Queen Kaahumanu Elementary School

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.

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.