My son has been attending New Hope Christian School (preschool) for the past 2 years. He was born…read moreon August 3rd, which is 3 days after the cut off to go to kindergarten. This meant we had to keep him in preschool an extra year before going to kindergarten.
TUITION - Preschool and day care can cost an arm an a leg. Unfortunately, my husband and I do not qualify for any child care subsidies (military, hawaiian, or state/federal funded), and we have to pay tution in full. NHCS is one of the affordable preschools in the area. I did my research and looked for preschools located between Kapolei-Pearl City, and New Hope was the most affordable. We started him off part time, which was 3 full days a week. They also offer early morning care from 6:30am, which is an additional $50. I think we were paying $610 for 3 full days which included meals. This year, school meals are $40(?) per month. For full time with additional morning care and meals, we pay $810 monthly. It is a lot, but it's actually on the lower end compared to other schools that charge $800-$1000 for full time alone.
LOCATION - NHCS is located in the Waipahu Town shopping center, along side Goodyear, Jeans warehouse, goodwill and Seafood city. Very convenient for those who live on the west side (Waipahu, Kunia, Ewa Beach, Kapolei) as you can just hop off the freeway to drop off and pick up. There are a few reserved parking stalls fronting the school.
FACILITY - It can be deceiving as it does not look large from the outside, but this school includes Clean, well kept and air conditioned. Class rooms are divided by age, with the eldest (5 year olds) towards the entrance, and the youngest (2-3 year olds) towards the inner end of the hall way. The playground is in the back and is on the smaller side in comparison to other schools.
STAFF - We LOVE my sons teacher. Ms. Nancy was his teacher last year and again this year. She along with the other teachers, Ms. Tasha, Ms. Joy, Ms. Sydni, & Ms. Vanessa are always so pleasant. My son usually cries at drop off time (yes, even though he's been going there for almost 2 years. Lol.) But they always welcome him in and help him adjust. The staff has a great communication system, and always emails and calls to notify and/or remind parents of any events, field trips, or emergencies. Another thing I like is that the teacher/staff conducts parent teacher conferences twice a year. I really appreciated meeting with them and discussing my child's progress.
I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical to send my son to NHCS, but I am glad I did. He has grown from a scared toddler into a little boy who is ready for kindergarten. Overall, I would highly recommend New Hope Preschool.