Summary of

Saint Benedict Hall’s Vision for 

 Culture & Enculturation

Why is Culture important?

Culture is what humans do when we are shaped by what we love. When a group of people loves a set of values and practices, they seek to protect, advocate, and mature those things. That process of a group of people furthering the things they love creates a culture. When considering joining a new school, ensuring that you resonate with the values and practices of the school is paramount in finding a good fit for your family. 

At Saint Benedict Hall, we are committed to a set of values and practices that has shaped our work and life together. We want to welcome more families into our learning community in the years to come, and articulate our vision for the kind of culture we are inviting new families into. Below is an outline of the things we love at our school. We hope this vision resonates with you as you explore joining our school community! 

Cultural Values of Saint Benedict Hall

  • Christian- From the first to the last moments of our day we are oriented in worship, prayer, and enjoyment of God and His glorious creation. We have a deep commitment to the Christian faith and tradition as a ministry of the Hawaii Anglican Network for the Windward side community.

  • Ohana- At SBH we care and collaborate together as a family. We don’t have an interest in becoming a “corporate” institution, but want to maintain the relationality of an extended family atmosphere. Our program is intentionally a collaborative partnership between our tutors and parents together nurturing our children. 

  • Classical- We desire to work with the best and most real things in our education, and have a deep respect for what are the quality arts and culture from our Civilization.We teach our students Latin, Classic literature, how to sing, and inhabit their bodies well in the world. 

  • Local- We are rooted in our Windward side community both in our relationships as well as our curriculum. Our Nature Studies classes in the elementary years are focused on nature walks and exploration of the local plants and animals. Exposure and familiarity with local Hawaiian culture, language, and history is also important to us. 

  • Festal- When children love to learn, joy naturally follows. There is a brightness, engagement, and enthusiasm our students have for learning that is central to our ethos. We intentionally avoid intense striving to the point of anxiety, and rather pursue a restful learning atmosphere that sharpens our students’ curiosity for life and the world. 

  • Qualitative- Though we don’t have full weeks on our campus, our students receive a highly qualitative education. We also expect a high quality of work from our students and prompt and encourage our students to do the best they are capable of. 

Cultural Practices at Saint Benedict Hall 

  • Worship- our common worship and prayer together as a community is our central marker. All our singing, prayer, student leadership in chapel, work, learning, communicating, relating, and growing is in service and in glory to the Lord. 

  • Feasts- We observe the Church’s liturgical calendar, which gives our community a rhythm of feasting and fasting throughout the school year. 

  • Nobility of Conduct- We recognize that being children of God means that we are to conduct ourselves in a noble manner. We dress in appropriate ways, respect each other, avoid ignoble actions, stand for adults in the classroom, and foster articulate speech.  

  • Collaborative- We believe our model of 3 days a week at school and 2 days at home encourages a dynamic and healthy collaboration with parents. This partnership between teachers and parents gives the school a tight community atmosphere. We use an app called Slack to communicate between tutors and parents. There are many ways for parents to volunteer and participate in the life of the school throughout the year. 

  • May Day- Starting after Christmas each year our whole student body begins learning Hawaiian dance, chant, and songs for our annual May Day Celebration. Our students love to experience these rich aspects of our host culture here in Hawaii, and roots them to the place they are growing up.

  • House System- Play is important for the community and creates a student “body” in addition to a school “spirit”. Our house system fosters loyalty and identity, and gives our Prefects and Lieutenants opportunities to take on more responsibility and leadership.  

  • Assessment- It’s our hope that assessments be more relational and less artificial. We want to give qualitative assessments of our students throughout the year to recognize the areas where there has been growth and a reflection of the engagement with the class and curriculum. While grades are optional in the lower school, we will give grades in high school. 

  • Technology at School- As expressions of the Good, we want to exercise dominion over technology. We use technology, but we stay away from being ruled by it in the classroom. We don’t allow cell phones (or smart watches) on campus. 

  • Discipline- There will inevitably be times when sin must be addressed in the context of the school. Discipline is the process of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Our Staff is trained in how to address situations of misbehavior and misaligned heart attitudes.