Pali Preschool has been a wonderful experience for our son and us as parents. Initially, Pali wasn't even on our radar, we were considering a different preschool. A friend encouraged us to apply after all three of her children attended Pali, and we're so glad we listened. It still surprises me that Pali isn't more widely known. I don't even know where to begin. The hours are much more reasonable than other schools we looked at, with flexible drop-off and pick-up options that made a big difference for our family. The campus is well-maintained, with a relatively new playground. They have fun field trips and school events! Ms. Sara (director) and Ms. Carol K. (admin staff) are friendly, helpful, and most importantly, responsive. And every single teacher our son has had has been amazing. Starting with Ms. Ashley and Ms. Mele, his first teachers in the 2-year-old program (fyi his class was the pilot class), they were seriously incredible. They created such a safe, warm, and fun environment that our son never struggled with drop-offs. At that stage, communication with parents is everything, and they always kept us informed with messages and quality photos. They were also incredibly patient and kind every step of the way! Next were Ms. Jenn and Ms. Jamila in the 3-year-old program. They did a fantastic job helping our son grow more independent. They were always approachable, answered our questions thoughtfully, and offered helpful suggestions for his development. Finally, our son had Ms. Sandy and Ms. Kacey for his last year of preschool. Before he was assigned to their class, I had heard a lot of hype, and I'll admit, I'm usually skeptical of that kind of thing. But in this case, the hype is absolutely real. Their dedication to the kids is incredible. Ms. Sandy, the lead teacher, is exceptional, especially in how she follows through. When we had a concern, she didn't just respond once; she checked in consistently until the issue was fully resolved. We worked together on a potty-related challenge, and her partnership meant a lot to us. Ms. Kacey is especially great at helping kids work through emotional challenges. When our son had a few moments, she took the time to talk him through it and also kept us informed on how she handled it. With Ms. Sandy and Ms. Kacey, our son would come home excited to share what he learned. The concepts they teach can be surprisingly complex, yet they make them engaging and understandable through hands-on projects and experiments. The staff truly makes the school. If you're a parent looking for a preschool, I highly recommend checking out Pali. After three years, we couldn't be more satisfied with our experience. read more

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I chose to send both of my boys to Pali Preschool and don't regret it at all. One has attended since 2020 and is about to enter Kindergarten. During his time at Pali, he has had some amazing teachers that have literally been role models to my husband and I and have even taught us tools and ways to nuture our kids both in and out of school. I honestly wish I could hang out in Ms Sandy/Ms Kacey's class all day and learn myself because they truly teach the kids not just academically, but they teach them tools and mentality to continue using as they move on. We were constantly wowed during the school year of what our son came home and told us he learned at school-- it extends beyond just your basic ABCs and 123s. During COVID, they were really diligent about protocols and keeping classes separated to manage exposures-- in comparison to other schools where our mutual friends sent their children, we definitely noticed a lower level of disruption. My younger child started at Pali for the 2023-24 SY and went from crying every day at drop off with another local daycare to barely saying by to me before running off to play with his equally amazing teachers, Ms Ashley & Ms Mele. They worked together with us to get him potty trained only a month after the school year started at about 2.5 years old. They also perform miracles like getting him to nap on his own with minimal interaction needed, cleaning and going potty without whining, and eating snacks and lunches without roaming around (all struggles we have at home...). Generally speaking, the administration are very engaged from a parent perspective, and you see them also being hands on and helping in classrooms when needed. The hours are very convenient for us and the additional before-/after- school care options are reasonable and great for working parents as well. Curriculum is well rounded and they focus on not just education but exposure and experiences to field trips and activities that keep things interesting and educational for the kids. read more

I have nothing but good things to say about Pali Preschool! The quality of care and education that my children received here is unparalleled! The teachers and staff truly care about the kids, and it shows. They go above and beyond to provide a safe and nurturing environment that makes learning fun. My kids actually looked forward to school every day, and if you know my kids, that's saying something! Pali Preschool also lays such a good foundation for kindergarten and beyond. After my son graduated from Pali and entered kindergarten, most of the kindergarten curriculum was a refresher for him, because he already had extensive exposure to most of the concepts (phonics, addition/subtraction, etc.) during his time at Pali. As an added bonus, the regular school hours run all the way until 4:30 (you can pick up earlier if you want, but instruction through 4:30 is included in the standard tuition). If you are looking around at some of the other preschools in town, you'll know that this is huge, because a lot of the other preschools require 2:30 pickup (anything later requires signing up for after school care at an added cost). Another bonus is that they have now brought back a lot of the extracurricular activities that were halted during the pandemic. You are able to sign your child up for a variety of programs including gymnastics, hula, soccer, STEM class, clay class, etc. Such a bonus for parents - you don't have to shuttle your kids to extracurricular activities, because the activities come to them! read more

Ever have those moments where you regret not standing up for your child when someone was unkind to them? That's how I feel about my boy's former teacher at Pali Preschool, Mrs Miyitzu. I always knew she doubted his intelligence, like the time when she insisted he couldn't recognize letters, when he was already reading complete sentences. And that she talked about him like a problem child, when every other teacher and nanny had recognized that he was unfocused and energetic but seldom insolent or unkind. And that my boy was suddenly constantly on edge because she was so quick to scold him for the smallest things. I told myself my boy would need to learn to deal with all types of teachers, and her cold demeanor and unfair treatment was preparing him for kindergarten. But then I sent my youngest boy, who is a handful, to a different preschool where he had a teacher who was firm yet kind and understanding, and showed me what a preschool teacher should be like. I so regret letting my older boy stay in Mrs Miyitzu's class. I regret even more that I held my tongue with her, because she undoubtedly made other children and their parents feel like this. Others wrote great reviews for the other teachers that my boy never had, so if you select Pali Preschool I just hope your child ends up in one of their classes. read more

My child had the best preschool experience at Pali Preschool. She attended from ages 3.5-5. This past school year she learned so much about reading, math, and science. We always knew she was smart; her teachers challenged her academically with homework and spelling tests to show just how far she could go and she aced it all. The key to helping her be the strong reader that she is now is consistency in reading every day together and the homework assignments that reinforced what they learned at school. My child came home every day excited to share how much fun she had learning all day. Her teachers also helped to teach her about how to better cope with change, how to take risks, and how to have good manners. These are all things we try to instill in our kids but it hits different when a teacher guides you through it. In the past she would have cried at the end of the year, knowing she would have to go to a new school, make new friends, and have a new teacher. Now she's ready for kindergarten and looking forward to new adventures. These are all skills that I didn't expect my child to leave preschool with but am so thankful she did. Plus her teachers made so many fun and wonderful core memories that will stay with us forever. We are so grateful for Ms. Sandy and Ms. Kacey! The other teachers and staff at Pali are amazing as well. Ms. Cassandra, Ms. Sara, Ms. Ashley, Ms. Mele, and Mr. Randy are the best! We enrolled in before and after school care and it is definitely worth its value. Field trips, snow day, Santa fun, pumpkin patch excursions, a visit from the Easter Bunny, delicious and nutritious lunch and snacks included (they even do dairy free for my other daughter with allergies), chapel, a new playground, a basketball and pickleball court are just a handful of the amazing other things we love about Pali Preschool. read more

We have nothing but great things to say about Pali Preschool! Our child eagerly looks forward to each day, excited to see staff and friends. The director Ms. Cassandra is always assisting in the classroom and getting to know the children and families. We are grateful for the teachers and staff. The open communication with the teachers and staff is exceptional. They're always quick to respond and keep us updated on our child's progress and daily adventures. The curriculum is nothing short of amazing. We love that there is a balance of play, music, chapel, and education. We're impressed at how much our child has learned and continues to learn. We've seen so much positive growth from our child. Besides going on field trips, Pali preschool even offers enrichment programs such as soccer shots, amazing athletes, gymnastics, hula, robotics, math music motion, etc. Pali preschool recently added a 2-year-old class where students do not need to be potty trained. It also helps that I don't need to prep lunch for my child everyday because snacks and a hot lunch are provided with tuition. Another plus is Pali preschool is year around with school hours from 7:30am -4:30pm (7am-5pm for an extra fee). Beyond academics, Pali preschool fosters a sense of community that we cherish. The opportunity to connect with other families through the school's communication app and special events adds to the richness of our experience. We would highly recommend Pali Preschool! We are so grateful that our child is able to attend Pali Preschool. read more

We applied our son to the school went to the interview and they never gave us their decision. When my wife inquired four months later they gave us a decision and said they forgot to email us in February. I asked the assistant to email the director about the situation and how disappointed we were the school didn't communicate any information with us. We got no response from the director. Very disappointed with how we were treated. read more

Pali preschool was a very prestigious school up until recently. The school is dictated by the church, which means, the director of the preschool basically has little to no say in all the decisions made for your keiki. That being said, when my daughter attended the school I contacted the head of the church, left four phone messages, wrote countless emails and got no response. The faculty and staff had been ordered to direct all questions to the head pastor who was not present on campus at all. Child Protective Services had also been called to inspect premises. CPS had been called by a group of parents who all got together in frustration with the lack of communication. Please consider sending your child elsewhere read more

I sent both of my girls to pali preschool and loved every moment of it. Both my girls always looked forward to going to school everyday! What parent doesn't love that?! You know they're doing something right. The teachers, director, and even the receptionist all care so much for the children! The director even gets involved with the classroom activities! My oldest daughter is now in second grade and my younger one is in kindergarten. Both at prestigious schools due to the high level of teaching standards at pali. They still rave about pali preschool! They wish they can redo it all over again! The staff is so friendly. They always greet you with a smile and make you feel so comfortable. I love that they started a 2 year old program this year and even potty train! I can't wait to send my youngest to pali when he turns 2! They make you feel like you're family. I can't rave enough about them. read more

I would recommend Pali Preschool to anyone looking for somewhere to prepare their child for Kindergarten. The staff and teachers are warm, caring and friendly. Love how they have schedules for the kids to follow. Its a bittersweet leaving this school since my daughter graduated this year. We will surely miss Pali Preschool! Thank you for 2 years of wonderful memories and friendships. Aloha! read more

Pali Preschool did an excellent job of organizing their in person learning during the pandemic. They kept the children safe and the education was priceless. Cannot say enough about the great teachers and staff. There is a chef on campus who prepares delicious, nutritious meals. I only wish I could have gotten to know the parents and families better but the pandemic prevented that. read more

I would not hesitate to recommend Pali preschool to anyone looking for somewhere to prepare their child for elementary school. From the warm and caring staff to the curriculum that is set forth for your child Pali preschool is definitely an A+. read more