Kokua Line responses that may be of interest to many are published in Currents, the PFA Newsletter.
Back to School!
At this time of year, parents' thoughts naturally lean toward the logistics of going back to school. Here are a few questions that I have received:
Q. Are students allowed to drive to school? If so, where can they park?
A. This is an oldie but a goodie and bears repeating. There is absolutely NO on-campus parking for students. According to Director of Security Billy Luat, student-driven cars which are found parked on campus will get "the boot." The boot, also known as a wheel clamp, is a device that is designed to prevent vehicles from moving. A $50 fine must be paid to remove the boot.
It's not just students that should fear the boot. Parents who are consistent violators of the parking policy are also subject to getting booted. If you ever have a question about the parking spot you've chosen, be safe and ask a security guard or call Security at 944-5777.
Q. Did I imagine it, or are there new speed bumps on Chamberlain Drive (the street that runs in front of Mamiya, Dillingham and Sullivan)?
A. Over the summer, both Palm Drive (between the baseball field and Wilder St.) and Chamberlain Drive were repaved and repainted. You are correct that two new speed bumps were added for safety reasons.
Q. When do all the various campus gates close? Sometimes my child's dance class ends late and it's not easy to get onto campus to pick her up.
A. The main gates (corner of Punahou and Wilder) normally close at 10pm each day. All other gates close at 7pm, unless Security has been notified of a special event by faculty or staff.
Tip: If you find the upper Manoa Gate closed, try entering campus from the lower Piper's Pali Gate (Wilder St.) and driving the wrong way up Piper's Pali. Be sure to proceed with caution when taking this approach.
Should you find any gate closed before 7pm, simply call Security at 944-5777. I strongly suggest all parents keep this phone number in their cell phones. It can be a lifesaver!
Other Reminders From Security
Most parking spaces are assigned to staff and faculty. The only visitor parking is the lot across from Sullivan. If that is full, the guards will direct you to alternate parking areas.
Despite what you may observe some parents doing, the stretch of road outside of Vancouver gate is NOT for drop-off and pick-up. The same goes for the small parking lot by the band room. Please be considerate of our neighbors!
Q. My child needs a new P.E. uniform. What are the bookstore hours?
P. The bookstore is open 7:30am-12:30pm and 1:30pm-3:30pm. It is adjacent to the cafeteria in Dole Hall.
To submit a question to Ask Kokua Line, call the Kokua Line at 943-3250 or email us at kokualine@punahou.edu. A Kokua Line volunteer will contact you promptly with the answer and your question may be selected for the next installment of Ask Kokua Line!
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Have questions, suggestions, concerns, and/or comments for the PFA? Call the Kokua Line at 943-3250 or email kokualine@punahou.edu for a quick, friendly response. Parent volunteers check messages daily and will respond within 24 hours during the regular school year. All contacts are confidential.
Kokua Line responses that may be of interest to many are published in Currents, the PFA Newsletter. To make it easier to view, these responses are also provided below. (For some of the older articles the detailed responses may no longer apply.)
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Punahou Nicknames Made Easy
Q: As a newer parent who is not on campus frequently, I am often mystified by the Punahou names and terminology I hear. What exactly is "The Tank" and where is it?
A: Your question gives me a great opportunity to explain some of the campus locales that puzzle many new parents. It doesn't help that the kids will often use nicknames for a place, while the school might use the official name. Below is your answer, plus an explanation of some nicknames that you will not find on the campus map:
The Tank--This is actually the official name for an old fallout shelter at the end of Kakela Place up on Rocky Hill (see Rocky Hill). It is used for the sorting and storage of items donated to the Carnival's White Elephant Sale. They accept donations every Wednesday and Saturday between 9am and Noon. Donations may also be dropped off at a donation box on Palm Drive near the bus stop bleachers. Fragile items may be left with the PFA Office. Proceeds from the sale of donated items, like all Carnival proceeds, go to the school's financial aid program.
The Pit--A covered area located off of Piper's Pali near the track, just before you reach the ramp leading down to the chapel. Also known as the "Imu Pit," the Pit is often used as an unofficial dropoff (or pickup) location for students who are headed for the gym, pool or track. The kids call it "The Pit" because it serves as a BBQ pit for concession stands at Carnival and as the imu pit for the Alumni Lu'au.
Rocky Hill--The hill above Wilcox Hall and the President's Home. It is off-limits to students unless authorized by the Academy Principal or organized as part of the Junior School curriculum. The Alumni House and the Tank are both located on Rocky Hill, which can be accessed from Kakela Place. The two new tennis courts on Rocky Hill, above the lower K - 1 playground, will open soon!
Upper, Middle and Lower Fields - These have become casual designations for Alexander Track and Field, Rice Field (between the cafeteria and Dillingham Hall) and Chamberlain Field (location of Carnival) and refer to their relative locations on campus.
The Gym--You may not have realized that the official name for the gym is "Hemmeter Fieldhouse."
P.E. Pavilion--This covered open space located just behind Thurston Chapel shares a roof with the glass blowing/ceramics and jewelry shop used in Academy Art classes. The Junior School frequently holds P.E. class here. There is also a new P.E. Pavilion which is part of the Omidyar K - 1 Neighborhood.
President's Pavilion--A large covered lanai that is part of the President's Home. Many receptions and all PFA Monthly Meetings are held at the President's Pavilion. There is some parking outside of the house, but most people park on Piper's Pali and walk up the driveway.
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Q: The phones at Grades K/3-5 pick-up and Grade 7-8 (pick up area at the bottom of the stairs) work intermittently at best--especially the K/3-5 phone. Is anything being done?
Telephone issues may be reported to the Punahou Help Desk (943-3234 or helpdesk@punahou.edu) or can be reported to a teacher. I spoke to a Help Desk rep who sent someone to check out the phones in question. It was discovered that the phone at Grade 3-4 Pick-Up had a sticky button which was immediately repaired.
The Grade 7-8 Pick-Up phone needed repair and a part was ordered for it. Both phones should be back in working order by the time this issue goes to print!
Q: My child is a freshman and I'm worried that, if I don't start soon, we won't have enough time to visit all the schools she may be interested in applying to. Should we start visiting potential schools now?
Myron Arakawa, Director of College and Career Counseling, tells me that Punahou strongly discourages parents from taking their child to visit schools prior to the summer after junior year. This is primarily because, often, students are not yet developmentally ready to fully engage in the college search process. Instead, the school recommends that high school summers be spent at a summer job, an activity that the student is passionate about (community service, sports, performing arts, etc.) or on an exciting family trip.
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Q: I heard that Alexander Track is closed until May 15. Why is that?
A: The Alexander Track and Field is available for community use except when students are actively using the facility for PE classes, sports or marching band practice (walkers and joggers are asked to use the outside lanes of the track to protect the inner lanes for competitive events). During the Track and Field season in the spring, however, there are over 400 student athletes participating in Intermediate, JV and Varsity girls and boys teams. Consequently, the track area is closed to the community in the afternoons from 3 - 5:30 p.m. to ensure that the students have a safe practice environment. This limitation was imposed beginning in 2009 after several collisions between students and others using the facility.
Q: Why doesn't the Bookstore allow charges to the student accounts? It would be so much easier - especially when the kids need to get another PE shirt, etc. I have to send them with enough cash...
A: Bookstore manager Bertha Ueoka tells us that when a student wishes to buy something in the Punahou Bookstore, the school cannot determine whether the intended purchase is approved by a parent or not, given the wide range of items carried in the bookstore. Therefore, the access for charging to student accounts has never been given to the Bookstore. To assist parents who wish to have their student purchase specific items, a parent can call the Bookstore at 944-5743 or email bookstore@punahou.edu to find out the cost of the specific item and send the correct amount of cash. The bookstore also accepts checks (checks should be made payable to "Punahou School"). There is no tax assessed on Punahou Bookstore purchases.
Q. With Punahou's efforts for sustainability, are there places for students to lock their bikes? This would give students options to bike to school.
A. There are locations in Case Middle School where students can lock up their bikes. Interested parents should contact their Grade Supervisor.
Q. Is there any way laptops can be programmed to block out sites? (Eg. AIM, Facebook etc)
A. Tim Lucas, Grade Supervisor, provided us with the following response: We can, and do, block individual websites on student computers as needed to help them learn to appropriately manage their learning. Parents should contact their child's Grade Supervisor or Dean for help with this.
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Q. I was thinking of buying my daughter some antibacterial hand sanitizer to bring to school. However, the other day I noticed a dispenser was already installed near the cafeteria entrance. Are there others on campus?
A. How observant of you! Last spring, Punahou added hand sanitizer dispensers campus-wide, initially focusing on high-traffic areas. A second round of installations took place before the beginning of the school year. The cafeteria, the gym, building entrances and gathering areas, and all computer and language labs have these bulk dispensers readily available.
All parents should remind their children to utilize these dispensers on a regular basis and everyone will benefit! NOTE: Sanitizer does not remove dirt or the like, so soap and water should still be the first choice in restrooms.
Q. Why doesn't Punahou offer an on-campus flu vaccine program for students?
A. The school Health Office tells us that, for a number of reasons, the Department of Health's Stop Flu At School program, which is a K - 8 program, was not a good match for Punahou. The school is considering another provider which will offer conditions for a vaccination program which Punahou feels are important. Given the wide availability of the seasonal flu shot, Punahou is only considering this alternative for the H1N1 vaccination, and it will depend on supplies, availability and other logistics. For more about what Punahou is doing about the flu pandemic, check out their blog (link may be found on the home page at www.punahou.edu) and look for updates in the Source, the school's monthly e-newsletter.
Q. I really enjoy Currents, but why does the PFA still print and mail the newsletter when the school is so focused on sustainability?
A. We're happy to hear that you love your Currents. The Currents Advisory Committee has actively debated "going electronic" for several years. Slowing our efforts are parent polls which have shown that many parents read Currents only because it is mailed to them. Reasons given were I don't like to read long documents on the computer, it's too long to print and I like to take it with me and read it when waiting for the kids. We haven't given up though. As a first step, an electronic version has been made available for download (look for it in ePunahou on the PFA tab in the PFA channel or at www2.punahou.edu/pdf/pfa/Currents1009.pdf). We are also looking into ways to allow parents to opt out of the mailing.
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SUMMERTIME IMPROVEMENTS
Last year, AKL responded to a parent who wondered why Punahou doesn't offer "extended summer school" programs to bridge the gap between summer school and the first day of school. The short answer was that those four weeks are crucial for the school to make much-needed repairs and improvements to the campus.
As a follow-up, we thought we'd find out what was done this past summer. It turns out that it was quite a lot!
* All playing and athletic fields were maintained, including sodding at Winne A and B areas.
* Hong Kong orchid trees were installed in concrete planters in the parking lot at Wo International Center.
* The upper gym, racquetball courts, Winne, Dillingham and other areas around campus were retrofitted with energy-efficient lighting, reinforcing the school's sustainability initiatives.
* The racquetball courts were also given a complete face-lift, while the hardwood floors in both gyms were stripped and refinished.
* Major projects relating to Punahou's Crisis Management program were addressed, including the installation of a siren on the Castle Art Center and back-up generators for Cooke Library and Dole Hall, with plans for Sullivan Administration on the horizon.
* The Tank and Portables between Montague Hall and Pauahi Hall received new roofs.
* Numerous improvements were made at Rocky Hill and the Alumni House.
The summer work of Punahou's Physical Plant also included general painting, flooring, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and landscaping projects to ensure a million square feet of instructional space is ready for faculty and students when they returned at the start of the new school year.
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My son lost something on middle field days ago and we haven't been able to track it down yet. We also have no idea where all the lost and found offices are - apparently there are many. Where are they and how can a parent contact the Lost & Found? Wouldn't be easier to have one location for the Lost & Found?
As a fellow parent, I sympathize! I know from experience that it can be very challenging for a student to find a lost item on campus. You are correct--there are nearly as many L&F locations as there are buildings on campus. Unfortunately, one centralized L&F location is not practical or efficient, but an explanation of how the system works should help ease your search the next time your child loses something.
Faculty, staff or security pick up most of the unattended items. If an item is found in or around a building, it typically gets dropped off at that building's office. If the item is left outside, however, it gets dropped off wherever that person happens to be headed, which is unpredictable. This is the cause of most L&F frustrations.
Just about every building on campus has their own short term L&F. In general, the office staff will sort through the items periodically and attempt to contact the owner if the item is labeled. This, however, is not the staff's primary focus, so it can take a few days or even a few weeks (big ticket items such as phones or iPods get special attention). Every few weeks, unclaimed items are sent over to the PFA. The PFA then holds them for another 3-6 weeks before a volunteer attempts one last time to locate the owners. Unclaimed items are eventually sent to The Tank to be included in next year's White Elephant. As you can see, labeling your child's possessions can pay big dividends. After examining a few L&F bins, I especially recommend that you label things like cell phones, iPods, P.E. clothes and outerwear.
Laptops
Campus security guards and faculty have become extremely vigilant about scooping up unattended laptops. This has led to a significantly reduced occurrence of lost/stolen laptops, but it also causes more frantic searching by the student. In general, laptops belonging to Academy students are immediately turned over to the Dean's Office. Junior School laptops are turned over to the IT department or to the student's Grade Supervisor.
Locations
Below is a list of the most commonly used L&F locations on campus. Please do not call these offices. The staff does not have the resources to look through mountains of lost items for each caller. Instead, they ask that your child pay a visit to the office to search for the lost item. If the child is very young, then the parent should come in.
PFA Office (Sullivan Administration Building)
Information Technology (Basement of Cooke Library)
Academy Office (Cooke Hall)
Case Office (Kuahelani, 1st floor)
Castle Office
Winne Office
Wo International Center
Athletic Department (Ewa side of Health Center)
Dance Pavilion
Chapel
Dillingham costume room
Montague Office (1st floor)
Tennis Courts
Pool Office
Weight Rooms
Locker Rooms
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My family and I spend a fortune at Carnival every year. How is the money spent?
I spoke to VP of Finance, John Field, for the answer to this question. The school nets approximately $400,000 to $500,000 every year from our Carnival effort. All money raised goes towards financial aid. With an average financial aid grant of approximately $7,000, Carnival provides support for roughly 60-70 students. The school's total financial aid budget is $3.5 million so Carnival provides about 15% of the funding necessary for financial aid.
Beyond the financial support, Field stressed that it is the total Carnival experience that is most valuable to the Punahou community. "It is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn leadership skills, build wonderful memories, and interact with family and friends. For the 4,000 volunteers, it is a chance to give to the school and enjoy all of the Carnival festivities. Finally, it is Punahou's opportunity to open our campus to the entire community for all to enjoy."
A big event like the Carnival seems like it could potentially generate a lot of waste. What happens to all the leftovers from Carnival (food, prizes, etc.)?
PFA Carnival Coordinator, LeeAnn Ichimura, assures me that extra Carnival food does not go to waste! All usable, leftover Carnival food finds a second life as student and faculty lunches in Dole Cafeteria. If you ask your kids, you'll find that during the week after Carnival, they are usually able to purchase Carnival favorites such as taco salad, Portuguese bean soup, corn-on-the-cob, fried noodles and even chocolate-dipped ice cream bars. Any leftover prizes are sold at the PFA Office during the week after Carnival. All monies generated during this sale go back to Carnival.
February seems like a dismal month for the Carnival. The rain can make for a very muddy experience. Is there a reason why Carnival isn't held during a sunnier time of the year?
John Field was again the man to answer this question. As you might imagine, there are very logical reasons for keeping the Carnival in February (most of which probably don't come to mind when you're cursing the skies and playing tug of war with your slippers in the mud). He tells me that the school has given serious thought in the past to moving Carnival to another time of year. Considerations involve trying to balance athletic seasons and needs (users of Middle and Lower Field), academic seasons and timing, other campus activities and the tradition of holding the event in February.
For Academy students especially, moving the Carnival to the fall would create many challenges. For instance, Seniors would be forced to prepare for Variety Show while simultaneously preparing their College applications and dealing with a busy and stressful first semester. Moving the Carnival to spring would conflict with several end-of-the-year activities, including baseball, Holoku and May Day. Said Field, "When we looked at alternative dates, the end of January and beginning of February always comes back as the ideal time from a calendar and school schedule standpoint."
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Question: At the upper campus entrance (Manoa Gate), there is usually a police officer directing traffic in the morning. Periodically, however, there is no one there and that causes a huge back-up well into Manoa Valley. What is the cause of this inconsistency?
Answer: Punahou has a "standing order" with HPD Special Duty for officers to assist with traffic at both the Manoa Gate (near the tennis courts) and the Lower Piper's Pali entrance/exit (by Case Middle School) each morning. HPD Officers interested in special duty have the right to call in and select their jobs. When there is no officer at the Manoa Gate, it is because no one signed up. If only one officer signs up, priority is given to the lower entrance because it impacts traffic more than the Manoa Gate. One other thing you may not be aware of...Punahou's head of security tells us that the officer stationed at the Lower Piper's Pali entrance is there primarily to move traffic out of the campus, again, to avoid backup--NOT help cars enter campus.
Question: I see the signs for the PFA Monthly Meetings but have never attended. What happens at these meetings?
Answer: The Punahou Parent Faculty Association hosts a monthly meeting at the President's Pavilion. They are a great way to meet other parents and stay informed about school events. Each meeting begins with a light lunch, provided by the PFA, followed by presentations from the Punahou Administration or a Teacher Talk. Teacher Talks are discussions led by Punahou faculty or staff, which give parents a glimpse of life as a Punahou student.
The next meeting is on Friday, February 15th from 11:30am to 1:00pm. The agenda includes a mid-year report by Punahou President Jim Scott, updates by Junior School Principal Mike Walker and Academy Principal Kevin Conway, and information about next year's tuition by VP of Finance, John Fields. No RSVP is needed.
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Question: Every now and then, I come to campus during the school day to volunteer or drop things off to my child's classroom. Often, I am carrying heavy items. Where am I allowed to park?
Answer: Unfortunately, the only unrestricted parking lot on campus is located next to the baseball field, in front of the Sullivan Administration Building. If you are quickly dropping something off or have something heavy to carry, speak to a security guard who will attempt to locate a spot for you to park temporarily.
Question: I recently quizzed my 7th and 8th grade sons about the cafeteria to ensure that they are eating a vegetable or fruit during lunch. I was surprised when both informed me that there was no vegetable served with their hot entrees. They claimed that until 7th grade, they had automatically received a hot vegetable with their meal. This year, however, they tell me their only vegetable option is the salad bar or a piece of whole fruit. I find this hard to believe. Can you tell me how the lunch menu works now?
Answer: For this question, we turned to Marcia Wright, Director of Food Services at Punahou. It turns out that the students' food options change significantly as students get older, so that may explain why you and your kids are confused! Here's a summary, by grade, of what your child is experiencing at Dole Cafeteria. By the way, much of this information (and a lot more) can be found in the Punahou School Handbook, which was mailed to each family over the summer.
Kindergarteners have an all or nothing program. They pay one flat fee for the year and get a set, balanced plate of food each day.
For students in grades 1-6, lunch consists of a choice of vegetarian or meat hot entree, white or brown rice, hot vegetable AND salad bar with fruit. This costs $3.75. Parents will be happy to hear that, for these grade levels, servers and cashiers are trained to check each plate as it passes through the line to make sure each student has a vegetable, fruit, starch and entrée on their plate. If the student chooses the salad bar, they must have vegetables and a protein on the plate.
Once the students enter 7th grade, they are given a LOT more independence. Lunch for 7th-12th graders is entirely a la carte. In other words, students get to select whatever they want and vegetables are no longer forced upon them. Their menu options include vegetarian or meat hot entree, white rice, brown rice, hot vegetable, salad bar, soup, teri burgers, hot dogs, fresh fruit and snacks like health bars, cookies, and chips. Hot entrée prices cost $1.25 -$2.50 and salad bar prices are $2.50, $3.25 and $4.00, depending on which size plate is used. Marcia says that the confusion for your children may have arisen because, as 7th or 8th graders, they now have to ask for the hot vegetable (70 cents).
In addition to the regular cafeteria menu, 9th-12th graders have the added bonus of a deli bar and a baked potato bar. The school would like to add a deli bar and baked potato bar for the 7th-8th grades and they are currently working on some logistical obstacles.
Finally, the snack bar is an alternative to the cafeteria and a privilege reserved for the 7th-12th graders. Here, the kids pick up freshly made sandwiches, salads (chinese chicken, caesar, tossed, and pasta) yogurt parfaits, bagels, and snacks. The snack bar entree prices range from $1.30 up to $3.00.
You may not realize it, but the cafeteria is open to parents as well as students and faculty. The next time you're on campus, drop into the cafeteria to sample some of Marcia's and her staff's delicious, healthy food!
Question: When my child is absent, I can just email the homeroom teacher to let her know. That's good enough, right?
Answer: Um, actually, no. It's important for you to inform the appropriate school office by 8am whenever your child will be absent. Teachers are busy in the morning and not checking their email. Meanwhile, you will receive a call from school about your missing child if you don't call them first. So you can save everyone a lot of work by calling or emailing the appropriate school office:
Grades K - 5, Winne Office, Ph. 944-5790, winneattendance@punahou.edu
Grades 6 - 8, Case Middle School Office, Ph. 944-5713
Grades 9 - 12, Academy Office, Ph. 944-5814
The school asks that you inform them as soon as you know about an absence, but no later than the day of the absence. When leaving a message, please provide your name, your child's name, your child's grade and the reason for the absence.
You should refer to the Punahou School Handbook for more information if you're planning an extended absence, such as for travel.
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iChat seems to be on the minds of Punahou parents these days. We contacted Judy Beaver, Director of Instructional Technology, to get the skinny.
Question: My child seems to be spending a lot of time socializing with iChat. What exactly is "iChat" and why is it loaded onto the Punahou laptops?
Answer: iChat Av is part of the Apple OS X operating system and comes pre-loaded on all new Apple computers. This technology allows one to communicate instantly with others via text message, audio chat or video chat. The iChat tools support collaborative work and projects, as well as allow classrooms and teachers to connect with the global community. These tools have tremendous potential and we are currently exploring the educational possibilities.
Question: Last year, my 7th grader began using iChat to communicate with fellow students. During the school year one of the teachers asked her for her iChat ID name and commenced having school-related conversations with her and other students during non-school hours. Given the recent incidents that have been in the news, I have very mixed feelings about teachers chatting with students on the internet. I was wondering what Punahou's policies are regarding teacher/student internet interaction?
Answer: iChat is a fabulous communication tool that can be used to enhance and extend the classroom experience. A few of our teachers (in Case Middle School and the Academy) have used iChat to offer "virtual" office hours providing an opportunity for students to review for an assignment, or prepare for a test. Parents should expect that such teacher-student communications are purposeful, appropriate, and school-related, and teachers should be able to clearly articulate the "educational value."
Parents should monitor online communications, particularly if they do not personally know the individual, and there is no institutional oversight. The school monitors school-related interactions, but that is clearly different than anonymous online chats.
The beginning of the school year is an ideal time for parents to contact teachers and ask questions regarding technology and/or student safety issues. Parents are encouraged to contact Supervisors or Deans whenever they have concerns or wish to discuss an issue.
Question: My child iChats with friends while doing homework. Is there any way to manage my child's use of iChat?
Answer: While Apple's parental controls are capable of restricting iChat activity to restrict the hours of use and control who your child may chat with online, this is not available on Punahou-issued laptops. Parents should know that, even if it were, this may not be the solution to the problem because instant messaging is available through a number of web and cell phone solutions (Google Talk, for example). I strongly urge parents who are struggling with "management" issues to contact your Supervisor or Dean for guidance.
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Question: My child is in 5th grade and an average athlete. He loves sports, but he's not a star. With the talent level so high at Punahou, I'm worried that he will not get the rewarding experience of playing on a school sports team. Is there any hope?
Answer: The competitive sports program begins in the 7th grade at Punahou. 7th and 8th grade boys and girls may try out for "intermediate" level teams. At this level, Punahou teams play against those other ILH schools that choose to field intermediate teams, including Iolani, Mid-Pac, Pac 5 and Kamehameha.
Athletics Director Tom Holden is well aware of the challenges facing some of our student-athletes. "In some sports it may be difficult for average athletes to make the team. This is compounded by the fact that many students are involved in outside clubs like soccer, volleyball and basketball. As a result, many Punahou students trying out for ILH team sports come with excellent skills and experience in those sports, making it that much harder for the students who do not participate," he stated.
That's not to say that there is no hope. Punahou endeavors to make ILH athletics available to as many students as possible by offering a large variety of sports (26 different Varsity sports). Whenever possible, 2 teams compete at each level: Intermediate I/II, JV I/II and in Boys and Girls Basketball, Varsity I/II. Also, coaches are encouraged to maximize the number of athletes on the roster.
If you're still worried, you may feel comforted to learn that the school offers at least one sport every season where everyone can make the team. These are the so-called "no-cut sports":
Fall: Cross Country
Winter: Wrestling and Swimming
Spring: Judo and Track
Question: At team sports games and practices, I've witnessed the somewhat unsanitary use of the green squeeze water bottles, including touching of the mouthpiece with the players' dirty hands. What can the school do to increase the sanitation yet keep the players well hydrated? I have seen schools with a water cart that has narrow shooting hoses. Would it be possible to switch to this?
Answer: Maintaining hydration levels for all athletes during practice and games is a major goal of the Punahou Athletic Training Room staff. Dehydration can be a life-threatening situation and prevention is easily handled by ensuring the adequate availability of water. The Training staff currently distributes ice water to all teams using outdoor practice venues (except track) on a daily basis.
Water bottles are supplied to all teams. At the conclusion of practice, the team members are responsible for returning and washing all coolers and bottles to the Athletic Training Room. Teams practicing indoors fill their water bottles in the training room or use the water fountains at the gyms. The bottle lids are regularly sanitized in a Clorox-water solution and this has been effective in preventing contagious consequences.
Head Trainer Glenn Beach stated, "We have tried using the water-pumpers, but have had problems cleaning the transmission hoses, and with athletes sucking on the hoses. There are also problems of reliability."
Athletes and coaches are told not to place their mouths on the nozzles or to remove the lid to drink, but unfortunately this is difficult to monitor. You may be interested to learn that Punahou is moving to a new bottle design (available in late 2008) which has a one-way flow valve that does not require pulling on the nozzle to open it.
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Question: I've always been curious...how did Piper's Pali get its name?
Answer: For this answer, we turned to Steve Piper, recently retired Director of Physical Plant for Punahou.
Piper's Pali is named for my father, Leo F. Piper. My father came to Punahou after WWll in 1945. The job back at that time was Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds and, today, that job is Director of Physical Plant. I retired last year after 25 years of service to Punahou and the Physical Plant.
In the late 40's, my father built a road to connect the lower campus with the upper campus. Until that time, the only way to get around was to go out on Wilder and Punahou Streets to reach all areas of the campus.
The road was originally built out of dirt and gravel. Every time there was a big rain, the road would wash out and all the dirt from the lower part would run out onto Wilder Ave. "Johnny the tractor man" would come down from Manoa with his bulldozer and push the dirt back up the hill and re-grade the road. Johnny's real name was Johnny Wong, but as kids we would ride on his tractor so thus, "Johnny the tractor man". After many a wash-out, people laughed at my father for ever building the road and said it would never work. They started calling the road "Piper's Folly".
Around 1950, my father got the funds to build a proper road made of asphalt to withstand the weather of Manoa valley. Upon successful completion of the road, then-Punahou president Dr. John Fox, declared "Piper's Pali" as the official name for the road.
We lived and I grew up in the first house at the bottom of the hill, 77 Piper's Pali. My father passed away after 20 years on the job in 1965. The house is no longer there but the memories are fresh in my mind.
Editor's Note: Pali means steep hills or cliffs in Hawaiian.
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