• Steve Stierley, Principal Dear Kinawa Families:

    Welcome to Kinawa, home to all fifth and sixth grade students in the district. It is a privilege and honor to be your child's principal. I am deeply committed to positively impacting the lives of the children I serve and the community that supports our schools. You will quickly find that the amazing staff at Kinawa will challenge your child through a rigorous curriculum while still dedicating themselves to doing whatever it takes to help every child meet and exceed the high expectations that are set.

    To support our students, we provide interdisciplinary teaming that helps them develop as independent, confident, and successful learners. In addition, every child will have a designated "homeroom." During homeroom, teachers will provide students with important daily announcements and help students organize themselves for the day. We believe homerooms make Kinawa feel smaller for students and teachers and help teachers make personal connections with their students, helping them become more aware of the uniqueness of each child.

    Understanding those uniquenesses, Kinawa teachers are sensitive to the different learning styles of students and use a variety of instructional strategies to engage all learners. Special education staff, the T.A.S.K. program, and the English language learner program provide directed assistance programs for students who have special learning needs or may be at-risk.

    Kinawa is also committed to developing every student holistically. Students will be given the opportunity to branch out and experience success outside the core academic classes. Kinawa offers an exciting exploratory program designed to provide students with exposure to a number of curriculums- from technology, art and foods, to band, orchestra, and choir.

    Kinawa is truly an exceptional school. We strive to make school a memorable and positive experience for every child, and we believe that each child will grow into a confident learner who displays academic and social excellence.

    Successful schools flourish when parents and teachers work together to create an environment that is safe, healthy, and goal-oriented. I aim to be visible and will always make myself available to our community, as effective and open communication will allow me to perform my role at the highest level. Please feel free to contact me any time if you have ideas, concerns, or suggestions throughout the school year. I can be reached at (517) 706-4700 or steven.stierley@okemosk12.net.

    Respectfully,

    Steve Stierley
    Principal