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Aina Haina School

3.4 (5 reviews)
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Honolulu Waldorf School - felt star wands

Honolulu Waldorf School

4.1(15 reviews)
1.5 mi•Niu Valley

Love this gem of a school!…read more My child is now finishing our second year of school at Honolulu Waldorf School, and will be starting 2nd grade next year. It was very important for our family to attend a progressive school, and in this case "developmentally progressive" in terms of educating the whole child. Our child is very active and talkative, and we didn't want to go the traditional route of public school - especially when on our first tour of a public school they pointed out a "wiggle chair" in a corner that kids would go sit in if they couldn't sit still for long periods of time, and that particular teacher indicating our child might not do well there. For kindergarten, and where our child was developmentally - this was not going to work and we could visualize a year of phone calls about inability to sit still. In Waldorf education (and many other countries) children don't start classroom lessons at desks until they are in 1st grade and 6-7 rather than 5-6. And for us, that felt like the right fit. The teacher we had in kindergarten in the early childhood program (EC) was phenomenal, and I loved that the kindergarteners are in a mixed age class ranging from age 3-6 with various stages of development acknowledged (star children age 3-4, moon children age 4-5, and sun children aka kindergarteners age 5-6). When my child was a "sun child" they were the oldest in the class and became leaders in many opportunities. They have a very structured day which leads to a lot of centeredness and calmness as they move through play time, reading circle, snack time (provided by school and quite nutritious!), arts, more play time, nap time, music - lots of singing - and each activity meeting the child where they are and building on that. My child was very resistant to arts at the start of kindergarten, and by the end was weaving, sewing (!), painting, and drawing. Being restless was not an issue throughout the year, and going without a nap during nap time was also something that could be worked around. After finishing kindergarten, the children move into 1st grade with a beautiful crossing of a symbolic bridge leaving the grounds of the early childhood area and entering the grounds of the grades area / classrooms. In 1st grade, a the class size was 16 children which was a great size for us, and subjects of reading/writing, math, Spanish, Japanese, Hawaiian studies, handwork, movement, music are covered throughout the week. If a child needs more attention in an area, they are quick to spot it and suggest additional support of needed. Our teacher was incredible at holding the class, and attentive to all of each child's progress and needs. What's also amazing is that the same teacher continues into 2nd, 3rd and beyond as is part of the Waldorf pedagogy. Sometimes life changes happen (pregnancy / moving etc), but at this school the same teacher can be expected to continue on for many grades, building a beautiful bond between teacher and student. Also for the community; the school fosters a great sense of community with a strong Parent Hui group (parent volunteers) that work to make each of the many Waldorf traditions come alive. The school participates in Waldorf events of Michaelmas, Saint Nicholas Day, the Winter Spiral, Lantern Walk, and also brings in via its Spanish program a celebration of Dia del los Muertos, Salsa Night, and through its Japanese program Girls Day, Children's Day, Hawaiian - La Mei (May Day) and more. When thinking about all of the events throughout the year it's a magical, welcoming and educational experience for the children and families alike. Not knowing a lot about Waldorf education at the start of our attendance, I have gained a whole new perspective on childhood development as this school also educates parents on how children learn. The reading and literacy is on a different timeline than public school for valid developmental reasons and by 3/4th grade many students are avid readers reading and comprehending books well above their public school peers. Overall, I believe the children become excellent learners through and can tackle any topic with the curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. Last, the school is screen free up to a grade (6th?) This is a huge incentive for our family, as we do not want our child to be exposed to screens more than necessary - as we learn how it is negatively affecting brain development in young children. Eventually, the concept of appropriate screen use is introduced in Cyber Civics classes in middle school - as it is unrealistic for screens to be completely avoided in life, and an awesome opportunity to teach children about how to have an online presence, be responsible and respectful online, and to have personal boundaries around its use with social media, and length of time. Big fan of the school, the caring teachers and admin, and the awesome and strong parent community that goes above and beyond to be involved in their children's learning and environment.

Our experience with Honolulu Waldorf was extremely disappointing and felt unprofessional from start…read moreto finish. We applied for a preschool spot after being told there were openings, only to later learn that there were no available spots at all. The application process was expensive -- especially considering the admissions fee -- yet nothing meaningful happened after we submitted everything. There was also a very strange "visit day" where our child was invited along with a group of babies who were not even old enough to be admitted. It was clear many of those parents were simply trying to get on a waitlist, and the entire event felt disorganized and like a complete waste of time. We were never given any information about next steps, timelines, or what to expect. We had to follow up multiple times just to get basic updates, and only then were we told that we were not being offered a spot. When we asked about the possibility of a waitlist, our inquiry was essentially ignored. To make matters worse, the school recently experienced a cyberattack, which only reinforced our impression that the overall operations and communication practices are not being handled professionally. On a positive note, we have since found a wonderful Montessori‑inspired school that has been everything we hoped for -- warm, organized, communicative, and genuinely invested in the children. The contrast has been night and day, and we are very happy with where we ended up. Based on our experience, I would strongly recommend that families proceed with caution and ask very clear questions before investing time and money into the application process.

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Honolulu Waldorf School
Honolulu Waldorf School - Open of fridays

Open of fridays

Honolulu Waldorf School

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Holy Nativity School - Attending Aina Haina flooding meeting with U S Corps of Engineers

Holy Nativity School

4.9(10 reviews)
0.3 mi•Aina Haina

The school and church holds an annual pumpkin patch festival. This is was the first year we…read moreattended... boy... was I surprised! This is a very well put together event with game booth, petting zoo, pony ride, bouncy houses, trampoline, pumpkin patch, entertainment and contest. While we were there, they had a watermelon eating contest for the kids. Then a corn shucking contest for adults. And a hula halau performances. Wait for it... food trucks to pickup lunches. The kids enjoyed it very much, so we will definitely be back again next year.

This school holds an awesome Halloween festival every year. We've been here twice and it's been…read moregreat. They have a variety of different activities as well as a cute little area to pick a pumpkin. The school works hard to put on this annual event. When you walk around, you can tell that the parents and students really take pride in their school. They had everything imaginable for a kid to do. Here are just a few of the things that we did while there: hali hali horse rides, face painting, pumpkin bowling, make a pumpkin bead bracelet, bean bag toss, ring toss, petting zoo, and pick a pumpkin. They also had a little area where the kids could ride little ponies. We didn't go on that because the line was so long but maybe next time we can plan ahead. They don't have available parking but you can park in a nearby lot and they have a shuttle that takes you to the festival. We will definitely be going back again next year. It was much more entertaining for kids than just going to a regular pumpkin patch.

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Holy Nativity School
Holy Nativity School
Holy Nativity School

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Liholiho Elementary School

Liholiho Elementary School

4.7(7 reviews)
3.2 mi•Kaimuki

Best school that I didn't attend on the entire island. Beautiful campus, great teachers, and…read moreamazing staff--especially in the office! Wooooooow!

I am a Kauluwela Elementary alumnus. I did a lot of school moving, and I believe I as at Kauluwela…read morefor kindergarden in 1987 and 1988. Then I transferred to Liholiho Elementary for first grade in 1988 and 1989. Thank goodness for yearbooks, because otherwise I would forget the year. I flunked first grade from Liholiho, and then in 1989 and 1990 I transferred back to Kauluwela for first grade. Though I was born and raised in Honolulu, English is my second language. I knew not my ABCs and I knew not how to read up to that point at Liholiho. I recalled I got pulled out of class at Liholiho where a teacher specialist mostly had me trace pictures. It was at Liholiho that I recalled that my first grade teacher popped in the 1989 Moonwalker VHS for our class to watch. After watching the Moonwalker film at Liholiho and at my family gatherings, my older sibling recorded me beatboxing, scat singing, and singing one of the songs from the Moonwalker film. I was six-years-old then. I still have the Liholiho Elementary picture taken of me on the playground holding an orange baseball bat. I do recall we were given seeds to plant around Liholiho Elementary... I chose the seed that would grow a blue flower. I planted it somewhere around the campus and as I grew older, I remember where I planted those seeds. I now see those blue flowers grown. Today, as an adult, I love to read daily, for fun and enjoyment. I love to write. I also help students with mathematics throughout the state of Hawaii. I also beatbox throughout the state of Hawaii and the world, speaking at conferences, and schools. Liholiho Elementary students were among 300 in attendance when I performed and spoke at the 25th Chevron Honolulu Speech Festival at the McKinley High School Auditorium. -Jason Tom

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Liholiho Elementary School
Liholiho Elementary School
Liholiho Elementary School - The school office (2nd floor) and library (ground floor)

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The school office (2nd floor) and library (ground floor)

Nuuanu Elementary School - 11-26-23 ready to assemble "Genki Balls" for the Ala Wai Canal Restoration Project

Nuuanu Elementary School

5.0(4 reviews)
6.4 mi

During the summer we sent out 3 GE's and Nuuanu Elementary School was the first to respond saying…read morethat my daughter was accepted. We went to tour the school and fell in love with it. Plush green grass everywhere. Their campus is so beautiful it looks like a University campus. The first day was just an orientation for 2 hours, to let the parents know what they can expect. It was very informational. Even the principal spoke at this orientation. That was when I knew we chose the perfect school for my daughter. As all parents know, the transition from preschool to Kindergarten can be very trying. But this school makes it so easy. The teachers here are amazing. My daughter's teacher leaves notes in her homework folder to let us know how she's doing. My daughter had a rough start, so we had a meeting with her teacher and the counselor. They basically told us what we already knew, but they also gave us pointers. The staff here is wonderful and amazing. They also have a PTA which has a lot of activities throughout the year. There is a strong parent participation within the PTA. If you're looking for a school that will not let your child slide within the cracks, this is the school.

Nuuanu Elementary is tucked deep in Nuuanu valley, with mountains as your back drop which is…read moreabsolutely breathtaking. It is a very clean school. This is a Blue Ribbon School and they have met annual requirements every year. All staff are friendly and helpful. PTA is very involved. The school has fun activities planned for the kids and their families almost every month. The children seem well educated and wholesome. It's almost like a private school.

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Nuuanu Elementary School - Making kadomatsu with Troop 181 on 13.23.23

Making kadomatsu with Troop 181 on 13.23.23

Nuuanu Elementary School - Making kadomatsu on 12.23.23 with Troop 181

Making kadomatsu on 12.23.23 with Troop 181

Nuuanu Elementary School - My school

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My school

Aina Haina School - elementaryschools - Updated May 2026

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