DAVID Y IGE DR.

CHRISTINA KISHIMOTO
GOVERNOR SUPERINTENDENT

STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
BENJAMIN PARKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
45-259 Waikalua Road
Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744

October 26, 2020

Parents and Guardians,
We hope that you and your families are safe and healthy. As we are already in quarter 2 of the 2020 – 2021 school year, we
are planning to transition students back to in person, on campus learning as allowed according to the metrics provided by
the Hawaii Department of Health in the Hawaii Department of Health Guidance for Schools. At our Parent Teacher
Conferences (PTC), teachers will be asking for your input on the following questions:
 As we transition back to in person, on campus instruction, are you planning on sending your child(ren) back during
the 2nd quarter?
 IF NO, to the above question – Are you planning to send your child(ren) back to school in the 3rd quarter/2nd
semester (January 2021)?
 IF you are NOT sending your child back, who will be assisting with their distance learning?
 How would slowly transitioning, (i.e. half days, or every other day or a combination) students back affect your
schedule as a family?
 For 100% Distance Learning Families (on Acellus) ONLY – Do you plan to continue with 100% Distance Learning
in the 2nd semester (until the end of the school year)?
 If students ARE returning to campus, do they plan on eating school breakfast on campus?
Our current plan is to return students to school incrementally over the course of five weeks, starting on Monday, November
9, 2020. The last day for the on campus Learning Hub will be on Friday, November 6, 2020.
DATES TRANSITION OF STUDENTS BACK TO CAMPUS
Monday, 11.9.20  Students in the Learning Hub will transition to in class with their respective teachers, 8:00AM – 11:00AM
 Vulnerable student will continue to attend with their respective teachers
Monday, 11.16.20  Grades K & 1 Students will return to school
o Plan A – Half days* *& ** Full Day/Half Day TBD
o Plan B – Full days*
Monday, 11.23.20  Grade 2 Students will return to school
o Plan A – Half days* *& ** Full Day/Half Day TBD
o Plan B – Full days*
 Grades K & 1 Students will continue to attend school FULL DAY**
 Vulnerable student will continue to attend with their respective teachers
Monday, 11.30.20  Grades 3 & 5 Students will return to school
o Plan A – Half days* *& ** Full Day/Half Day TBD
o Plan B – Full days*
 Grades K, 1, & 2 Students will continue to attend daily for a FULL DAY**
 Vulnerable student will continue to attend with their respective teachers
Monday, 12.7.20  Grades 4 & 6 Students will return to school *& ** Full Day/Half Day TBD
o Plan A – Half days*
o Plan B – Full days*
 Grades K, 1, 2, 3, & 5 Students will continue to attend daily for a FULL DAY**
 Vulnerable student will continue to attend with their respective teachers
Monday, 12.14.20  ALL Students Grades PK – 6 on campus DAILY
* & ** Depending on input from Parents/Guardians
Continuous Notice of Non-Discrimination
The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) and its schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, color, national origin,
religion, or disability in its programs and activities. Please direct inquiries regarding HIDOE nondiscrimination policies as follows:
ADA/Section 504 inquiries: Title VI. Title IX, and other inquiries:
Krysti Sukita, ADA/504 Specialist Civil Rights Compliance Office Anne Marie Puglisi, Director Civil Rights Compliance Office Hawaii
Hawaii State Department of Education P.O. Box 2360 Honolulu, State Department of Education P.O. Box 2360 Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii 96804 (808) 586-3322 or relay crco@notes.k12.hi.us 96804 (808) 586-3322 or relay crco@notes.kl2.hi.us
AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Once we receive Parent/Guardian input during our Parent Teacher Conferences, we will finalize a schedule and it will be
posted on our website. Also some reminders as we transition students back to on campus, in person learning:
Student Drop-Off and Pick-Up
*Please note that this is the schedule for when all students return to school. If your child is scheduled to come to school on
the transition start date for their respective grade level (see table on the first page of this letter), please drop them off (and
pick them up) at the previously determined designated area.
Student drop-off and pick-up locations are assigned as follows:
Preschool – A Building Parking lot
K - Grade 2 and Families with multiple students – Drive through in front of the Office Building
Grades 3 – 6 – D Building parking lot.
If students will be eating school breakfast on campus, drop off by 7:30AM and if they are not, drop off by 8:00AM.
Parents/Guardians and other family members who DO NOT attend Ben Parker Elementary School will not be
allowed to get out of their vehicles. We will have staff on hand to assist students to their classrooms or designated
waiting areas before school. After school pick-up will be in the same location as drop off.
Health and Safety
Social Distancing:
To keep to social distancing guidelines, the following will be in place:
 Students will be dropped off at designated drop-off areas.
 To limit the amount of visitors on campus, parents will not be allowed to eat meals with their children or walk them
to classrooms.
 All classrooms and the cafeteria will be set up to follow distancing guidelines.
 Student supplies, manipulatives, etc. will be individualized per student.
Face Masks:
Everyone on campus is required to wear a face mask at all times, both in and out of the classroom. This includes all
personnel, staff, students, and visitors. Classroom teachers will create procedures to allow for “mask breaks” throughout the
day and as needed that adhere to physical distance guidelines.
Breakfast and Lunch Meals & Grab-N-Go Meals
Reminder that all breakfast and lunch meals at Ben Parker Elementary School will be free for students until December 18,
2020. We will continue to have Grab-N-Go for those students who are not attending in person, on campus, the time of
service will change from 11:15AM – 12:15PM to 12:30PM – 1:00PM on Monday, November 16, 2020.
STAY CONNECTED:
 For the most recent updates from the Hawaii Department of Education including COVID-19 updates, please visit
the HIDOE website at: www.hawaiipublicschools.org
 For updates from Ben Parker Elementary, please visit our website at http://benjaminparkerschool.weebly.com/
 Follow us on
o Instagram (@benparkerelem)
o Facebook https://www.facebook.com/benparkerelem
 Emails and text messages are sent to families and staff via School Messenger. Please call our office at 307-1100
to update your contact information with us to ensure that you are receiving these messages.
Mahalo a nui loa to all of you. We appreciate all that you are doing to keep you and your families healthy and safe. In these
upcoming months may we work together as one ‘ohana—Giving Hope, Acting with Kindness and Working toward
Togetherness—as we strive to do what is best for all our students.
Keep safe and take care,

Elissa Johnson
Kathy Kahikina Elissa Johnson
Principal Vice Principal