Makiki Heights

My son has attended kindergarten and 1st grade a Lincoln Elementary, where he is a special education student. It's unfortunate that he needs extra supports, but I think he's been lucky to attending such a good school for him. The staff as Lincoln have done an exemplary job at being there for him, starting each day with a genuine smile to greet him. In particular, my son started reading before he even started Kindergarten, and his teachers have used that strength to his advantage. His teachers make learning fun, and they've adjusted his materials so that he isn't tied to the pace of his sped or general ed classmates. He was even advanced on first-grade math. I also noticed that the speech therapist was knowledgeable about my son's specific manner of using language and was up to date on the literature of how to approach it.

If your child fits neatly into a box (very compliant, never challenges what the authorities tell them is the answer, has no learning differences, needs no accommodations) then this is a great place for them. The school prides itself on being experts in elementary education, and if you and your child don't love everything they do and (at least pretend to) thrive in this "magical" environment, they will make you feel like something is wrong with your child and often find a way to push you out. They talk about being so welcoming and inclusive to everyone, but what they mean is that they welcome a very specific type of child and family and are not really interested in making room for those that they feel don't fit neatly into their "perfect image". It's a bit heartbreaking to see how they have made some families feel like they don't belong.