Nā Hopena A‘o (HĀ) is a framework of outcomes that reflects the Department of Education’s core values and beliefs in action throughout the public educational system of Hawaii. The Department of Education works together as a system that includes everyone in the broader community to develop the competencies that strengthen a sense of Belonging, Responsibility, Excellence, Aloha, Total well-being and Hawaii (“BREATH”) in ourselves, students and others. With a foundation in Hawaiian values, language, culture and history, HĀ reflects the uniqueness of Hawaii and is meaningful in all places of learning. HĀ supports a holistic learning process with universal appeal and application to guide learners and leaders in the entire school community.
The following guiding principles should lead all efforts to use HĀ as a comprehensive outcomes framework:
• All six outcomes are interdependent and should not be used separately
• Support systems and appropriate resources should be in place for successful and thoughtful implementation
• Planning and preparation should be inclusive, collective and in a timeframe that is sensitive to the needs of schools and their communities
• Current examples of HĀ in practice can be drawn on as sources for expertise
• All members of the school community share in the leadership of HĀ
Learn more: http://bit.ly/NaHopenaAo
