A private school which uses the traditions of Buddhist teachings in its curriculum. The curriculum…read moreis not as rigorous as what we're used to in California, and the disciplinary methods are a little unconventional but every child is different and this might work for your child(ren). Student/teacher ratio is pretty low which allows more attention towards the students. They have a wonderful program which allows kids to have breakfast with their parents before classes in the morning. Breakfasts are really cheap -- your basic local breakfast stuff: eggs, bacon/spam/Portuguese sausage, rice, cereal etc -- but it allows you to spend time with your kids before you rush off to work. Some of the teachers are inexperienced as they do hire new graduates to join their staff. My only gripe with this place is that they did not challenge the kids enough. My child was there for only half a year but there wasn't much homework and the curriculum was really more towards playing than learning. After we moved back to California, my child had a hard time keeping up at the new school where the curriculum was so much more rigid and intense. Strangely, Hongwanji is a private school and my child is now attending a public school. I had expected more from a private school!

I went to school here many many years ago. So I can't comment on the current curriculum or anything…read morerecent. But what I learned here was social interaction, community, religion, sports, and music. Because of Hongwanji and the YBA, I was a JPO, cub scout, boy scout, basketball player, and volleyball player. I learned how to serve lunch, clean up, and be a part of a team. I learned how to swim and 'jump rope for heart.' I learned how to budget my allowance by buying either the fried noodles or the Star Wars cards. I was a part of the 40K relay team and we were awarded the youngest team. I marched in a competition. I went to Disneyland. I got in to a lot of trouble but it was the teachers who cared about everyone that kept me from being an outright delinquent. Thank you Mr. Date, Mrs. Kimura, Shannon's Mom, and Mrs. Endo. They also stimulated my love of reading. And last but not least, the Hongwanji cookbooks are my most used especially when I'm ono for some comfort food. I learned how to cook because of these Hongwanji cookbook. Back then it really was a village raising each and every child.

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.

Mahalo Punahou School for hosting tonight's ILH cheer competition…read more Congratulations to all the participating schools, cheer squads, and supporters. Excellent win for Iolani taking all 3 divisions in first place: intermediate, JV and varsity. Love the comraderie of the audience sitting side by side with families of competing schools. The coolest thing was while waiting for the tallying of each school's points, the cheerleaders were in good spirits dancing on the floor to the music. So much aloha encompassed the gym. Smiles, hugs, leis of all kinds and roses being handed out to teammates and friends. A wonderful spectacle to witness and enjoy.

Disclaimer: this is a review of the tennis facility. I have played and coached many matches at this…read moreschool and it has a very impressive tennis complex. In the years since I was competing, they renovated the office/viewing area to include an upper deck. There are 6 courts with lights on the lower side and up a steep road there are 3 more courts. There is also a bleacher area to watch some of the matches from. Parking can be tricky and the one-way setup of the lot is difficult. If you pass an area, you have to go all the way out of the campus and back around the hill to get back on property. If you see a spot, even if it's not that close, take it! Weather is also an issue since it's in Manoa so we sometimes have rain delays/cancelled matches. Yesterday we almost had to postpone but luckily the weather held up enough to finish the match!

Summer School Music Program was outstanding. The teachers understand well that those little bodies…read moreneed to move to learn. Children learn better after exercising and this school has it down! Exemplary. I'm hoping they have a morning curriculum where the whole school exercises before class!

We attended a Christmas program for the elementary school students on Friday evening. The school…read morewas festive, the students and attendees were brimming with excitement for the program to begin. 2 lines formed before entry, one on each side of the chapel doors. Lots of seats and standing room was available inside for the program. The lighting was good, sound could've been better but overall, a good experience. My only con for this is the parking. Extremely limited parking is available on the campus and surrounding streets. We parked in the cemetary where there is little to no lighting. And pro tip, only the entrance nearer the school is open to exit after the program ends.

Great school and environment. The students and faculty made our family feel very welcomed.read more

Damien Memorial High School is named in honor of the recent canonized saint, Father Damien better…read moreknown as Father Damien of Molokai, SS.CC. or Father Damien de Veuster of Belgium. He was best known for his work in living and working with the people on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. There are many memorials, statues, and places honoring St. Damien de Veuster of Belgium and Molokai. Damien Memorial High School is one of these places honoring this brave priest. This was an all boys high school when I paid a personal visit at the time, I understand Damien Memorial High School has since gone co-ed. Some are happy about it, some are not as it changes the dynamic of the school. About twenty so years ago, I met a member of the alumni who graduated, oh about 35 or more years ago. He went on to perform in opera and musical theatre. I met him when he was in one of the national tours of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. He was portraying the title role, he was filling in for the principal actor who was on holiday. When he came out of the stage door, he was very surprised to see so many people who wanted a piece of him--translation: an autograph and a picture with him. When I saw him, I thought to myself, "Hello!" Oh yes, I developed quite an immediate crush on him. Right there on the spot! He was tall, dark, and oh so very handsome. I was not the only one. I was with a friend who was old enough to be his mother. She was swooning over him. And I am sure the other women in the crowd were too. While he was signing autographs, we were discussing his Anglo/Hawaiian name. He did not look at me during the conversation as he was signing autographs, he was surprised somebody in this crowd knew the meaning of his name. When we did see each other, it was one of those foggy slow motion moments where it was just him and me, everyone and everything else was fog. Out of respect for this man, I am not going to say his name. He is quite private for one and two, I got to meet him again some time after that first meeting. Awkward. It was quite an awkward and embarrassing moment seeing him again. It is never as good as the first time, to paraphrase the 1985 Sade song. C'est la vie, as Robbie Nevill sang in 1986. I had quite the textbook crush on this guy though. I was surprised to learn we kind of grew up in similar circumstances. I graduated from a Catholic all-girls school while he graduated from a Catholic all boys school. I wanted to visit his high school alma mater since I was in the area. Damien Memorial High School reminded me of the schools in the Philippine Islands: cement fences surrounding a cement building with iron metal fences and gates in-between. Sliding gates and doors with regular hinged doors. It was quite airy walking around the premises. What caught my eye was a little blue eggshell chapel in the courtyard. It was quite lovely and quaint. I thought to myself, "Wow! I would love to get married in a chapel like that." Wow, what a strange thought that crossed my mind. I bet many alumni married their brides in the blue eggshell chapel though. I stopped by the library and told them why I was here. I wanted to see this guy's high school yearbook and picture. They did not have the yearbooks in the library. The librarian knew where they were: in the principal's office. So she escorted me to the principal's office. The principal was in the process of packing up his office as he was being transferred to another assignment. And it turned out the principal was once this guy's guidance counselor back in the day. Wow. I got to see the picture as I wanted. And that was that, I thanked him for his time and understanding; the librarian and I left his office so he could carry on and she helped me find my way out. I thanked her her for her time, patience, and understanding with me as well. My one regret was not visiting the blue eggshell chapel to say a prayer for him during my visit at Damien Memorial High School . . . oh well. I would like to believe St. Damien is proud of this particular alumni member of his namesake high school. Fresh Yelp Review #64 for 2013

This Christian school is fantastic, right now my kids are in elementary--we love the small class…read moresizes, the great teachers and the convenient location. But the excerpt below, taken from their website is what sold me. I homeschooled my son and daughter for 1 year and saw how true this was: "Research says girls develop about six years earlier in language and fine motor skills and boys develop about four years earlier in targeting and spatial memory. Differences such as these can create challenges in elementary classrooms. Educating boys and girls separately - when they are not being directly compared to each other or at risk for being ridiculed for their differences - helps grow the students' confidence in and understanding of themselves. The Lower School at St. Andrew's maximizes the educational experience of our students with single-gender classrooms, yet also provides opportunities for boys and girls to interact and socialize. The social and emotional experiences that children have in schools shapes their learning - and ultimately affects how they think and act. Our experienced faculty incorporates their understanding of the developmental stages of boys and girls into their teaching- scaffolding student learning to nurture a love of learning for life."

Amazing school! Our child enjoys her school and we are very happy with our choice. We know other…read morefamilies, whose children already graduated and they always tell us how happy they were with the school.

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.

Maryknoll School has extremely unprofessional and cruel teachers who physically endanger students,…read morediscriminate against students and show favoritism towards students who are not in minority groups. They also do not accomodate students with different learning needs or serious struggles with mental health, barely teach their students and expect them to figure things out on their own. This school also fails to teach students Catholic values or how they can become better indivuduals. In fact, students there enjoy sexually harrasing other students, physically harming other students, recording innapropriate videos of other students without permission to publicly post online, and shouting sexual, ableist, racist, and sexist slurs at other students. Teachers and other school staff members do not do anything to prevent any of this. In addition, the school lunches are stale, dry, and unhealthy.

The staff and faculty are very supportive and professional, they have lots of amazing activities…read morefor the students to enjoy and engage with others. They have lots to offer in learning academics and non academic activities too.

Teachers are caring and well trained to guide your children. Close knit school with with your child…read moremaking life long friends. Tuition is affordable also.

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.

I am in 8th grade and my honest opinion on this school is ehh. i don't like their uniforms and it's…read morea waste of money. some of the teachers here like Ms. Gum shouldn't even be here. some of the students here honestly suck and can be assholes because they always talk shit behind your back whether they don't know you or do. it's an ok school but i don't know at the same time.

So many good and bad memories here. Teens full of raging hormones. Selfish needs and stressful…read moreadolescence. So glad its over. No school school theatrical performances since auditorium suffered a fire on the roof. One firemans theory was that a little bird dropped a lit cigarette on the roof. Hate it when those pesky chain smoker birds don't put out their ciggs. Yes Mr. Anbe in control @ my time. TYVM Mr Suzuki or Mr Moustache was pretty cool. He would roll eyes at me with my stupid jokes. Mrs. Hakoda was a dragon during school hours but at lunch time would watch soaps on TV with her. She taught me what sable is. Classy lady for sure. Mrs Kimura sparked my cooking and sewing hobbies. Ffwd 2018 Sitting in office waiting to meet current 6th grade counselor. Watching front desk admin better than skits on Saturday night live. OMG Gwen is a comedian with small kind student shaming. " what's a matter? Forgot how to spell your name?" Or " Were you ever on time to school?" I luv,luv,luv her. HILARIOUS! Probably a good sense of humor comes in handy when dealing with little kolohe knuckle heads all day. Cherish her...