School Directory

Since moving to Kona six years ago Sue has been very involved in the arts community. She started the award winning Performing Arts at Innovations Public Charter School where she introduced their FAME (Fine Arts Mentorship Experience) program which most recently produced "The Music Man Jr" at the Aloha Theatre. In the community she works with the Kona Music Society co-directing the Youth Chorus as well as preparing West Hawaii vocal students for All State Honor Choir. You've also likely seen Sue on the stage or her work behind the scenes with the Aloha Performing Arts Company. Most recently Sue directed "Alice in Wonderland, Jr.". Sue is very excited to share her knowledge and passion for the arts with the students of Hualalai Academy. She will be working closely with the elementary teachers and plans to incorporate their units of study into song, dance and drama for deeper meaning and to help her students see how everything is connected. In addition she'll work along with Holly Baker developing a theatre program for the middle and high school students culminating in a main stage show!

Allyson has been involved with art her entire life. Attending a high school with a great art program, Allyson studied graphic design and earned a scholarship to study art at Colorado State University. Upon graduation, an internship led to a twenty year career in commercial interior design. The Durkin's relo cated to the Big Island in 2006, after many years of traveling to Hawai`i for her husband Gregg's work. Enjoying motherhood and volunteering in her children's classrooms as the "craft" lady, Allyson looks forward to now teaching her passion, art, at Hualalai Academy. Allyson's daughter Erin is in the fourth grade and Megan, second grade. Allyson is also on the board of the Holualoa Foundation of Arts & Culture.

Tina earned her B.A. in Humanities from New College of Cali- fornia, teaching credential in Elementary Education from San Francisco State University, and an M.Ed. in Curriculum Studies from the University of Montana. She began teaching elemen- tary grades in San Francisco public schools and most recently taught in a K-8 classroom in rural Montana. Her teaching interests include student-driven, experiential, inquiry-based, and hands-on learning opportunities and the practice of place- based education using the local environment and culture for interdisciplinary studies. Tina's experiences have included long-term volunteer work with a women's economic development project in West Africa, and an orphanage in Honduras. Outside the classroom, Tina enjoys outrigger canoe paddling and tending her vegetable garden and small flock of chickens. She is thrilled to be joining the faculty of HA and looks forward to contributing her skills and expertise, as well as learning and improving her own teaching practice.

Donna has lived on both the East and West coast of the USA, but has resided on the Big Island since 1984. She is both a teacher and a professional biologist. Donna has accumulated over 13 years of diverse teaching experience including classroom teaching, home school, and field classes both on and in the ocean. She also has over 11 years of experience as an aquaculture biologist. Donna has a B.A in Experimental Psychology from the Univ. of Calif. at San Diego and a Masters of Science in Zoology form the Univ. of Rhode Island. She is an avid swimmer, SCUBA diver, outrigger canoe paddler and photographer.

Sarah graduated cum laude from the University of California, Irvine. She also has a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from U.C. Irvine and is in the process of acquiring her Masters of Arts in Teaching. She has experience teaching at the First Grade level and taught most recently at the Edison McNair Academy in Palo Alto, California.

John was born in Portland, Oregon and raised in California. He received his BA in History from Baylor University and completed a Master of Education degree at Portland State University.  He is credentialed to teach Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Social Studies.  John has taught high school math and science for the past 17 years, including three years at Mont Kiara International School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Kate has her B.A. in English from Dartmouth College and her EdM. from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has been an independent school teacher and administrator for over 20 years in Hawaii, California, Alaska and Nevada, including three years at HPA from 1986-1989. Her most recent posts before coming to Haualalai Academy have been as the Head of Middle School at the Alexander Dawson School in Las Vegas, and Head of School at Pacific Northern Academy in Anchorage, Alaska.

Jennifer joins Hualalai Academy as their Second Grade Teacher. Jennifer graduated from California State University with a multiple subject teaching credential. She has recently been teaching at Sierra Vista Elementary School in Southern California where she taught 1st, 3rd, and 6th grades. Jennifer was the lead teacher in professional development in the areas of math, technology, and a special teaching strategy called GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Development). She was also chosen as the only teacher at her school to receive the "Classroom of the Future," title, with her technology based classroom. During the summer, Jennifer worked at a hands on, science based summer camp where she learned innovative new science ideas to bring into her classroom.

Being chosen as a teacher at Hualalai Academy is an honor for Jennifer. She is ecstatic about sharing her excitement and passion for learning with her students.

Pat has been a professional educator for over 30 years in Washington and Hawaii. She received her B.A and Masters from the University of Washington. She earned her Administrative Credentials from Western Washington University. Pat has an extensive technology background and was an Apple Classroom of Tomorrow educator. She also collaborated on and received a TLCF Grant and a SmartBoard Grant. She moved to Kona with her family in 1997. Pat designed the original Hualalai Academy web sites, is our webmaster, and was in charge of the creation of our new Hualalai Academy web site.

Dan is originally from Cleveland, Ohio with a life credential in Elementary Education from S.F. State University. Dan received his B.A. from the College of Wooster, Ohio. He has over thirty-three years of teaching experience, fifteen of them on the Big Island. He was an Apple Classroom of Tomorrow teacher. Dan is one of our resident computer and high tech specialists. He teaches the Hawaiian Studies Program to third graders, and is in charge of the school garden. His interests are reading, baseball, nature and reading about baseball and nature.

Marc received his B. A. in Fine Arts from the University of Colorado, Boulder and his EdM from the University of Phoenix. He has worked at Hualalai Academy since 2002, first as the Second Grade Teacher and then moving into administration as Dean of Instruction in 2005. He has many interests that he brings to his teaching and administrative responsibilities including the arts, swimming, cooking, and, most recently, robotics. Both of his daughters are alumni of Hualalai Academy.

Elizabeth Sharma is a graduate of Northern Arizona University. She has a degree in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood Endorsement from the state of Arizona. She likes to emphasize hands-on learning while also incorporating traditional aspects of education. Recently she was awarded a 2007 Financial Literacy Grant from ING Direct for her work with teaching children about money and accounting.

PROFILE COMING SOON

Eric taught math for over twenty-five years for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. He received his A.A. degree from Brigham Young University and his B.A. from S.F. State University and a California Life Credential in Education. He has had a home in Kona for years and is originally from Apia, Western Samoa and is married with three children.

Bonnie is originally from San Diego, California. She attended El Camino Junior College and has taken courses in education with the University of California, Berkeley, overseas extension program and the University of Hilo Community College. She is currently a full time student with The University of Ashford. Bonnie has been working for Hualalai Academy for eight years. She teaches physical education, health, and human anatomy. She is also the Director of the After-School Program.

Rick received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley and his B.A. from the University of Iowa. He has been actively involved with Hualalai Academy for 10 years, as a parent of a 9th grader that started in Kindergarten and as a past President of the Board of Directors.

Nastia graduated with a BA in Sociology from the University of Nanterre in Paris, France. She has been teaching French and Spanish since 1993 on the mainland and the Big Island.

Matt is an experienced, certified teacher from California, where he taught at Edison McNair Academy in East Palo Alto since 2001. From 2001-2007, he taught in a self-contained fifth grade classroom. In 2007-2008 he was the lead teacher on a sixth grade team. Matt has been a long-time member of the Hualalai Ohana - he is the son of Founding Head of School Felicity Johnson. In fact, he started his educational career at Hualalai Academy in 1994 as a math and PE teacher. He also coaches competitive soccer.

Scott received his B.A. in English & Psychology from California Lutheran University and then earned a CLAD teaching credential for 6-12 grades. He taught middle school in southern California.

Steve will be doing our gardening and recycle programs.

Adrienne is originally from Oxford, Ohio. She holds a BA in Political Science and a MAT in Secondary Social Studies Education from Miami University. Adrienne has lived in Luxembourg and Australia. She loves to travel and spend time with her family in Ohio, Canada, Wisconsin and Hawai

Kati earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in Global Studies with minors in Spanish and Foreign Studies.  She developed her Spanish and gained intercultural experiences from living and traveling abroad.  She hopes to encourage students to explore and develop a cultural awareness through learning Spanish.  Kati has lived on the Big Island since May 2009.  Her interests include volleyball, waterskiing, Dixieland Jazz, traveling and traditional sailing.

Drew attended The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA and received a B.A. in English. He graduated in 2007 with Honors on the Academic Dean's List. While at William and Mary, Drew also studied at The Jones School of Education where he received his Teaching Certification with Advanced Standing. He has previously taught High School English Advanced Placement and General Studies courses in Gloucester, VA, and Honors and College Prep courses in Toms River, New Jersey.

In Hawaii, Drew worked for 2 years with "at-risk" youth and helped counsel them with their behavioral, emotional, or psychological problems. He is very excited to be working at Hualalai Academy. When he isn't teaching, you will most likely find him in the ocean.