Inquiring Minds are Asking:
Who is our teacher, Mrs. Araki?
I was born in Blytheville, Arkansas on August 8th. My father was in the Air Force, but unlike many military families, we only moved three times, first to New Mexico, then to Alabama, and finally to Hawaii. I have an older sister and younger brother. It was during my junior year at Aiea High School that I knew I wanted to pursue education. Upon graduation, I attended the University of Hawaii and University of Northern Colorado, earning my Bachelor of Elementary Education degree. I was privileged to spend my first three years as a fourth grade teacher at Iroquois Point Elementary in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. I transferred to Waimalu Elementary in 1989, where I taught the sixth grade. In 1991, I moved to Pearl Harbor Elementary and had the opportunity to work in both the Kindergarten and Second grade levels. In between, I thoroughly enjoyed teaching pre-algebra, and guidance and counseling classes at my alma mater. In 1994, I was invited to teach at a private school in Tucson, Arizona. During my time in the desert, I had the privilege of working with both fourth and sixth graders. As much as I grew to love Arizona, in 1997 I accepted an offer to relocate to Jacksonville, Florida to help start a private school called Providence. It proved to be a great venture when we opened our doors to over 1000 kids our first year. (Here's a link if you'd like to see what the school looks like now.). Though different from Arizona and Hawaii, I loved my time in Florida just as much. In 1999, I married my husband Les and after a year, we packed our car and headed for Oregon with a newborn, Josiah now 22, in tow. While in Oregon, we were blessed with three more children, Matthew 20, Hannah 19, and John-David 15. I took a break from teaching, but had an opportunity to work closely with the children in the community. After 7 years, and the birth of our youngest son, we decided to return home to Hawaii to be closer to our families. I have been at Daniel K. Inouye Elementary since 2010, and have taught Kindergarten, First, Second, and the Fourth grade. In addition to being a classroom teacher, I have also worked as a Response to Intervention (RTI) teacher, with the Gifted and Talented, as Student Council Advisor, and a Mentor to new teachers. I am excited to start another school year, and am thankful for the opportunity to partner with you as your children continue their exciting academic journey.
In my free time, I love going on outings with my family, traveling, and horseback riding. Over the years, I have traveled to 48 of the 50 states, as well as Brazil, England, Canada, Mexico, and Russia.
Who is our teacher, Mrs. Araki?
I was born in Blytheville, Arkansas on August 8th. My father was in the Air Force, but unlike many military families, we only moved three times, first to New Mexico, then to Alabama, and finally to Hawaii. I have an older sister and younger brother. It was during my junior year at Aiea High School that I knew I wanted to pursue education. Upon graduation, I attended the University of Hawaii and University of Northern Colorado, earning my Bachelor of Elementary Education degree. I was privileged to spend my first three years as a fourth grade teacher at Iroquois Point Elementary in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. I transferred to Waimalu Elementary in 1989, where I taught the sixth grade. In 1991, I moved to Pearl Harbor Elementary and had the opportunity to work in both the Kindergarten and Second grade levels. In between, I thoroughly enjoyed teaching pre-algebra, and guidance and counseling classes at my alma mater. In 1994, I was invited to teach at a private school in Tucson, Arizona. During my time in the desert, I had the privilege of working with both fourth and sixth graders. As much as I grew to love Arizona, in 1997 I accepted an offer to relocate to Jacksonville, Florida to help start a private school called Providence. It proved to be a great venture when we opened our doors to over 1000 kids our first year. (Here's a link if you'd like to see what the school looks like now.). Though different from Arizona and Hawaii, I loved my time in Florida just as much. In 1999, I married my husband Les and after a year, we packed our car and headed for Oregon with a newborn, Josiah now 22, in tow. While in Oregon, we were blessed with three more children, Matthew 20, Hannah 19, and John-David 15. I took a break from teaching, but had an opportunity to work closely with the children in the community. After 7 years, and the birth of our youngest son, we decided to return home to Hawaii to be closer to our families. I have been at Daniel K. Inouye Elementary since 2010, and have taught Kindergarten, First, Second, and the Fourth grade. In addition to being a classroom teacher, I have also worked as a Response to Intervention (RTI) teacher, with the Gifted and Talented, as Student Council Advisor, and a Mentor to new teachers. I am excited to start another school year, and am thankful for the opportunity to partner with you as your children continue their exciting academic journey.
In my free time, I love going on outings with my family, traveling, and horseback riding. Over the years, I have traveled to 48 of the 50 states, as well as Brazil, England, Canada, Mexico, and Russia.