I went here when it was still K-6 and overall I had a good experience. Of course there were the…read moretypical bullies and childhood drama, but I have good memories of making a few close friends, going to the cafeteria and the library, and selling ice cream after school to fundraise for different things. I played on the playground and fields A, B, and C, learned how to play the viola and ukulele, and made some student films. I learned how to type and use the old style Mac computers, and took after school Japanese classes. Times were simpler then, and now that I look back I really appreciate the teachers who really cared about us crazy kids.

My daughter just started kindergarten with Mrs Okamoto. She's a fantastic teacher and fantastic…read moreschool. The principal is very hands on and involved. The school property is clean, the pickup and drop off service is also very organized.

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.

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.

We got married at Holy Nativity Church 50 years ago and today we return to watch grandson's first…read morebasketball game at their center. Cooled by ceiling fans and breezes. They have a short bleacher outdoors so you might be more comfortable to bring your own collapsible chair. I saw a few families sitting on the stage edge. The scoreboard counts down time remaining but doesn't keep score. Bud's team only had one practice on Thursday prior to this first game. Considering this, we will keep a watchful and positive outlook for the rest of the season.

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.

This is probably the most educating campus i have ever enrolled my keikis into. I love the teachers…read moreand staff here. And my keikis they love it here. The breakfast and lunch program they have is way awesome and nutritional. I recommend this school to any parent.

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.

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.