I'm so sad that the time has finally come to leave a review for Strode Montessori....because it…read moremeans both my children have aged out. We have been sending our kids to Strode since 2014 (the infant care centers in downtown) and we were so upset when our daughter aged out......but then they opened the preschool!!! It was perfect. We have been there since they opened their doors in 2016 and have watched them evolve. From the beginning, Ms Kelsey was there, and Pamela Strode, with quality care and love for our kids. Their resources have been expanding as time goes on and the units and events have gotten even more engaging and interesting. Now that my older child is on the verge of finishing 1st grade, I can see that Strode's evolution is in line with preparing them to be successful in kindergarten, with events that are very similar to those in elementary school. All the teachers are wonderful and caring, the facility is clean and the rules effectively keep the kids safe. If they did elementary school, we'd stay on for that, just like another reviewer said. They sent us off with wonderful memories and memorabilia. Both our kids got into one of the top private schools on the island, with our younger child waitlisted with the other two (we got our preference, though!). The Montessori philosophy and multi-age learning has been highly valuable. Pick up and drop off is secure and simple. If I could give Strode Montessori 10 stars out of 5, I would.

Went to a preview of this school, it's absolutely amazing! I had limited knowledge of Montessori…read moreschooling but it definitely seems to be focused on fostering curiosity and independence at a young age when the kids are in the critical development age. Kelsey is the director and she is absolutely amazing at her job and is passionate about the kids. The facility is sparkling clean and spacious and I saw an outdoor area they are going to build. The facility is secure and the staff seems to be top notch and are genuinely excited to be teaching kids, something you might be missing in many other schools out there. I can't wait till my daughter starts the next year!

My daughter loves it here. She's made friends and the lessons really helped her coordination and…read moreconfidence. The classes are grouped by age group, but the age grouping has some wiggle room. Over time, you will see your child become confident in their abilities and have better mastery of their body. The only thing I wish, is that parents watched and shadowed their kids better. I feel like some people aren't attentive enough. But in no way is that the staff's fault. The place is clean and equipment is sturdy and safe. At the end of lessons, the kids get stamped. My daughter absolutely loves this part. She sometimes comes home with 4 stamps. I have even started to use this stamp idea for car rides.

I'm honestly really disappointed with the cleanliness at Gymboree Aiea. Every time my son and my…read morenephew attend a class, one or both of them seem to end up getting sick afterward. I understand that kids get sick and that's part of being around other children, but the cleanliness of the facility is concerning. The floors and play areas do not seem to be cleaned thoroughly enough between classes. The last time I went, I was wearing white socks and by the end of class, the bottoms of my socks were literally BLACK. That was really gross and made me question how well the floors and play areas are actually being cleaned. For a place where babies and toddlers are crawling, playing on the floor, and putting their hands everywhere, I really think cleanliness should be a much higher priority. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and improves the cleaning and sanitation, because I would love to feel comfortable bringing my child here without worrying about how dirty the facility is.

My oldest attended Good Shepherd for 2 years…read more The teachers, teacher assistants, director and office manager all participated in my child's growth. They are responsive, professional and caring. Through all the challenges we faced, the staff helped us get passed them. In the first year, the curriculum was just right. He learned the expected ABCs, counting, and proper writing skills, but he also learned many social skills and small things like how to sneeze into his elbow, wash hands properly, speak when asked, etc. They had regular field trips, provided a wide variety of activities like sand play, water play, and free time. During his second year, the curriculum become much more academic and focused on counting, sight words, and math. They also did STEM projects, which I hope they do more of in the future. My son also had regular progress reports which were detailed and informative. Summer fun is also available which had more play elements but they still focused on learning as well. Because my son was a regular student there, they were able to continue emphasis on the areas where he was weakest. For example, my son had to strengthen his writing skills so they focused a lot of time on proper pencil grip and fine motor skills. They also had Amazing Athletes, Soccer Shots, and Ballet as extracurricular/optional activities although I'm not sure if Soccer Shots is still an option. I'm missing a lot of specifics, but the bottom line is that, today, my son is more confident, kind and curious about the world around him. I'm glad he attended Good Shepherd.

This is the Best Preschool to send your keiki to. Our 2 sons, in 2005 & 2012, attended Good…read moreShepherd Preschool and they have benefited from this program and have done excellent academically after leaving GSP. It's an affordable school, with an awesome staff. Ms. Carolyn Gima was a terrific teacher, I'm not sure if she's still there though. You will not regret enrolling your child or children here!

I heard many good things about this school and so when minor issues/concerns came up here and…read morethere, I just let it slide because I figured that's how all preschools are. My daughter was always tired and not very happy when coming home from school, but I thought that too was normal. But when I had a safety concern and the director did not take it seriously, and was more than a month unresponsive, I decided to switch my daughter to a different preschool after being at Queen Emma for 2 years. When I switched my daughter to a new school, she came home SO much happier! I didn't realize what a difference a good school can make! Unfortunately, Queen Emma wasn't the right fit for my daughter. I think the teachers there do a great great job! And there are many teachers that my daughter loved! However, I think the classes are so big and the teachers are overworked...and so my daughter thrived much better in a different and more family/small school environment.

Great preschool. My daughter has been there for the last two years. Teachers are happy and there is…read morevery little turnover. The kids are very happy. Strong emphasis on social emotional development. Ms Susan is the director and hands on always subbing in herself if a teacher is sick etc so she really gets to know the kids. Lots of available instruction on parenting skills from potty training workshops (before admission--as kids must be potty trained to start) to play based learning workshops. Also lots of extra curricular activities available during school hours like music, piano, soccer, hula and tumble bus. We love Queen Emma Preschool.

I am a volunteer tutor for Math, Alebra, and Geometry at Kosasa Academy. I'm a retired US Navy…read moreCaptain, a registered Professional Engineer, with a BS from the Naval Academy, and two advanced degrees from MIT. Kosasa Academy is a wonderful place to work. The work is extremely important: teaching children with autism and learning disabilities not only academics, but also life skills, ethics, and Christian values. I have been teaching there for nine months and counting. I find it very gratifying and rewarding to see children who were very challenged find success at math and algebra, and to start to take initiative and pride in themselves (probably for the first time ever). I've been working one-on-one with three boys, and they have all shown incredible improvement, and not just in their Math skills; when they experience success at math, it begins to transform their whole world view. They gain confidence, come out of their shells, and start believing that they can be successful human beings for the first time in their lives. All this is due to Ms Kosasa. She is loving and kind, but also brooks no nonsense. She understands (in detail) the challenges and problems of each and every child. She communicates with parents and therapists to develop tailored educational plans for each child. Most of the instruction is in very small groups ( I usually am one-on-one, but sometimes have as many as three students at once). The curriculum is structured, formal, and effective. If you are the parent of a child with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, or any other learning disability, I encourage you to contact Ms Kosasa to see if Kosasa Academy might help your child. Kosasa Academy is a non-profit school. Tuition is reasonable. If you are a young person who is interested in gaining experience in helping educate children with learning disabilities, please reach out to Ms Kosasa as a paid teacher or child care worker. And if you are an older retired person who is seeking a very meaningful teaching and mentoring role in the lives of children who really truly need your help, please join me at Kosasa Academy. One-on-one is better than two-on-one or three-on-one. And there truly are children who need your help. Aloha

I was recommended this place by Sakura Psychological services to assist in helping my son with his…read moredyslexia and ADHD. Long story short I would save your money and for another place. They recommended my son go to a 11 week tutoring session before going into their reading and writing program during the summer. They said he would have a hard time if he just went to their summer program . Half way into the tutoring session they said my son was done with his sessions and didn't need any more tutoring. That left me with only 5 sessions and no refund for the other 5. When picking him up and dropping him off during the tutoring session I noticed that their facility was uncomfortably hot and there was a lot of construction going on. With this place being a Multi-sensory center I can't imagine being able to help a child with ADHD with people coming in and out, loud construction noises, and unbearable heat. Their summer program is also a joke, there is only one teacher for numerous kids of different ages. I signed my son up for only for reading and writing, but they taught him math instead. Once the summer program was completed they tried to sell me more sessions saying he needed more help! This place is just a business to make money rather than helping children with learning disorders.

Excellent, supportive team helped my 8th grade daughter improve 30+ points in math. She really…read moreenjoyed the tutors, especially the college-aged ones on the weekends. She learned great test taking skills and tips. The whole team was pleasant to work with and very flexible schedule, which we really appreciated. Great location. Many thanks Diane for leading this wonderful service!

Jamie and Diane are absolute LEGENDS in the tutoring/enrichment field. We sent our daughter…read morestarting at age 4 through 6 to prep her for private school entrance. they are professionals who know what they are doing, and they do it with compassion, love, and playfulness that keeps the young kids like our daughter engaged and learning. They taught her how to read, write, math, AND socialization skills and she aced her interviews and tests and got into both Punahou and Iolani. She's now 11 and she still remembers all the fun times at art camp with auntie Jamie and the friends she's made. They gave her a great foundation that allowed her to score in the top 97th% in reading and 99% in math in state testing.

Sending my 3 year old to this pre-school was a great idea. My kid was able to socialize and get a…read morejump start with her ABC's and learn new things. She loves going to school! This preschool takes children aged 2 and over currently but will soon be taking younger children. They also have two prices for children who are potty trained or those who need to be. They do offer a weekly TumbleBus activity and swimming during the summer, May Day and Christmas activities, and recently went on a school trip to the pumpkin patch.

Our grandchildren chose LLA and they are so happy and thankful o be there! We are grateful for a…read moreSchool that is safe fun and Teaches Children The Word of God! And the Staff is wonderful!

My son LOVES his school and we as parents love it too. It is a true Christ-centered school with top…read morenotch facilities, faculty and staff. He is excited to go to school every day and wakes up extra early. He loves his teacher and tells us he misses her anytime he's not in school. He's in the extended after-school program where they learn music, art, dance, polynesian culture, nutrition and fitness. I picked him up early once and he asked me to please not pick him up early again. He wants to be the last kid to leave . The best part I feel is the open door parent-teacher relationship as well as with the staff. We know the teachers and staff well and can speak with them freely. We also know that the teachers genuinely care for each student. One day as my son was last to leave, we got to the car and he had to go back into the school to use the restroom. Upon our return we heard the teachers and principal of the school gathered together and praying over each student by name . I was so blessed to hear that and it brought me to tears!! This school is the real deal!