Skip To Main Content

Counseling

The Counseling Department promotes student success by supporting and maximizing academic achievement and by fostering personal and social development.


Counselors at ‘Iolani School help students understand themselves and the challenges they face. Further concerns may be addressed by the Director of Social and Emotional Health.

There is a K-2 counselor, a grades 3-4 counselor, a grades 4-6 counselor, and a counselor for each grade level in grades 7-12. Two support counselors are also available for day students (grades 7-12) and boarding students (grades 9-12). There are five college counselors who advise students in grades 9-12. The student/counselor ratio in grades K-6 is 225 students per counselor, in grades 7-8 is 137 students per counselor and grades 9-12 is 90 students per counselor.

The counselors meet individually with all students in their grade level during their first year together. New students and students with academic, personal, or developmental concerns receive additional attention.

Counselors work closely with each other, parents, the faculty and the administration to ensure that special concerns are handled appropriately and consistently.

‘Iolani offers a Guidance program for all students. In grades K-6 all students have guidance lessons throughout the year. All seventh graders take a nine-week Guidance course that covers self-esteem, friendships, assertiveness, the changes of adolescence, and etiquette. Counselors teach lessons on course planning, GPA and the American Education System, during 9th grade Advisory sessions, as well as preparation for course registration. The college counselors also meet during Advisory to introduce college counseling and the college admissions process.

In August, new students come to ‘Iolani to meet school personnel and other new students and to tour the campus. Counselors meet with small groups of new students in September to answer questions about academic and extracurricular activities.

Counselors (list order by grade level):

Mrs. Emilyann Shupe
eshupe@iolani.org
Grades K-2

Mrs. Deanne Kanekuni
kanekuni@iolani.org
Grade 3-4

Mrs. Jamie Shoma-Loo
jshomaloo@iolani.org
Grades 5-6

Ms. Lara Feldhaus
larafeld@iolani.org
Grade 7 -- Class of 2028

Mr. Pat Tom
ptom@iolani.org
Grade 8 -- Class of 2027

Mrs. Ashley Kaonohi
akaonohi@iolani.org
Grade 9 -- Class of 2026

Mrs. Kelly Asato
kasato@iolani.org
Grade 10 -- Class of 2025

Mrs. Kory Kado-Fukuda
kkadofukuda@iolani.org
Grade 11 -- Class of 2024

Mrs. Vicki Higashihara
vhigashi@iolani.org
Grade 12 -- Class of 2023

Ms. Alyson Nakagawa
anakagawa@iolani.org
Grades 7-12 Support (day students)

Mrs. Hera Lee
hlee@iolani.org
Residential Life Academic Counselor (boarding students)

 

College Counselors:

Mr. Todd Fleming
tfleming@iolani.org
Director of College Counseling

Mrs. Leilani Arita-Takayama
ltakayama@iolani.org
Associate Director of College Counseling

Mr. Scott Kominkiewicz
skominkiewicz@iolani.org
Associate Director of College Counseling

Ms. Berta Liao
bliao@iolani.org
Associate Director of College Counseling

Ms. Kori Shlachter
kshlachter@iolani.org
Associate Director of College Counseling