St. Mark School Turns 5-0 With Plenty Of Memories

October 31, 2007
By Sarah Pacheco

Part of the St. Mark family is its faculty and staff: (front row, from left) Kyra Mirikidani, Melissa Sutton, JoAnn Gundermann, Karen Akaka; (second) Pam Kong, Diane Knott, Kate Tongg, Victoria Flores; (third) Melelani Lawrence, Becky Koch, Tom Annis, Denise Hayes, Sandy Ranstead; (back) principal David Gaudi Jr. and Leilani Lee. Photo from St. Mark School.

The community is invited to help St. Mark Lutheran School celebrate its golden anniversary with a luau Nov. 17 at the Kaneohe campus.

The birthday bash begins with an opening and blessing ceremony at 4 p.m., followed by a Buzz Ohana Luau dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is $10, but reservations are required by Nov. 7 to 247-5589.

Since opening in 1956, generations of families have passed through its doors. Many of its current 200 students in grades K-8 have parents, aunties, uncles, tutus, etc., who once were toiling at those same desks years ago, and teacher JoAnn Gundermann is proud of such tight connections.

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She began teaching kindergarten when the school was just reaching its 10-year milestone. Her daughter and two grandsons later became part of the Saint Mark’s family. During her 40 years there, Gundermann has watched both the school and the children grow.

“It’s neat to see those kids all grown up come back now with kids of their own,” she said. “It’s funny, because the kids look just like the parents did at that age. And I have all these pictures of all the kids I taught hanging in my classroom, so they like to come back to see what they were like at age 5.”

Some love the school so much, they return years later. New principal David Gaudi Jr. attended Saint Mark’s Church but saw his brothers go to the school. Now he’s back as “the boss.”

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But no matter what those kids are doing now - the roster lists doctors, veterinarians, social workers, teachers, police officers and soldiers - they try to return to give a friendly aloha.

“I’d say we’re definitely more like a family than a school,” said Gundermann. “And that was the whole goal: Making close relationships; or at least it was my goal.”

Admission to the anniversary luau,“Kanalima Makahiki i ke Aloa o ke Akua (50 years in the grace of God),” also includes a commemorative T-shirt, and children 5 and under are free. Make checks payable to the school and mail to 45-725 Kamehameha Hwy., Kaneohe HI 96744. Parking is limited.