'AIEA — Having attended public school until the second grade, Pam Hostallero Falasco was taken aback by the dress code required by St. Elizabeth School in 1964. The code required her to wear a pleated A-line plaid jumper with a beanie every day.

"We hated that beanie," Falasco said, laughing. "If you forgot your beanie, they put a Kleenex on your head."

Falasco treasures the memories of her six years at the private Catholic elementary school, especially her place in St. Elizabeth's first graduating class of 36 eighth-graders in 1970. She and three of her classmates — Dr. Shirley Tamoria of San Francisco, Rosemarie Abaya and Gwendolyn Yukutake Dulley of Oregon — have remained close friends and enjoy reminiscing about their years at the school.

Falasco returned to St. Elizabeth three years ago as principal Sister Bernarda Sindol's top assistant. "She was my seventh-grade math teacher," Falasco said of Sindol, who has been at the school off and on for 15 years.

Connections such as those among Falasco, her friends and Sister Sindol are what make a small-school social and learning experience special.

"Many of our students are children or grandchildren of our graduates," said Sister Sindol, who estimates that 25 percent of the current 255 students fall into that category. "Our 'ohana spirit permeates to the parish level and the active involvement of our Parent Teacher Group. Seventy-five percent of our students are from the parish itself."

Antoinette "Toni" Martines, the school's secretary for 28 years, sent her two daughters to St. Elizabeth, and one of them, Julie Castillo, was teaching at St. Elizabeth until recently. Coincidentally, Falasco taught religion to both of Martines' daughters at St. Francis.

It's a small world, especially at St. Elizabeth.

What are you most proud of? "The longevity of teacher/staff employment at our school and the respectfulness our students display," Sister Sindol said. "We foster family relationships with our students. If they need a hug, someone to talk to or a prayer, they know where to find us, even if they're no longer attending our school."

Best-kept secret: "Our alumni giving back to our school through service and their confidence by entrusting their children's and grandchildren's education with us," Sister Sindol said.

Everybody at our school knows: Martines. "She knows everybody, all the students," assistant principal Falasco said.

Our biggest challenge: "Space; there's no space to expand," Sister Sindol said. "We use every little nook. I'm sure our kids would love a bigger playground."

What we want: "Early-learning education, a preschool," Falasco said.

Projects: "Caring coins," an ongoing program in which students, faculty and parents collect monetary donations for community need. This year's focus is the Loitokitok Rehabilitation Center in Kenya.

Special events: Annual "Back to School" picnic staged by the school's Parent Teacher Group; "Skate Night" for students, families, faculty and alumni at Ice Palace; "Cosmic Bowling"; and the Niketown 5K Run.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.