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.

Our family has made many wonderful memories here that will last a lifetime. Hahaione has a special…read moreplace in our hearts.

Hahaione is a great public school and our kids love their time here. The teachers they've had have…read morealways been caring and helpful as well as the rest of the staff we've interacted with. If you live in this area or just want to support Hahaione you can make them your supported school on smile.amazon.com

The school itself is great. Very supportive staff and faculty overall and my children have really…read moreenjoyed attending Aina Haina School up until this year 2022-2023. I give 1 star because of a particular 5th grade teacher that has decided to target our son. From making absurd rules about taking shoes off in her classroom and banning jackets, forcing students to stay after school hours without prior notice, and incessant yelling and nagging, she's made the last year of Aina Haina for my son to be psychologically and emotionally damaging. My son who's never had issues in his prior years at Aina Haina hated going to school because of her. If you email her asking why she said or did something, she will never admit anything is wrong and brush it off with "there's been another misunderstanding....moving forward, I would like to focus on his education..." Worst 5th grade teacher. I hope she retires this year so no other child experiences what my son experienced.

An update to my previous review. This is not about the school but about my son's EXCELLENT 5th…read moregrade teacher Mr. Sutton. The school was smart in hiring him. He really teaches in a way that EVERY child learns... so much so that now my son who was pegged by other teachers as "slow" and having a"poor attention span" is getting nearly straight A's and excelling in every aspect. Funny how one good teacher, one who loves their job and puts the child's interest first, can change a child's outlook and performance in school for the better. Thank you Mr. Sutton.

Nice school that's a hidden gem in Hawaii Kai. Great community of really good people.read more

I'm so thankful we landed at koko head elementary for my sons kindergarten class. We moved from the…read moremainland at the beginning of second semester. Principal Shitaoka is so wonderful! He called us the first two weeks just to make sure we were settling in well and said to let him know if we needed anything, to reach out. He's outside manning the crossing guard duties before and after school everyday and knows every kids name! It's such a safe environment with the teacher/staff to child ratio. For kinder my son had ms. Davis and she was great at setting expectations high but achievable and also making homework fun. My son is disappointed that he won't be back next year since we are moving to a new district but he's made solid friendships in the semester he was there. With the amount of support and attention to detail for each child, koko head elementary is on par with private schools.

My niece just loved it! The kindergarten teachers are just…read moreso experienced and kind! Learning pace for each students is individualized. Kids learn Hawaiian and Spanish during regular school and can attend Japanese afterschool at the community center with BUS Service! It's private school experience with $0 tuition!

A wonderful school and nurturing environment for our children. The smaller sized campus allows all…read moreteachers, including the principal, to get to know the students on a more personal basis. My younger son had some difficulty transitioning to Kindergarten during this pandemic year, but his teachers, counselors and principal worked together to help him adjust and I am very grateful for their support. Morning traffic can sometimes be heavy through the residential area, but I feel most schools have similar situations. We were fortunate to get in through the GE and have been happy with our choice.

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

I went to this school....I thought it was pretty good…read more.. Now that I'm older...I work/help out here...and I enjoy going back! BTW, Ms. Ikehara rocks! LoL.

Located right across from Kahala Mall, Kahala Elementary is a great option if you're planning on…read moresending your kids to public school. Kahala Elementary has a good amount of money coming into it, as the surrounding area is affluent and a strong pool of families which support it. A school is as only as good as the community behind it and this one is definitely well supported. My son went here and his Kindergarten teacher did a great job getting his test scores up to par. He's a very smart boy but is easily distracted. What can I say? He's a boy! I really like the administrative staff as I felt as though they really cared about my son and they have a great library staff. My son enjoyed the after school programs that are at the school which include golf, lego building and karate. If you don't live in the area it's tough to get in on a Geographic Exemption but it's worthwhile to at least attempt to get in.

I went to this school and graduated as a May 2018 graduate and I had a really good time. All the…read moreteachers and staff really encourage to do your best and the school is like a family and everyone from Kindergarden to 5th grade know each other and its nice to have that because some schools are not like that. So I really appreciated this thought my time being there and it has really shaped me into who I am today academically and emotionally. So if you are thinking of sending your kid here or kids then you are making the right choice!

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.

What a beautiful quaint little elementary school here in the islands record of safety end child…read moredevelopment is well known on the island they have a park across the street where kids can play soccer they've got of parking problem they've got a traffic problem could be cleaned up I have been cars coming in one way from the Diamondhead side. I think they need more things like teaching kids how to grow their own food need to be gardens I think they also need to teach kids how to plant trees and clean up the Ala Wai. .I think if they want a fundraiser for the school day host to soccer tournaments and Kapi'olani Park or a concert at the Shell I think there are ways to enhance the education of youth with a strong emphasis on practical skills and something that's useful in life other than talking and chatting on the phone

This is our first year here at this school and our son loves it. They have afternoon activites…read moreduring A plus that are run by teacher's that students can pay to join. So far my son did a ceramics class that he loved and this year is trying soccer and capoeira. There is always traffic in morning because only one entrance into school which is sometimes a hassle. During the year they have activities for families to enjoy, we had fun at the Halloween program.