This article was written by Admissions Director and Assistant Head of School, Sandi Tadaki, who has worked alongside Edel for 36 years.
After 36 years of dedicated service to Assets School, Edel Yamane, known to students as Mrs. Y, will retire at the end of July, following the conclusion of our summer school program.
We will be honoring Mrs. Yamane with the following events:
- Final K-8 Assembly (May 16): This assembly will celebrate Mrs. Yamane's legacy. A "Good Vibration Station" will be set up for students to write notes of appreciation. We are also pleased to announce that her spouse, Marc, will be joining us.
- Arts Night: A designated area will be available for attendees to write messages of appreciation, which will be compiled into a farewell card.s.
We wish Mrs. Yamane a fulfilling and joyful retirement, filled with new adventures, opportunities to reconnect with her hobbies, and moments to reflect on the significant impact she has had on the lives of our students. Our school community is forever grateful for her contributions.
Edel Yamane, originally Ms. Nakagawa, joined Assets School in 1989 at the invitation of then-Principal Ron Yoshimoto. Partnering initially with lead teacher Linda Finch, she assumed her own classroom in 1991. Her tenure has spanned our transition from the Naval Base Pearl Harbor campus to our current location, leaving behind a legacy of fond memories, from the unique experiences of our former campus including the rickety buildings, the excitement of helicopters landing on the field fronting our former campus to our current campus where she saw the creation of the play structure and the village which is where her classroom (G1) now exists.
Mrs. Yamane's passion for visual art, science, and hands-on learning has consistently inspired her students. Her innovative teaching methods, including engaging experiments and dissections, have ignited a love for science in countless learners.
She has also excelled in guiding students to showcase their knowledge through meticulously crafted portfolios and research projects, a highlight of our annual Open House. Furthermore, Mrs. Yamane maintains a genuine interest in her students' progress, often attending Assets High School graduations to celebrate their achievements.
Beyond her academic contributions, Mrs. Yamane has demonstrated exceptional care for our school's feline residents. Her dedication to their well-being, including holiday and weekend visits, has been invaluable. She and Marc generously adopted Gray Papa, providing him with a loving home in his final years.
Throughout her 36-year career, Mrs. Yamane's dedication to student success has remained steadfast. She has generously shared her talents, time, commitment, care, and humble spirit with Assets School.
Mahalo piha, Edel, for all that you have done for and continue to give to our ohana. We are all the richer for it.
At our K-8 Friday Assembly, Jack gave his teacher, Mrs. Y, a lei for her retirement on behalf of the Assets School's 'ohana.