Responsibly Disrupting Systems through Redesigning School Counseling: Hatching Results’ Partnership with Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi
Transforming tradition with purpose, one haumāna at a time.
At Hatching Results, we’ve had the privilege of working with school systems across the country to improve student outcomes through data-informed, equity-focused comprehensive school counseling programs. One meaningful partnership in our journey has been with Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i, a unique and mission-driven organization that serves Native Hawaiian children and families.
As a school district, Kamehameha Schools exists uniquely as a deeply rooted educational institution grounded in the vision of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, dedicated to uplifting the lāhui (the Native Hawaiian people). Their commitment to academic excellence is inseparable from their cultural mission: to nurture haumāna (students) who are not only college- and career-ready but also wholeheartedly embody their ‘Ōiwi (Native Hawaiian) identity.
Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i has its own unique campus expression of this, which they call “‘Ōiwi Edge.” ‘Ōiwi Edge is rooted in an ancestral foundation of Native Hawaiian identity that shapes the agency, adaptability, and well-being of their haumāna (students).
A Partnership Rooted in Purpose
Our collaboration began in 2019, when Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i identified the need to redesign their K-12 school counseling model to better serve their students' evolving needs. They had noticed shifts in perception data, such as declining interest in college aspirations among younger students and outmigration trends due to rising costs of living in Hawaiʻi. It became clear that their school counseling program needed to be more proactive, strategic, and identity-affirming.
Enter our team at Hatching Results. In our first on-site visit, we listened deeply to the manaʻo (thoughts and insights) of their leaders, school counselors, and administrators. We assessed existing roles, kuleana (responsibilities), and program structures. While there was strong foundational work already in place, the school leaders were courageous and forward-thinking, ready to disrupt ineffective practices in favor of more meaningful, measurable support systems.
“Our purpose was clear from the very beginning,” said Senior Director of Professional Learning Terri Tchorzynski. “The transformational work we were about to embark upon was intended to support the preservation of the Hawaiian heritage for generations to come by equipping and empowering the younger generations with vast opportunities to succeed beyond graduation so they could ‘reclaim’ their culture and identity within their native land. This philosophy was grounded in Alaukawai, a bold and innovative dual-operating system for advancing school redesign, that aims to responsibly disrupt current education models and provide better outcomes for Native Hawaiian students and families.”
Our team’s Whitney Triplett (front row, 2nd from left) and Terri Tchorzynski (front row, 3rd from left), and the team at Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i.
The MTMDSS Framework: Disruption for Good
Together, we introduced and customized a Multi-Tiered Multi-Domain System of Supports (MTMDSS) tailored to ‘Ōiwi Edge. This framework encompasses three domains—Academics, Career/College & Life Readiness, and Social/Emotional Development—ensuring students receive comprehensive, culturally relevant school counseling instruction and support at all levels.
One major shift for their high school counselors involved moving from a model where school counselors followed the same cohort over several years to one where counselors specialized in grade-level divisions. This allowed each practitioner to deepen their developmental knowledge and more effectively support students at every stage. It also made space for new roles, including higher education transition specialists, who now help students persist through the critical post-high school phase.
You can read a detailed account of this transformation in Kamehameha Schools’ own academic journal:
🔗 Operationalizing Purpose: Disruption and Redesign of a K-12 Counseling Program
Curriculum, Culture, and College-Going Mindsets
Kamehameha Schools knew that to truly transform outcomes, the shift couldn’t be structural alone; it had to be curricular and cultural. Their team prioritized revamping their Tier 1 school counseling curriculum to better address the universal needs of their current student population as it relates to postsecondary readiness. Together, we worked to ensure that instruction focused not just on college and career exploration, but also on identity, goal-setting, and self-reflection.
The school counseling team worked with curriculum specialists to develop a curriculum aligned with ʻŌiwi Edge and customized to promote SEL competencies alongside academic and career planning. They developed a 3rd-12th grade Personalized Learning Plan that established what every student would receive in each grade around college/career readiness that was developmentally appropriate, scaffolded, and built upon the needs of the students through each grade level.
School counselors became curriculum designers, refining their lessons based on pre- and post-assessments and sharing insights during quarterly K-12 convenings. These convenings became powerful spaces of collaboration and reflection, and something the team now looks forward to with pride.
Kāhealani Naeole-Wong, Po’o Kula (Head of School) of Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i, as our keynote speaker at our National School Counseling Leadership Conference 2024
Impact: Data, Direction, and Hope
This work has been nothing short of transformational. With a system now rooted in data-informed practices, school counselors can clearly see which students need additional support and how best to deliver it. The introduction of Personalized Learning Agreements in elementary grades, for example, led to gains in literacy and math scores. But just as powerful is the anecdotal data: students are now confidently articulating their dreams, exploring multiple postsecondary options, and stepping into their future with clarity and pride.
“The intentionality and fortitude shown by every single member of the Kamehameha Schools ohana (family) speaks volumes of the undying commitment to ‘disrupt systems’ that were not serving the needs of their students,” said Vice President of Partner Services Whitney Triplett. “The courageous leaps and trust in the process that was displayed throughout our time together, that spanned across 5 years, served as a testament to the significance behind this work and unwavering commitment to ‘get this right’ so their students and families can thrive.”
Working with Kamehameha Schools has been a privilege. Their willingness to disrupt outdated systems, invest in school counselor capacity, and honor cultural identity is a model for school systems everywhere. We're proud to have been a part of their journey and inspired by their vision for a future in which every haumāna (student) is seen, supported, and prepared to thrive.
We were so lucky to have Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i’s Po’o Kula (Head of School), Kāhealani Naeole-Wong, as a keynote speaker at our National School Counseling Leadership Conference 2024.
For a deeper look at their story, from the perspective of an empowered school leader, check out a summary of the keynote:
🔗 Leading with Purpose: A Journey of Responsible Disruption for Reclamation
About Hatching Results
Hatching Results is a nationally recognized leader in school counseling professional development and consulting. We are committed to empowering school counseling leaders with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to drive measurable student outcomes.
Interested in bringing high-quality professional learning to your district? Contact us to explore:
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