This USED to be a great school! Back in 2022 under Director Syreeta. My kids were only 2 and 3 y/o…read moreat the time and we were so happy we got to enroll both our boys at the same time. From entering the school to taking our boys to their class it was all smiles and good morning always filled with aloha. We knew our kids were not only being taken care of but loved. Every single staff would know/call our boys by their name. The director was always approachable, addressed us by our names and was always present in my kid's life until last December 2025 when while on our vacation we heard she was no longer there. To our surprise the entire front staff was gone. Keypads were installed, no colorful office , no aloha, no smiles ... felt like going to a business building ? Cold, quiet ... sad. Luckily my oldest left last year but my young is still a student there. Needless to say from January 2026 it's been terrible. Director Monica haven't emailed us back since January , horrible communication, changes in tuition and overcharges ... I wish I could've pulled my kid back in January ... so if you haven't : DO NOT ENROLL YOUR CHILD AT COLE ACADEMY!!! I heard seagull in Ko'olina is accepting new students 12 months and older ! Find a place that your child will be treated with love and you as a parent with aloha and respect. I'm writing as a parent but let me tell the stories I heard from teachers make it even worse . Loyal and caring teachers that left because they can't deal with management anymore. Feel free to reach out if you need more info!

Overall, the quality of care was okay, but for the amount we paid in tuition, I expected much more…read more My biggest concern was the administration, particularly with Monica, the lack of clear communication. The billing was confusing. Although we were on a monthly payment plan, the amount due changed from month to month because it was based on the number of school days. I asked for clarification but never received a clear explanation. There were also changes to tuition-related charges that we weren't notified about, which made the billing even more confusing. If you're considering Cole Academy, I'd encourage you to ask detailed questions about their billing and withdrawal policies and make sure you receive important information in writing. In my experience, it took several weeks to receive a response or get clarification regarding billing. I had a bad experience with billing and withdrawal because I didn't get a timely response when I reached out to Monica.

Both of my kids have and are currently attending here. Very pleased with the wonderful…read morecommunication between administrators and staff. So far, we've enjoyed many of the teachers, Ms. jaime being the best one yet! She is fabulous and truly was such an amazing teacher to our child. They are accommodating with various allergies and have great communication with parents. I would highly recommend.

Pretty good preschool for my 4 yr old. Carmen answers your questions, she's on point, and is always…read morethere. Virginia and Sara, teachers of my daughter, are very caring and sweet. This place has AC all day for the children. They offer build it club, water play, soccer, and swim lessons with Leahi swim school. Daily emails and photos on what your child did in school. Overall, I am very satisfied with her level of care there. Yes, I would recommend this place if you live in the area.

My son has been here for 8 months now. He is 3 turning 4 & we plan to keep him here until he goes…read moreto kindergarten. When he first came he was shy & still learning how to play with the other kids. After about 2-3 weeks of getting him warmed up, he finally opened up and loves going to school. Mrs Jocelyn & the rest of the staff are great. I don't worry when my son is here, I know he's in good hands.

This school is amazing and I am shocked that there are no reviews about them. I spent months…read moretrying to find childcare that I was comfortable leaving my child with six or more hours a day, five days a week. It is EXTREMELY hard to put trust in someone to care for your child while you are gone the majority of the day! Prior to coming to this school, I had checked out 10 plus in-home childcare providers, as well as 5 or more childcare facilities. Nothing compared to how I felt when I visited St. Timothy's preschool. I was so disappointed with the other places that I was considering staying home with my child until she became Kindergarten ready. So take it from me when I say, this school WILL fulfill the job duties you are looking for in a provider. The whole team works well together, I have witnessed this daily. The classrooms are very clean which seems to be a hard task for many of them, so I very much appreciate the fact that they focus on having a clean classroom and put a lot of attention in good hand washing for staff and the children, and the carpets get professionally cleaned nightly from what I hear. The school yard is separated by 2 different areas based on age groups and they even have a well-cared for sand box and many bikes for each child to play with. You never hear loud words or inappropriate communications/discussions going on. These group of women are here for the children and it was such a breath of fresh air to see this. From the beginning, myself and my daughter was welcomed and was given plenty of time to get comfortable with the school before I let her go at it alone and they didn't mind, in fact, the Director welcomed it and the teachers supported it positively. They were very patient with me, and despite my child crying a lot in the beginning, they were very loving, caring, and understanding of both of us. Daily I see these teachers play, sing, laugh, read stories, and support each child's emotional, intellectual, and physical development in many ways. My child loves to come to school here! She tells me she wants to go see her friends and teachers every morning on our drive there. My child is currently in the Buzzy Bees classroom and they do a phenomenal job in engaging them daily. Ms. Judy and Ms. Rena are the two teachers that lead this classroom, but I have been witness to the teachers that come to help out at different times and/ or different days and they are all very loving and supportive to the children also. I say this many times, because it is not for "show" for the parents, I can really tell and feel my child's demeanor when she is dropped off and picked up how she feels about her school. The school also participates in the creative curriculum which stimulates their early learning education. They do arts and crafts, put on school programs, parties, learn about each others cultures, just to name a few. I am above satisfied with this school and all their hard work they do daily. It is not an easy task to care for children all day, everyday, and they seem to do it effortlessly. Some may say this school is pricier, but take it from me who has seen and interviewed a lot of childcare providers; it is worth it, and less than some schools that in my opinion are sub-par.

We brought our child here when he was 3 years old. The initial introduction to the school was…read moregreat, but something felt off. We were surprised that there was no waitlist for enrollment. During the tour, the director spoke very highly of the school and even mentioned he could help us with tax write-offs. However, just a month after starting, our son was already afraid to return. He preferred to stay home, but due to our work schedule and lack of alternative childcare, we had no choice but to continue sending him. Not long after, he began completely refusing to go. One day, after picking him up, he told me in the car that someone had been bullying him. He had visible scratches on his neck and a bruise on his cheek. We immediately brought this to the teacher's attention, but her exact response was, "I don't know. Talk to your son." We asked the director for an explanation and even requested footage of the incident, but that was the final straw for us. The complete lack of compassion and professionalism made it clear we could not continue here. Not recommended.

Everything.. I believe that the owner doesn't do his job as a daycare provider. He doesn't know how…read moreto handle an age program. Lack of customer service,They are not capable of teaching children what to do.

Im August it would have been a year and I wish my son could have stayed here longer but we had to…read moremove. The staff was amazing, caring and so attentive towards him, they have set the bar for what I expect from all other daycares in the future. They do everything to keep the parents involved from daily check-ins, giving curriculum updates, and sending daily updates of your baby. As a first-time mom, they put all my worries at ease and I always recommend this place to anyone who asks. I honestly don't know how they don't have a 5-star rating because the whole staff truly cares about their kids and provides an environment for them to grow safe and confident.

When it was time for me to return to work at 8 weeks, we struggled to find a daycare for my sons…read moreage that had an opening. By some miracle, stepping stones had an opening! Everyone was so friendly and knew my child's name and he loved them back. He smiled and got excited to spend his day with them and even saying goodbye, which to me was a good sign. This place was ALWAYS clean, never had any funky odors, and even the other parents where so friendly in passing. Toys, high chairs, counters, etc were always clean - I'm honestly not sure how they do it! Entry is gated with an access code and parking is located a short walk away. Teachers plan fun art activities with the children that get sent home for you to keep. Teachers update you throughout the day with diaper changes, feedings, and my favorite - photos - to see how their day is going, through Pro Care app. The ONLY reason we are no longer here, is because we couldn't afford it. We don't qualify for any kind of assistance and the cost was starting to add up for us. To the entire team at Stepping Stones Waipahu - we greatly appreciate the care you took of our miracle baby!

I just want to thank the staff of Kama'aina Kids in Kalaeloa for all they do. They go under…read moreappreciated for the service they provide and sometimes it's hard to find a trustworthy and reputable day care facility that's worth bringing your babies to. As a full time active duty military personnel, I'm glad Kama'aina Kids supports the military community and our children because it's hard not being able to raise our babies ourselves but they will do it and do it to the best of their ability. Although many of the previous reviews are not very positive, I've found this day care to be a great place to take my child to. She has been going to this daycare for a little over a year now and she's about to turn 2 years old in a few months. She was still in her infant stage when she first came to Kama'aina Kids, and they have watched her sprout into the strong, independent and outgoing baby girl she is today with me. I could not have done this without them. She went from rolling to crawling to stumbling until she could walk and run. Her coos and cries have become hand signs, words, basic sentences and even singing. They teach her almost all the things she knows, and I couldn't be more proud and grateful for the effort her teachers put into her. I love how she's soo friendly with others and can be more sociable than myself sometimes, haha! She enjoys the company of other kids as well as adults, has a big heart and an even bigger personality and she gets a lot of that from her day care. She is with them every day, Monday to Friday for over 9hrs daily so they pretty much are her 2nd family at this point. Her teachers love her and every adult staff member that passes her in the hallway knows her name. They really know how to make this mama smile knowing she's in good hands the moment I drop her off and leave the building. The facility itself is clean and bright. When you walk in, you'll find the front desk, check in kiosk, bulletin board with announcements and important notices. There's a table to the right that has the monthly breakfast and lunch menus, applications and other family support source documents. The hallway has all the classrooms and they're each separated by age groups with a minimum of 3 teachers per class. The walls of the hallway are decorated with artwork created by all the children, and it changes every month with the seasons, holidays and special events throughout the year. The best part is you get to take it all home when they put up new artwork and start a collection of all your child's mater pieces. I have yet to organize them all into a binder! As our children learn and grow, there will be accidents and she has had a few while in the care of Kama'aina Kids but I understand. Yes, I have been upset about it the first few times but the teachers really try their best to watch and care for all the kids assigned to them. She does come home with a written report at the end of the day and they notify us via phone call or on the app when the accidents happen. You also can't control what other children will do but I'm sure they do what they can so it doesn't happen again. I'm just glad she comes home safe everyday. The little bumps and bruises here and there are minor and my baby girl is trooper for sure! She'll cry for a moment and go right back to playing like nothing happened. All and all, I would choose Kama'aina Kids, Kalaeloa again and again. They are close to home which makes drop off and pick up convenient. The teachers are all great and I haven't experienced any negative interactions with them at all. The facility is clean, organized, AC'd and has fenced in playgrounds to keep your babies safe and busy. They provide daily meals so the kids have plenty to eat, have activity schedules to keep your babies learning and host special events so that parents stay involved with the school. They are not just a daycare but place to help your child grow physically, mentally and emotionally. I'm happy I chose Kama'aina Kids and I hope many others make the same choice I did so they can experience what a great place this can be for parents and all of our babies! I highly recommend any parent considering to take their child here to make the jump and that chance. You'll be thankful that you did! Thank you again Kama'aina Kids, Kalaeloa! Especially to my baby's teachers Ms. Coreen, Ms. Jade, Ms. Sheriece and Mr. Izea!

Our son has attended daycare here for about a year and a half. The staff is professional, engaged,…read moreand love what they do. They always have fun activities and focus on both learning and play, which has been invaluable for our toddler. The play areas and classrooms are clean and they have a TON of fun activities. They use the Procare app to communicate with parents throughout the day, and they send photos of my keiki's play and activities at least once a week, which we always love to see. Food is included in the price (they have menus for parents to see what is being served each day) and meals are well-balanced. They also help with potty training and other important milestones. My two year old has learned to count, colors, how to pretend play, animals, shapes... And tons more. We started off at a home-based daycare when our little was 4 months old to save money since we knew the provider, but when she moved, we spent a lot of time looking at options. Daycare in general is expensive and Kamaaina Kids isn't the cheapest option, but they are so awesome for our family that it's worth the cost. I did see a lot of negative reviews from others here, but I am so glad I gave them a chance because people are far less likely to leave a review about a positive experience. Our family loves it, and we highly recommend.

Can't say enough great things about this preschool. Amazingly caring and skilled teachers, aides…read moreand admin. Our family had such a wonderful experience with our daughter attending here. She's learned so much and has made great friends.

best staff and school for my kids,highly recommend this school.there's a saying says you learn from…read morethe best,you will always do best.God blessed this good heart teacher and leader,may our good lord bless them all.

Would pull my daughter out if i could. Pick up time changed from 6pm to 5:30pm with a monthly cost…read moreincrease. There was a cost increase just last year. They don't allow us to pay monthly payments on the parent app anymore. Teachers get mad when kids can't nap. One new younger teacher will grab kids arms and hold them very tightly I've walked in multiple times and seen this happen in class and outdoor play time. Not happy at all with my daughter's new teachers. Hardly any updates on the parents apps. My daughter's new sleep matt was ruined by another child. Don't know why some of these teachers are man handling these children's. You are in the wrong profession if you can't handle toddlers not even me will i grab my child the way i see some of these teachers do. My daughter's previous teachers were very sweet. I've bit my tongue for too long with this place.

The one star I give to this place is for the amazing teacher my daughter had but that is it. She…read morewas the only reliable staff whom I could trust and the sole reason we lasted here as long as we did. There is no accountability whatsoever from upper management and no continuity of care with the assistant teachers who rotate around. Terrible body and verbal language from the staff towards children. I have witnessed yelling and rough handling the children from the staff and there were too many incidents that should have been avoided. Which leads to the fact that they do not have functional cameras all around the facility. Even after a terrible incident another child went through, they could not account for it with video footage nor take accountability. I sure hope they installed cameras by now but wouldn't be surprised if they still didn't. It is simply appalling that they are nationally accredited and I would NOT recommend this place to anyone. My only regret is not pulling her out sooner and I am leaving this review for the sake of the children who are still in their care. PLEASE IMPROVE FOR THE CHILDREN. If you do not love taking care of them, please do everyone a favor and get another job. I feel COMPELLED to leave this review especially after just a month at her new school, my daughter is completely back to her happy self and thriving. At Kamaaina Kids, she had terrible tantrums as soon as I picked her up from school. She just wasn't herself because she was not being heard and surrounded in that negativity. She always had a runny nose and was constantly sick on and off and had unchanged diapers one too many times when I picked her up. It breaks my heart thinking about it but we are just so grateful to be out of there at a much better place filled with staff who simply care and love children. It feels as if we woke up from a terrible nightmare, except it wasn't a dream. We can't take back these terrible few months here but hope this review can help propel a positive change for the children who are still in their care.