By Kellie James ’95 Schmidtke and Amber Strong ’89 Makaiau
In August 2025, Hanahau‘oli School shared a refreshed Mission Statement and a thoughtfully articulated framework of Guiding Beliefs—the result of a reflective and collaborative process involving voices from across the school community. While grounded in the values, philosophy, and traditions that have guided Hanahau‘oli since 1918, this renewed mission looks ahead with hope and intention. It embraces the changing world children live in today—and the one they will help to create—with a spirit of joyful wonder and purpose.
A Mission Rooted in Place, Purpose, and Possibility
At the heart of the refreshed mission is a meaningful affirmation, “Hanahau‘oli School is a leader in progressive education with roots in Hawai‘i.” This identity reflects the school's deep sense of purpose and place, committed to joyful, child-centered learning and grounded in local culture and practices.
The mission continues, “We work with joy and we play with purpose, designing stepping stones for children to explore within and reach beyond as they imagine and create a better world.” This message speaks to Hanahau‘oli’s long-held belief that learning should be both exciting and intentional, helping children build confidence, curiosity, and compassion as they grow into thoughtful contributors to their communities and the world beyond.
Guiding Beliefs: Seeking Harmony, Embracing Connections
The school’s updated Guiding Beliefs are inspired by the Hawaiian proverb A‘o aku, a‘o mai—to teach is to learn, to learn is to teach. These beliefs invite reflection on the continua that shape the learning experience, expressed through the following balanced pairings:
Individual – Kākou (all of us)
Communities thrive when individuals learn to think for themselves and collaborate with others.
Work – Play
Play is the work of children and joyous work makes for a flourishing life.
Kilo – Voice
Kilo (careful observation) and communication are essential for navigating a changing world.
Analytical – Creative
Education is both a science and an art.
Tradition – Change
Tradition is essential for perpetuating joyous work and innovation is critical for progress.
Step by step, Hanahau‘oli continuously works in partnership to find the harmonies between each belief—shaping a school culture that values deep thinking and bold creativity, while preparing children to navigate a world of complexity with clarity and care.
Looking to the Future
The refreshed mission and beliefs are not simply ideals—they are lived every day throughout campus and in the hearts of those who guide and support Hanahau‘oli’s work. They reflect the school’s kuleana to grow alongside the children it serves, staying true to its core values while adapting to a world in motion. Former Head of School Louisa F. Palmer (1924 - 1957) once reflected, “Progressive education is a living thing… continuously having to change because of the three great changing elements with which we deal – children, environment and civilization.” Her words continue to resonate today. As Hanahau‘oli looks ahead to its second century, it does so with a deep respect for tradition and a readiness to embrace change—moving forward with joy, curiosity, and the courage to imagine what education can be. Read more about Hanahau‘oli’s Mission Statement and Guiding Beliefs at hanahauoli.org/mission.
Connecting the Professional Development Center to the Refreshed Mission
Critically aligned to the school’s refreshed mission, the Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center (PDC) plays a unique role in making Hanahau‘oli a “leader in progressive education.” With a commitment to strengthening Hanahau‘oli’s reputation as one of the preeminent progressive schools in the nation and serving a public purpose, the PDC is a bridge between the school and the broader community. Established to build Hanahau‘oli’s capacity for developing and maintaining school communities that both meet the needs of our current society and strive to create a better future society for our children, the PDC offers a wide range of educative experiences–aligned to the school’s progressive philosophy and tradition–for educators, researchers, scholars, parents, and community members. These experiences include mentoring, coursework, workshops, school tours, public talks, an annual summer institute, consultation, coaching, research, publication, curriculum development, and online progressive education resources. Core to each of these PDC initiatives is the deep understanding that when Hanahau‘oli faculty take a leadership role in the professional development of teachers, not only does this improve the experiences of students and families served by the school, it also helps to improve education at large.
The History
Hanahau‘oli’s commitment to a public purpose emerged in 1918, when both the school was founded and the Progressive Education Association stated that “the progressive school [shall be] a leader in educational movements” (Graham, 1967, pp. 28 - 29). Dr. Robert G. Peters recounts the history in 100 Years of Joyous Work--Hanahau‘oli School 1918 - 2018:
As the progressive education pioneer in the Islands, Hanahau‘oli quickly became a demonstration site. In 1919, Sophie Judd Cooke received a letter from Vaughan MacCaughey (Superintendent of Public Instruction, Territory of Hawaii) which stated: “I heartily and fully endorse the educational creed therein (school bulletin, 1919). One of the dangers to our democracy is the lock-step and effacement of individuality in the public system. . . . It is my hope, next fall, to arrange to have some of our better teachers visit Hanahau‘oli School, one by one, and to catch something of its spirit.” (Letter, SJC File). In 1921, the Territorial Normal School approached Mrs. Cooke with the possibility of creating an affiliation to give the “cadets the opportunity of observing and participating in educational work of an advanced character.” (SJC File). Following a visit from Professor Simonds from the University of Hawaii in 1922, during which he expressed the desire to use Hanahau‘oli as an observation site, the Board of Advisors passed a motion to inform the University and the Department of Public Instruction that school policy would be to cooperate in “all educational matters” and that “we are glad to extend an invitation to any of their classes in Education to visit our School for the purpose of observation.” (Advisory Board Minutes, 9/27/22). Thus, was launched what today is called the “public purpose”...Hanahau‘oli accepted its role in the community as a school that would share its theory and practice with the community—both local and national—and engage in the broader conversation about best practices to promote learning for a democratic society and an ever-changing world (p.14).
Made possible through $1 million in endowed funds from The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, the Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center was established in 2009. Then, in 2018 a formal partnership between the school and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Education (UHM COE) was created to expand the reach of the PDC. This school-University partnership solidified Hanahau‘oli School’s role as a leading Professional Development School (PDS) that models progressive, interdisciplinary, and inquiry approaches to teaching and learning. Concurrently, Hanahau‘oli became a proud and contributing member of the national Progressive Education Network.
Why is this important?
John Goodlad, a giant in the history of the progressive education movement and author of the highly influential book, A Place Called School (1984), documented a now classic eight-year study of 38 schools in 13 communities, which laid the foundation for the benefits of the PDS partnership model. Built on the reciprocal relationship between universities and schools, PDS partnerships work to ensure the “simultaneous renewal of schools” and the “education of educators” (1984). The model is currently upheld and validated by time-tested research findings, which conclude that teachers matter more to student success than any other aspect of schooling.
Many factors contribute to a student’s academic performance, including individual characteristics and family and neighborhood experiences. But research suggests that, among school-related factors, teachers matter most. When it comes to student performance on reading and math tests, teachers are estimated to have two to three times the effect of any other school factor, including services, facilities, and even leadership (Rand Corporation, 2002).
With the support of the PDC, Hanahau‘oli School is dedicated to ensuring that faculty and staff are professional experts at the top of their field. This means that not only do they positively impact the lives of the students and families they serve, but they are also well-known as excellent “teachers of teachers” amongst their peers. Over the years, by elevating the quality of teaching at Hanahau‘oli School, the PDC has helped to establish the school's distinguished reputation and high regard for the people who work there. As a result, educators, scholars, and community members from across the world look to Hanahau‘oli School as a trusted resource and destination for progressive education professional development.
Today, as the mission states, Hanahau‘oli School is a known leader in the worldwide progressive education movement not only because of its longstanding record of successfully translating progressive education philosophy into effective school-based practices, but also because of the work it does in the community to ensure more children have access to a progressive education. In the future, the work of the Hanahau‘oli PDC will continue to grow in new and exciting ways. “Serving as a model, we strive to lead by example, to innovate and experiment, to be an inspiration to progressive educators everywhere. We believe education has the power and potential to create a more equitable future.” To get involved in the important work ahead, we encourage you to participate in PDC programs, read the Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy Blog, and spread the word.
ABOUT THE Contributors:
Kellie James ’95 Schmidtke, MBA, CFRE, serves as the Director of Institutional Advancement at Hanahau‘oli School, where she leads efforts to strengthen philanthropy and community engagement. Before joining Hanahau‘oli, Kellie was the Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, where she built and expanded donor engagement services and planned giving programs. A committed community leader, she is the past president of Nā Wāhine Pā‘ani o Punahou and the incoming president of the Hawaii Gift Planning Council. Kellie lives in Honolulu with her husband, Scott, and their two sons.
Dr. Amber Strong ’89 Makaiau is a Specialist at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Director of Curriculum and Research at the Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education, Director of the Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center, and Co-Director of the Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy MEd Interdisciplinary Education, Curriculum Studies program. A former Hawai‘i State Department of Education high school social studies teacher, her work in education is focused around promoting a more just and equitable democracy for today’s children. Dr. Makaiau lives in Honolulu where she enjoys spending time in the ocean with her husband and two children.
