Love the staff at Kama'aina Kids St. Mark's. The director is very responsive and caring. My son…read moreloves going here and he is always happy and singing songs in the car that he learned in daycare on the way home. Of course daycare costs an arm and a leg but we are glad that our son is in good hands while we are at work. The kids all look happy at drop off and pick up and the teachers know all the kids names even if they are in a different age group. If you're looking for a daycare option then I would recommend this location.

I am not only very thankful to all teachers but also leaned a lot to be a good parent at this…read moreschool. My son went to this school from 3 to 5 years old. We checked out many schools in town and tried couple for few weeks but this school was most fun, loving and caring as well as had good discipline and academics. Ms. Tammy quickly realized my son was behind in writing. She told me not to pick him up till 4pm so she could work with him more personally. A couple of months later, I realized that my son and his classmates were lot ahead in academics from other kids in their age. She said she wanted kids to be confident by being ahead so they would always do well in school. Now my son is in kindergarten and has been always the top of the class in all subjects. In fact, people often asked me which preschool he went to. Ms. Tammy was also very fun and planned many activities even on weekends. She brought a whole class closer and many of us had quality time and memory together. When she taught dodgeball to kids, not only parents but also teachers jumped in to play. We got scoldings for being so loud by too much laughter :) We had so much fun. Another difference I noticed was teachers are more realistic and sustainable. Unlike other schools that focus on fancy wooden toys and recycle papers, they use the back of used papers and make many things from cardboard, fabrics and plants. I was very impressed how creative they were. What I love most about this school was all teachers were very loving, caring and fun at the same time they give good disciplines to kids. They were very nurturing and experienced mothers, they know names of all kids in school and what's going with them each day. As soon as I walked in to pick up my son, the first teacher I saw always told me how my son was. The office lady even the director were often helping kids in the classroom. They are not only sweet but strict in a good way too, and children have good understandings and behaviors. Watching how they deal with kids, I learned how to be fair to kids. Lastly, the director and teachers were very understanding and lenient with our complicated family situation. They were always there to listen and give me good advices, and I felt very supported. I referred many of my friends to this school and they are all happy. The school helped my son to be kind, strong and smart and me to be a good mom. I highly recommend this school!

Our 5 yr old daughter learned more in a half year at Chaminade University Montessori Lab School…read morethan she has in her previous 4.5 years of life! OK, I may be exaggerating a bit, but I really wanted to sing the praises of the incredible staff at CUMLS. My daughter comes home and asks when she can go to school next. She's constantly amazing us with her vocabulary. She actually taught me the definition of an archipelligo. Maybe she can teach me how to spell it too? What's truly important too is that this year's current crew of teachers are so loving to our kids. I can feel how much they care for the kids as if they are all Ohana. They grow herbs in their garden and my daughter brings home kalo chips, hummus, and other wonderful things that were from the things grown on campus. Extra Kudos to Kristie Sakai who provided a safe space for our keiki and gave us the flexibility to stay distanced during Covid and welcoming us when we were ready to go back to in-person learning. The logistics and coordination are not taken for granted. I'm especially emotional about this fine school since this is our daughter's last day and she'll be moving on to a different school. Our many, many thanks to Ms. Claire, Ms. Megan, Ms. Veronica, and Ms. Kristie for their love and care of our most valued treasures. We will miss CUMLS!

Our third son just finished his last year of preschool at Chaminade University Montessori Lab…read moreSchool and our fourth son is going to be starting this upcoming school year for 2019. All four of our sons will have attended preschool here - which shows clearly how much we have appreciated everything about the school, including the teachers, the program, the campus, the fun night events where parents are invited to visit the school and see students' projects, the security, the shaded and safe playground, convenient school hours, ample parking, and the beautiful view from the classroom and school grounds. The classroom is well organized, clean, and full of amazing educational materials. As other reviewers have noted, the curriculum is Montessori, so no complaints there. We think methods used to teach learning and skills to the young children really works and it's easy to see the progress each month. Some of the other specific things I really liked about the curriculum and how this school instructs the children, is the teaching of practical skills and shared responsibilities like cleaning up and preparing food together, or taking care of the younger children in the classroom. During this past year, our third son looked after a couple of younger children and in turn, was befriend by an older boy that took him under his wing. He couldn't wait to go to school each day! Other things my wife and I appreciated about the school, included all the educational field trips to a variety of places around the island, including historical sites, organic farms, and holiday events. While the teachers and the head staff have changed since we enrolled our oldest son five years ago, the ratio of teachers to students has always been high. We have also liked all the teachers and thought they were caring and attentive and did a great job of communicating about our sons and their progress, including providing us with photos of them learning and doing projects at school. At the end of each year, the students work hard to put on a graduation show that includes music and singing, and a potluck lunch. It's always been a little sad to leave at the end of the school year, which means I highly recommend Chaminade University Montessori Lab School!

Aloha bags are popular and it was very cool to find out they even made totes in Hawaiian print for…read moreMid Pac. We came today to check out what was available. Spent a pretty penny there. I'm not an alum but being the shopaholic that I am, it got the better of me. Happy with our purchases.

Many people are saying Mid-Pac athletics has a problem. I don't know, I'm just telling you what I…read moreheard. Very unfair what happened to me. The runner tripped me. The coaches watched. The officials did nothing. It's a disgrace. One star. Look into it.

This review is for their summer school only…read more I LOVE this summer school for my kids, especially at the early elementary school age. They are smaller so it's easier for children who don't go here normally to adapt (and not get lost). The school is very organized and the children get name tags with their classes listed so the adults can help them get to their classes in the beginning of the year. They offer a variety of classes that are a nice blend of academics and fun and really have the kids engaged. My son just enjoyed his summer here and raved about it daily! He even wanted to be dropped off early! They have a very nice open house towards the end of summer school to be able to see what your child has been doing. The teachers do a great job of showing what the children have been learning and it's amazing how much they do over the course of the weeks. There are 2 morning classes, a midday care (lunch optional and separate) and 1 afternoon class ending at 2pm. Alternatively they have a care that lasts through midday through all afternoon (I think till 5:30ish?). So there are good alternatives depending on what your needs are. Summer classes run roughly $500 each with midday care a separate price. I believe the afternoon care is a different price as well. Ample information on their website and what I love is that you can register at the same time as the children who attend the school. FANTASTIC!

I have fond memories of visiting this school as a parent and parent of alum. The school's culture…read moreemphasizes exactly what "hanahauoli" means...Happy Work. They encourage students to love learning and doing. They encourage teamwork. They foster community by all of their school traditions. They encourage parents to accept their children's individual uniqueness and strengths. Each student I have met has such strong self esteem and a happy demeanor. I thought the former Headmaster who has since retired was amazing. He knew and greeted each child every day. What a blessing to attend this school or their annual Children's Fair.

Ive attened both hba and public schools throughout my life and from my personal experience hba is…read morejust a public school with a punahou/iolani price tag. There is clearly no selection process when admitting students as seen throughout their behavior's and actions. Teachers bombard you with homework everyday that doesnt help learning especially when it takes away from your sleep. Finally Christianity is pushed in your face constantly when its clear over 75% of the student base dont have any of the basic "morals" supposedly a Christian would follow. I could go on and on about favoritism towards certain students from the staff and administration, neglect towards issues between students, and more the list goes on and on. There is a lot that needs to be fixed at Hawaii Baptist Academy and its showing with the enrollment rates being at a all time low.

I have two kids in the elementary school, so I have seen the JK-5 grades. I can't say enough about…read morethe school. They both love their teachers and I have been amazed at the types of projects and activities the teachers create. I have a master's in education, and I see cutting edge best practices frequently. At the same time, I see HBA's commitment to the whole child--building character and social-emotional skills. Several of my daughters' classmates have parents who went to HBA K-12, and after their own experience, they wouldn't send their kids anywhere else. Now I see why. It has been a game changer for our girls, and it is truly a God-send to our family.

We love this preschool! Everyone is so nice and caring. It starts from 7:30am and finishes at…read more4:00pm everyday. You only have to pay one fee for the whole day. I know many other preschools charge you extra if your child stays after 2:00pm. You don't have to worry about that here. The school communicates with parents via the Brightwheel app, so you get updates about events, classes, and how your child is doing throughout the day. We love seeing our son bonding with all his classmates and teachers over the past year and a couple months. There are events and field trips to educate the children and they allow parents to interact with their children every month or two. We get to see how our son is learning to do things independently and become more social with his peers. They also have a nice playground for the kids to play at in between classes and after school while all the kids wait for their parents to pick them up. The Director Ms. Nancy and her team of teachers are always willing to talk with parents about what the kids are learning or if you have any concerns.

I've had two kids at this preschool, and although during my daughter's time there (2010-2013) the…read moreschool went through some turnover of teachers, this is still a fairly new school (started in 2008) and I think it probably takes time to find the right fit for things and get the foundation you need for long lasting relationships. I think and hope that their teacher roster has finally settled in, as I love the teachers there now and think each and every one of them are compassionate, creative and have invested themselves in these kids just as a good teacher should. My son is now in the 3-4 year old class and his teacher, Ms. Zyrah is awesome! (His 2's teacher, Ms. Mika, was also wonderful). Ms. Zyrah is so creative and has so many hands on activities for the kids to learn from and experience. We get an email every day on how my son's day went and although last year, my daughter would often get two or three sentences at most, Ms. Zyrah always paints a great picture of my son's day, and gives us not only the standard notes such as how much he ate, if he took a nap, etc, but also provides us with a nice idea of what he is showing strengths in and what he is still working on. For things she works on with him, she always lets us know what works and what doesn't, and this helps us work with him at home too. She also always points out nice things he says or helpful and respectful choices he makes and gives us insight into times in his day that we would love to be able to see, but of course cannot be there to witness :). She also finds time to send us pictures when they go on field trips of participate in special events and we really appreciate that. The school overall is small - which was one of the reasons we chose the school. There's just 6 kids in the 2 year old class and no more than 12 in the older classes. The kids wear uniforms (which I think is great - no hassle in the morning to get dressed!) Each year, they add more to their program and this year, the director even had a shade tent structure built over the playground - which is makes me feel so much better when I forget to put sunscreen on my son! Their playground is small, but beautiful, with nice green grass and a great hill the kids love rolling things down on...even themselves! The director also tries out different things for the special events and this year they are even having an "open mic" for Thanksgiving lunch that lets the kids or even parents sing or share any talents they may have. They also do different things for May Day and even have a grandparents tea party and Sweethearts ball for Valentines day that is so cute...just like a toddler prom! And possibly one of the best things - for me anyway - is that the school is the cleanest preschool I've ever been too! And although their sick policy is pretty strict, as a parent, I appreciate their efforts as I've been to other preschools where half the class has green snot running down their face and the teachers do nothing about it! yuck. I would recommend this preschool to anyone who is looking for a smaller class size, warm and caring teachers and staff, and a strong foundation in Christian values. Last year, I would have given 4 stars due to the high turnover, but giving 5 stars in hopes that the teachers will remain next year as my sons enters the pre-k class!

This was the preschool that I attended as a child. Mr. Mark was my first ever teacher and I still…read moreremember him. When I first attended, I didn't speak a word of English. I was born in Hong Kong and came to Hawaii when I was three. All I spoke was Chinese. They were patient with me and taught me English, how to speak and to write my ABC's, literally. When I pass by there, I can still see the kids running around and it brings back memories. The kids look as if they're having fun and I can see the adults monitoring them. Some Easter's, I take my son there for their Easter egg hunt. They'll serve breakfast and then you'll go around the facility to hunt for eggs. I can see the arts and crafts projects that the kids have done. The place looks clean and tidy.

I went here in the 80's. I'd be here in the morning and afternoons for daycare. I'd be here for…read moreSummer Fun too. It'll always have a special place in my heart. Great to see you guys taking care of the place.

Our family has had a very positive experience at this private Catholic school. My child is…read morecurrently in middle school and is genuinely excited to continue on to the high school next year, which speaks volumes about how supported and comfortable he feels in this community. One of the school's greatest strengths is its size. The student-to-teacher ratio feels just right--small enough for individualized attention, but large enough to offer a well-rounded experience. I've seen my child both supported when he needs help and challenged to grow academically, which is exactly what we hoped for. Equally important has been the social environment. He has built a strong, close-knit group of friends who I truly believe will remain an important part of his life well beyond school. That sense of belonging and community was something we deeply valued when choosing a school, and it's a big reason he never felt the need to look elsewhere. Like any school, it's not perfect. At times, administrative decisions can take longer than expected. However, I've come to see this as a reflection of the school's thoughtful and compassionate approach--they take the time to carefully consider situations and prioritize what's best for their students rather than rushing to judgment. Overall, we're grateful to be part of a school community that nurtures both academic growth and meaningful relationships. It has been a great fit for our child, and we look forward to the years ahead.

Tonight they had their Fall Festival. Nadine invited me to go with her. It was fun. They were doing…read morea movie night and played the Super Mario Bros. movie. That must have been the theme as some of the students had on the costumes. They had a lot of food vendors. Chick-Fil-A was there selling their chicken sandwiches. They were the main sponsor. Other booths were selling popcorn, baked goods, pizza, hot dogs, chicken strip, fries, hamburger curry and lumpia. One booth was doing free airbrushed tattoos. The students must really like this as the line was so long. Another booth was selling Maryknoll merchandise such as T-shirts, hoodies and sunglasses.