers (gr 6), CJ Thomas (gr 7) & Kayla Reis (gr 8). Great work!!

GRADE 8 GRADUATION 
We are happy to celebrate the successful completion of the 2024-2025 school year for ALL our students; however, an extra measure of congratulations goes to our 2025 Grade 8 graduating class along with our two salutatorians Braxton Hardy and Gabriel Hartenstein and our valedictorian Jeannette June “J.J.” Mochizuki.  Tonight’s graduation celebration begins at 6:00 p.m. and will be live streamed on Saint Mark Lutheran School’s Facebook page.

EARLY DISMISSAL – Last Day of School
All grades (PK to Gr 7) will dismiss early with NO After School Care tomorrow, Friday, May 30.  We will be using the following staggered pick-up times:
 11:15 to 11:30 a.m. for K-2 students
11:30 to 11:45 a.m. for 3-5 students
11:45 to 12:00 p.m. for 6-7 students
12:00 to 12:15 p.m. for PK students
We kindly ask that you please arrive during the appropriate scheduled pickup time – not before or after as doing so creates a traffic back log.

“GOOD-BYE” & “HELLO”
This is the time of the year where many of us at Saint Mark are filled with mixed emotions. It can be a sad time as we say good-bye to many wonderful students and families but also an exciting time as we prepare to see all the new faces and welcome the new families to our school `ohana.

Besides bidding farewell to some terrific students and families, we also say good-bye to one Saint Mark teacher.  We bid a warm aloha to Mrs. Hutchens as she moves off-island and relocates to the east coast. We profoundly thank her for her years of faithful service while wishing her all of God’s blessings in her future endeavors. Mrs. Somera will be stepping aside from her full time teaching responsibilities but will remain at Saint Mark as the Director of our Early Learning Center and an educational advisor.  We are thrilled that the rest of our faculty and staff will be returning for the 2025-26 school year!

But as is often the case, as we say “Good-bye” we also say “Hello”.  Please join me as we welcome Ms. Corrie Sober (music & middle school P.E.) and Ms. Emma Mathes (kindergarten) to the Saint Mark `ohana.  We are excited to have these wonderful educators joining our team.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES (for Returning Families)
 Registration Packet Mailed Home – June 16 to 20
    Offices Closed (Juneteenth) – Thursday, June 19
    Offices Closed (Independence Day) – Friday, July 4
Registration Forms Due – Wednesday, July 9
 First Day of School (K-8) – Wednesday, July 30 (Early Dismissal – No Aftercare)
    First Day of School (ELC) – Friday, August 1 (Regular Dismissal – No Aftercare)
Before & After School Care Begins – Monday, August 4

MAHALO for YOUR SUPPORT
As the 2024-25 school year comes to a close, the faculty, staff and administration of Saint Mark profoundly thank our families for their support and overall commitment to our mission.  We appreciate you all!

SAFE and FUN SUMMER BREAK
Saint Mark Lutheran School is on summer break from June 2 to July 29 with classes resuming for K-8 students on Wednesday, July 30 and for ELC students on Friday, August 1.

Please enjoy a fun, safe, and relaxing break, and be sure to call the school office at 247-5589 should you have any questions.  Office hours most days during the break are 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Mahalo, Blessings, and Enjoy a Safe & Fun Summer,

David Gaudi
Head of School