{"id":14020,"date":"2025-05-21T08:29:39","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T18:29:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/?p=14020"},"modified":"2025-10-09T09:54:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T19:54:11","slug":"2025-staff-spotlight-phyllis-nakama-kawamoto-executive-office-on-early-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/2025-staff-spotlight-phyllis-nakama-kawamoto-executive-office-on-early-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Ka Manawa o na limahana: Phyllis Nakama-Kawamoto"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Phyllis<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Phyllis Nakama-Kawamoto<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Po\u02bbo inoa: <\/strong>Ke a\u02bbo mua Kumu Ke\u02bbena Moku\u02bb\u0101ina
Paena hana: <\/strong>Keena ho\u02bbok\u014d ma ke ke\u02bbena ho\u02bbona\u02bbauao mua ma ke kula ha\u02bbaha\u02bba o Kuhio
N\u0101 makahiki ma HIDOE: <\/strong>40 makahiki
N\u0101 makahiki ma ke k\u016blana: <\/strong>10 makahiki<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

N: E wehewehe p\u014dkole i k\u0101u ala \u02bboihana.
<\/strong>A: <\/strong>P\u014dmaika\u02bbi loa wau i ko\u02bbu ho\u02bbolimalima \u02bbia \u02bbana ma ke \u02bbano he kumu kula kindergarten ma hope o ko\u02bbu puka \u02bbana mai ke Kulanui o Hawai\u02bbi ma M\u0101noa. \u02bbO ko\u02bbu k\u016blana a\u02bbo mua ma Kula Ha\u02bbaha\u02bba o N\u0101n\u0101kuli<\/strong>. Ua hau\u02bboli wau i ko\u02bbu mau makahiki 10 ma laila. He \u02bbolu\u02bbolu a ho\u02bbokipa n\u0101 keiki a me ko l\u0101kou \u02bbohana! A laila ne\u02bbe au i Mililani Mauka Elementary<\/strong> e a\u02bbo ana i ke kula kindergarten no \u02bbewalu makahiki. I ko\u02bbu w\u0101 ma Mililani Mauka, ua ho\u02bbohuli au i ko\u02bbu ikaika e a\u02bbo hou aku e pili ana i ke a\u02bbo \u02bbana i ka makemakika i n\u0101 keiki li\u02bbili\u02bbi. I k\u0113ia manawa, \u02bbo wau ka makana Pelekikena 2001 o ka Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching awardee. He hanohano nui k\u0113l\u0101 a ua ho\u02bbok\u016bpa\u02bba maoli k\u0113ia i ko\u02bbu k\u016bpa\u02bba i ke k\u0101ko\u02bbo \u02bbana i n\u0101 \u02bbike makemakika maika\u02bbi no n\u0101 keiki \u02bb\u014dpio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I ka makahiki 2004, ua loa\u02bba ia\u02bbu kahi manawa e komo ai i n\u0101 limahana e wehe ana i kahi kula hou i kapa \u02bbia Mililani 'Ike Elementary<\/strong>. He manawa ho\u02bbohau\u02bboli a pa\u02bbakik\u012b k\u0113l\u0101 i ko\u02bbu ho\u02bbomaka \u02bbana i ko\u02bbu k\u016blana kula kamali\u02bbi hou e a\u02bbo ana ma ka p\u0101 kula \u02bbo Mililani Mauka. Ma muli o ka pau \u02bbole o ka p\u0101 kula hou, ua ho\u02bbohana m\u0101kou i ka semester mua e ka\u02bbana like ana me Mililani Mauka. E no\u02bbono\u02bbo \u02bboe i loko o kahi pahu pa\u02bba p\u0101lua me \u02bbelua mau kumu kula kindergarten, 20+ mau keiki no k\u0113l\u0101 me k\u0113ia o m\u0101kou, \u02bba\u02bbohe \u02bb\u0101pana a \u02bba\u02bbohe lumi \u02bbau\u02bbau kokoke. In\u0101 pono wau e hana hou, e hana wau! Ua a\u02bbo wau pehea e ma\u02bbalahi, k\u016bpa\u02bba a \u02bbike i n\u0101 "anuenue" i k\u0113l\u0101 me k\u0113ia k\u016blana. \u02bbO Mililani \u02bbIke he kula looping a he hana hou k\u0113ia ia\u02bbu a hau\u02bboli loa wau. Ua h\u0101\u02bbawi ia\u02bbu e k\u016bkulu a ho\u02bbomohala i n\u0101 pilina mau me ka\u02bbu mau haum\u0101na a me n\u0101 \u02bbohana. Ma hope o \u02bbeono makahiki i loko o ka lumi papa, ua ha\u02bbalele au i waho o ka lumi papa a lilo au i mea ho\u02bboponopono ha\u02bbawina no ke kula. I k\u0113ia manawa ua ho\u02bbi au i ke kula no ka loa\u02bba \u02bbana o ko\u02bbu k\u0113kel\u0113 laepua ma ka ho\u02bbona\u02bbauao \u02bbana mai ke Kulanui o Hawai\u02bbi ma M\u0101noa a lilo n\u014d ho\u02bbi au i kumu i h\u014d\u02bboia \u02bbia e ka Papa Lahui.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I ka makahiki 2014, ua noi \u02bbia au e komo i kahi ke\u02bbena hou i kapa \u02bbia \u02bbo The Executive Office on Early Learning. Ua hau\u02bboli loa wau i ka noi \u02bbia \u02bbana e noi ak\u0101 ua hau\u02bboli nui wau i ka hiki \u02bbana mai o kahi hana \u02bb\u014dpio. \u02bbO ka wikiwiki i mua 10 mau makahiki, aia wau me ke ke\u02bbena ma ke \u02bbano he kumu a\u02bboa\u02bbo. Ua ha\u02bbalele au no \u02bbeono mahina e k\u0101ko\u02bbo i ke Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design ma ke \u02bbano he kumu kula moku\u02bb\u0101ina ha\u02bbaha\u02bba. Laki loa wau i ke k\u0101ko\u02bbo \u02bbana i ka\u02bbu mau makemake \u02bbelua o ka ho\u02bbona\u02bbauao kamali\u02bbi a me ka makemakika. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


N: Pehea \u02bboe i komo ai i k\u0113ia kuleana?
<\/strong>A:<\/strong> Ua komo au i k\u0113ia \u02bboihana no ka mea ua hau\u02bboli wau i ka hana \u02bbana me n\u0101 keiki, \u02bboi aku ka nui o n\u0101 keiki \u02bb\u014dpio. \u02bbO kekahi o ka\u02bbu mau hana mua \u02bbo ka m\u0101lama keiki a laila alaka\u02bbi au i ka Summer Fun i ko\u02bbu mau makahiki kula ki\u02bbeki\u02bbe. He kumu kula ha\u02bbaha\u02bba ko\u02bbu makuahine a no laila ke mana\u02bbo nei au hiki i\u0101 \u02bboe ke \u02bb\u014dlelo ua ho\u02bbopuni \u02bbia au e n\u0101 kumu a\u02bbo i ko\u02bbu ola a pau. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


Q: He aha k\u0101u mau hana mua?
<\/strong>A: <\/strong>\u02bbO ka\u02bbu mau hana mua ma ke \u02bbano he kumu a\u02bboa\u02bbo a me ke kumu a\u02bboa\u02bbo e pili ana i ka h\u0101\u02bbawi \u02bbana i ke k\u0101ko\u02bbo, alaka\u02bbi a me ka ho\u02bbomohala \u02bboihana i n\u0101 kumu a\u02bbo kamali\u02bbi. \u02bbO ka mea nui i ko\u02bbu k\u016blana \u02bbo ke k\u016bkulu \u02bbana a me ka m\u0101lama \u02bbana i ka pilina hilina\u02bbi me n\u0101 kumu a me n\u0101 mea k\u014dkua ho\u02bbona\u02bbauao. He mea pa\u02bbakik\u012b ke ho\u02bbololi i k\u0101u hana a\u02bbo in\u0101 \u02bba\u02bbole \u02bboe hilina\u02bbi i ke kumu a\u02bboa\u02bbo. No laila, pono e lawe i ka manawa e \u02bbike ai i ke kumu a me ke k\u014dkua ho\u02bbona\u02bbauao a ho\u02bbolohe i ko l\u0101kou hopohopo a me n\u0101 pilikia a me ka h\u014d\u02bbike \u02bbana i ko l\u0101kou ikaika a me ka hiki. He mea nui ka ho\u02bboulu \u02bbana a me ka ho\u02bboikaika \u02bbana i ke kama\u02bbilio \u0101kea, ka lawe \u02bbana i ka pilikia a me ka ulu \u02bbana o ka \u02bboihana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u02bbO kekahi o ka\u02bbu mau hana, \u02bbo ia ka h\u0101\u02bbawi \u02bbana i ka papahana a\u02bbo a me ke k\u0101ko\u02bbo a\u02bbo \u02bbana i loko o ke kahua o ka Developmentally Appropriate Practice. Hiki ia\u02bbu ke k\u014dkua i ka ho\u02bbol\u0101l\u0101 papahana, ka ho\u02bbok\u014d a me ka loiloi. Ka\u02bbana like a ho\u02bboh\u0101like au i n\u0101 ho\u02bbol\u0101l\u0101 no ka ho\u02bbopili \u02bbana i n\u0101 keiki i n\u0101 pilina ko\u02bbiko\u02bbi e k\u0101ko\u02bbo ana i ka ulu \u02bbana o n\u0101 keiki ma n\u0101 wahi \u0101pau o ka ulu \u02bbana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

H\u0101\u02bbawi p\u016b wau i n\u0101 manawa ho\u02bbomohala \u02bboihana ma o n\u0101 hui Kai\u0101ulu Ho\u02bbona\u02bbauao \u02bbOihana. \u02bbO k\u0113ia manawa e hiki ai i n\u0101 kumu ke hui li\u02bbili\u02bbi a hiki ke a\u02bbo p\u016b kekahi me kekahi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


N\u012bnau: \u02bbO ka m\u0101hele punahele e pili ana i ka hana?
<\/strong>A:<\/strong> \u02bbO ka\u02bbu \u02bb\u0101pana punahele o ka hana \u02bbo ia me n\u0101 kumu a me n\u0101 keiki i loko o n\u0101 lumi papa. \u02bbO ka noho \u02bbana i loko o ka lumi papa e hiki ai ia\u02bbu ke komo i loko o ka hustle and bustle o kahi l\u0101 kula. Le\u02bbale\u02bba wau i ka \u02bbike \u02bbana i n\u0101 helehelena o n\u0101 keiki e \u02bb\u0101lohilohi ana no ka mea \u02bba\u02bbole i ho\u02bbohiolo \u02bbia k\u0101 l\u0101kou papa hana a i \u02bbole ka hau\u02bboli o ka \u02bbike \u02bbana i ka mea e hiki mai ana ke hui \u02bboe i ka pena melemele a me ka pena \u02bbula\u02bbula. \u02bbO ia n\u0101 "mo\u02bbolelo kamali\u02bbi" a\u02bbu e waiho ai i loko o ka\u02bbu pahu ho\u02bbomana\u02bbo. Ua piha au i ka hau\u02bboli ke \u02bbike au i n\u0101 kumu e ho\u02bb\u0101\u02bbo ana i n\u0101 mana\u02bbo hou a l\u0101kou i a\u02bbo mai ai mai ko m\u0101kou mau l\u0101 kaiaulu a\u02bbo \u02bboihana. Pono ka wiwo \u02bbole e ho\u02bb\u0101\u02bbo i n\u0101 mea hou a makemake e no\u02bbono\u02bbo i k\u0113l\u0101 a\u02bbo hou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


N\u012bnau: \u02bbO ka hapa nui loa e pili ana i k\u0101u k\u016blana?
<\/strong>A:<\/strong> \u02bbO kekahi pa\u02bbakik\u012b o k\u0113ia k\u016blana, \u02bbo ia ma ke kahua mokulele i ka hola 4:30 am no ka hopu \u02bbana i ka lele mua ma waho o Honolulu. \u02bbO ka hana \u02bbana i k\u0113l\u0101 \u02bbelua a \u02bbekolu mau l\u0101 i ka l\u0101lani hiki ke luhi loa. \u02bbO kekahi pa\u02bbakik\u012b hou e ho\u02bb\u0101\u02bbo nei e kipa mau i k\u0113l\u0101 me k\u0113ia kumu me ka n\u0101n\u0101 \u02bbole i ka l\u014d\u02bbihi o ko l\u0101kou noho \u02bbana i k\u0101 m\u0101kou papahana. I kekahi manawa, mana\u02bbo m\u0101kou no ka mea \u201cua m\u0101kaukau\u201d ke kumu, \u02bba\u02bbole pono l\u0101kou i ke k\u0101ko\u02bbo nui. Pono n\u0101 kumu a pau me ka nui o n\u0101 makahiki a l\u0101kou i a\u02bbo ai i ke k\u0101ko\u02bbo a\u02bbo. Ma ke \u02bbano he kumu kula kahiko, pono wau e kama\u02bbilio no\u02bbono\u02bbo me kekahi hoa hana. I kekahi manawa hiki ke ka\u02bbawale ka noho \u02bbana i loko o ka lumi papa a \u02bba\u02bbole pono. Pono k\u0101kou a pau e kama\u02bbilio collegial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


N\u012bnau: He aha k\u0101u \u02bb\u014dlelo a\u02bbo no ka po\u02bbe e no\u02bbono\u02bbo nei i k\u0113ia k\u016blana?
<\/strong>A:<\/strong> Pono \u02bboe e ma\u02bbalahi, ho\u02bbomanawanui a loa\u02bba ke \u02bbano ho\u02bboha\u02bbaha\u02bba ma k\u0113ia k\u016blana. Aia kekahi mau l\u0101 e pono ai e pivot a pono \u02bboe e ho\u02bbololi i k\u0101u kama\u02bbilio a\u02bbo \u02bbana. Pono ke ahonui ma muli o ke k\u0101ko\u02bbo \u02bbana i ka ho\u02bbololi \u02bbana i n\u0101 hana a\u02bboa\u02bbo a kekahi. A ke h\u0101\u02bbule n\u0101 mea \u02bb\u0113 a\u02bbe, e \u02bbimi i kahi mea e \u02bbaka\u02bbaka ai a n\u0101n\u0101 i n\u0101 manawa hau\u02bboli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


N\u012bnau: Pehea k\u0101u kuleana e k\u0101ko\u02bbo ai i ka holomua haum\u0101na?
<\/strong>A: <\/strong>K\u0101ko\u02bbo ka\u02bbu hana i n\u0101 haum\u0101na ma ke k\u0101ko\u02bbo \u02bbana i n\u0101 kumu e ho\u02bbomaika\u02bbi i k\u0101 l\u0101kou mau hana lumi papa. Ma o ke a\u02bbo kanaka a me n\u0101 kama\u02bbilio no\u02bbono\u02bbo \u02bbana, hiki i n\u0101 kumu ke no\u02bbono\u02bbo i k\u0101 l\u0101kou mau hana a hana i n\u0101 \u02bbanu\u02bbu a\u02bbe e ho\u02bbolako i kahi \u02bbano ho\u02bbona\u02bbauao maika\u02bbi kahi e ulu ai n\u0101 keiki a pau me ka n\u0101n\u0101 \u02bbole i ko l\u0101kou k\u016blana a i \u02bbole ko l\u0101kou hiki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Phyllis Nakama-Kawamoto Title: Early Learning State Office TeacherJob site: Executive Office on Early Learning office at Kuhio Elementary SchoolYears in the HIDOE: 40 yearsYears in the position: 10 years Q: Briefly describe your career path.A: I was extremely fortunate to have been hired as a kindergarten teacher after graduating from the University of Hawai\u2018i at M\u0101noa. My first teaching position […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","wp_popup_display_lightbox":0,"wp_popup_suppress":"","wp_popup_trigger":"","wp_popup_trigger_amount":0,"wp_popup_disable_on_mobile":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hoohaaheo","category-staff-spotlight"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":22,"label":"Ho\u2018oha\u2018aheo"},{"value":58,"label":"Staff Spotlight"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"Kim Yuen","author_link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/author\/kimberly-yuenk12-hi-us\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":22,"name":"Ho\u2018oha\u2018aheo","slug":"hoohaaheo","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":22,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":77,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":22,"category_count":77,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Ho\u2018oha\u2018aheo","category_nicename":"hoohaaheo","category_parent":0},{"term_id":58,"name":"Staff Spotlight","slug":"staff-spotlight","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":58,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":22,"count":30,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":58,"category_count":30,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Staff Spotlight","category_nicename":"staff-spotlight","category_parent":22}],"tag_info":false,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-20 10:54:02","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"post_status","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14020\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}