Kahala Elementary School

As a military family, our kids have attended a plethora of schools across the country. After leaving Hawai'i, my kids attended some of the top ranking schools in Silicon Valley, where the teachers asked, "what school did your kids attend? They are so advanced." Wilson. This school nurtured my children, grew their understanding of other cultures, and made them better people. They are now in high school and, if I had to choose the best school they ever attended, it would be this one. Wilson is an amazing school, with some of the best teachers in the country. Do they have high expectations? Absolutely. This must be embraced. Allow your kids to struggle, learn, and gain self efficacy. As high schoolers, they have earned multiple awards, scored at the top of AP and ACT exams, etc. Most importantly, they still love learning. They can still chant the Wilson oli, perform a hula, and their ipu grace our bookshelves. In essence, this school is incredible.

My son just graduated from Waikiki School last summer and now he is studying at a private school in Manoa. We loved Waikiki School - the teachers and principals were exceptional. They are all very passionate about teaching and they truly care for every child in the school. The staffs there know all children by their first names and they greet them when they first walk into the campus. For the kindergarten to second grades, there are at least two to three teachers per class. For kids who need additional help in reading or mathematics, they have specialists who cater to their needs (extra time/ small group learning). Waikiki School is a very inclusive school and I remembered there was a blind girl in my son’s class. She taught her friends how to read braille and all the kids in the school were very kind to her. This inclusiveness is a powerful message that even though there are differences among people, they can still all learn together, get along, and be empathetic toward each other. Each month, the school focuses on a specific habit of mind (e.g., resilience, empathy, thinking flexibility, responsible risk-taking, etc.) and every teacher in the school can thoroughly implement and emphasize those habits in their lesson plans or when they talk to the children. I found the students who come out from this school are very warm and kind. As for fun, the school has a pretty robust PTO and they organize a lot of fun activities throughout the year. They put together a Haunted House night-time experience on Halloween; a snow day experience in winter, and a fun winter shop before the holiday seasons for the children to select some little gifts for their loved ones (all parents donate 3-4 little gifts to the school if they can). The school also offers after-school activities for all grade levels (art, comic drawing, Lego building, ceramic, football, basketball, karate, violin, and foreign language to name a few). My sons always had fun with those classes. Before COVID, my son used to participate in field trips almost once or twice a month. During COVID, the kids still got to participate in activities in the nearby area by foot like the Diamond Head State Park, the Honolulu Zoo, and the Waikiki Aquarium. It is great that this school is so close to all these attractions that the kids enjoy. I m truly grateful that my kids got to spend their time in Waikiki School.

We have had two children in this school. They both have had varying experiences based on their teachers. There seems to be a lot of turnover both in the administration (principal, vice principals) and in teachers.My daughters were lucky to both have a compassionate, but skilled teacher who really left an impression on them. One had her as a third grade teacher and one as a second grade teacher. She incorporated mindfulness into the school day and made sure different children received the work they needed. She shared that the philosophy of the school was that homework should be “minimalistic and purposeful”. I appreciated this very much, however, not all the teachers were on this same band wagon. We love the Specials teachers and appreciate that this school values these subjects. We wish they could keep good teachers around. Currently, there is an interim principal as the last one left after only three years. The one before was there about tbe same amount of time, I believe.

I’m so glad to put my kids in Liho Liho.Great teachers and wonderful environment.I love them so much

Oen One Nne Moms Kahiloko Lord Kumu P. Kilo'ai School of Kinser Hawaiian Equity Court Of The Most High.

My kid was in kinder with the best teacher. The class size was doable (about 20 kids) and there were some aids for certain students. This school is considered a IB School (International Baccalaureate) which means they have some high quality programs to help create a better world. In kindergarten they learned math, reading, writing, arts and crafts, physical education, Hawaiian studies, nihongo, and STEM projects. Can’t wait for the years to come! I love our school! If the school stays on this path, I think it will be the #1 school on the island ~

We’ve had a wonderful experience with this school. The teachers are caring, attentive, and truly invested in each child’s growth. The learning environment is engaging and well-balanced, with strong academics and plenty of opportunities for creativity and social development. My daughter loves going every day, and we’ve seen her confidence, curiosity, and skills flourish. Highly recommend!