President Abraham Lincoln Elementary School

A bit of an outdated review as I was a student there in the late 2000s and early 2010s, I was on SPED classes there but I felt that it was lacking in some areas looking back at it. The place did give me the best years of my life so I'd like say thanks to all the nice staff there. I'm unsure about social emotional support, I remember receiving most from fellow peers rather than teachers, maybe that changed so I don't know. Safety is a bit mixed as there was little to protect children at that time, things like security gates could easily be bypassed and never once saw crosswalk guards on my particular route home after school hours. Again maybe that changed? The teachers there are semi decent but the curriculum was lacking. It was a very pretty environment however.

While Principal Arakaki is known for increasing students’ test scores, that’s turned out to be all that the focus is any more. Students have been reduced to math and reading scores, and are no longer supported as whole-children. In the time that he’s been at Pauoa, there’s no art or music classes during the school day, and there’s no May Day either. He cut the GT program, and the library sits unused by students, which is weird for a school that is so proud of its academic achievements. He requires that some students spend up to 3 hours a week on their iPads doing i-Ready if they’re in the “red” for math and reading, and all behavior problems are handled by the school counselor, not the principal. The teachers at Pauoa work incredibly hard, and it has been sad to see how much their roles have been reduced to producing results.

MCS has become a second family to us and our two children. It is truly a special place where kids learn independence, confidence, skills and knowledge, all while having fun and feeling a part of the community. Reading some of the other reviews, it is disappointing to hear that a couple people had negative experiences. I believe these to be very specific, isolated cases, as all the other parents we talk to absolutely love the school and administration. As parents we feel very supported by the teachers and administration. All of the teachers and staff know us and our kids. We have touchpoints with them every drop-off and pick-up and they always make themselves available if we have concerns. There is a full time counselor that is a valuable resource. If we have a concern -- even if it's a behavioral issue at home, the counselor will help support us and even do observations of the child in the classroom if it is something we want. Montessori method has also proven to be an amazing, timeless way to engage and teach children in an intuitive way. We would highly recommend this school!

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.

The school has many issues. They force their religion on the students. In my experience students feel the teachers give work and never teach them. Teachers are too strict. Teachers expect students to teach themselves.