Our classrooms
AcademicsMeaningful Opportunities
Our Personal Best
Our students are known and loved by all. Our teachers inspire students to be motivated, collaborative, and inquisitive. Each child’s education is designed through a concerted effort between students, family, and educators to ensure developmentally appropriate growth. An HNS student is confident, self-directed, and engaged. Each day our students are challenged, involved, and personally successful.
Curriculum
Classrooms
It is a fact that not all children learn in the same way. The phrase “one-size-fits-all” does not apply to education. Our curriculum is designed to assess, set goals, facilitate, and inspire students to learn, dig deep, and communicate their understanding.
Keiki 3s
Play is the “work” of the young child! In Keiki 3’s children take important first steps toward discovering who they are and how they fit in their world, while “playing”.
Staci Overton-Tune
Lead Teacher
Staci Overton–Tune moved to Hawaii after earning degrees in early childhood education, elementary education, and an endorsement in special education from the University of Northern Iowa. Staci began teaching at HNS in 2006 as the lead prekindergarten teacher. After a brief return to the mainland in 2011, Staci returned to the little school in the valley in 2013 as the lead fifth grade teacher and received the Hawaii Association of Independent School’s Teacher-of-the-Future award in 2017. Staci is thrilled to move back to our youngest learners in Keiki 3s.
Nancy Greenberg
Educational Assistant
As an honor graduate in Family Consumer Science and over twenty years of management and administration experience, Nancy Greenberg now brings her love of early education back to her hometown.
Pre-Kindergarten
It is our mission to provide a safe place where children are free to explore, take risks, make mistakes and grow. We aim to foster independence while nurturing passions and supporting their creativity.
Renee Eveland
Lead Teacher
Renee Eveland has been part of the Holy Nativity School family since 2006. Born and raised in Hawai‘i Kai, she is an alumni of Kaiser High School.
Lehua Alo Williams
Educational Assistant
Kindergarten
We respect Holy Nativity’s embodiment of “Character, Heart, and Excellence” and greatly appreciate the understanding of the various dimensions of growth and development for each student.
Petey Kaneshiro
Lead Teacher
Destaney Peters
Educational Assistant
Destaney has a Masters Degree in Education with a concentration in School Counseling. This is her 5th year in education and 4th year as a teacher.
1st Grade
First graders at Holy Nativity School learn to be kind and considerate members of their community, while also embracing the many opportunities to explore, inquire, and develop their individual passions.
Jenna Kieburtz
Co-Lead Teacher
Jana Takemura
Educational Assistant
Jana Takemura joined Holy Nativity School in 2016 as an Educational Specialist. For nine years prior, Jana had taught elementary grades at various Honolulu schools.
2nd Grade
At HNS we strive to be good company for the right journey. The journey is different at every age. The journey is unique for each and every student.
Dr. Kirtland Peterson
Lead Teacher
Erin Zitz
Educational Assistant
Erin Zitz has been part of the HNS community since 2010. She has served as a parent volunteer, PTO officer, altar guild member and is the education specialist in 2nd Grade.
3rd Grade
The third grade program encourages students to demonstrate the joy of learning and appreciate that learning is a life-long pursuit in striving to do one’s “personal best.” Time management, self-assessment and goal setting are key components of the third grade curriculum
Dara Torres
Lead Teacher
Britne Terrell
Educational Assistant
Britne was born and raised in Tennessee. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in early childhood
education as well as an Associate of Art degree in social work.
4th Grade
In 4th grade we get to see these young boys and girls maturing into students who take more ownership for their education, start to ask inquisitive questions and take more responsible risks in class.
Alan Ching
Lead Teacher
Alan Ching has been teaching fourth grade at Holy Nativity School since 1996. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Redlands, from where he graduated in 1992.
Liz Cunningham
Educational Assistant
Liz Cunningham has been part of the Holy Nativity School family for a major portion of her life. She is a graduate of HNS and has worked as a teacher here since 1989.
5th Grade
Providing students with the skills and tools to make their dreams come true is our passion.
Eileen Keane
Lead Teacher
Mrs. Keane has a BA in Liberal Studies, and graduate studies in both Organizational Management and Secondary English Education. She has been a teacher on Oahu for 9 years, and has experience teaching elementary grades, middle school and high school. Eileen has also worked in community colleges and universities so she has insight which helps her to meet her students where they are and help them plot a path towards successfully reaching their long-term educational goals.
Sakiko Sugihara
Educational Assistant
Sakiko Sugihara has started her career at HNS as a counseling intern in 2016 and also started to teach Japanese for upper grades in 2018. She loves to help students succeed, both academically and interpersonally.
6th, 7th and 8th Grade
It is rewarding to see students take ownership of their own education through personalized learning. We believe that this unique form of learning will allow students to reach their potential.
Jordan Gibson
Lead Teacher
Jordan is the Lead Teacher and Athletic Director. He graduated from Yale with a BA in Political Science and Columbia University Teachers College with an MA in Anthropology and Education. At Yale, he was on the Men’s Varsity Basketball team for four years.
Special Programs
Music
The process of art and joy of creative exploration are promoted as the primary learning experience beyond any preconceived expectation of the final production. In Music, students explore new instruments, experiment with rhythm and pitch, and culminate their experience with the spectacular Lei Day at HNS!