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My husband is interviewing for a job in Hawaii in a couple of weeks and we will be going over to get a feel for the area (Kapolei.) Because of my husband's job, we would be required to live in that area. One of the things that we are supposed to do while we are there is to spend a day going around with a real estate agent, looking at properties. I would like to have a list of properties that we are interested in, in order to facilitate the process.
We have an almost 5 year old, and we would likely keep her in the public schools for the first few years and work on supplementing what she is getting in school. Whenever we feel like we are no longer able to do that adequately, we would put her in a private school.
We know that there are significant issues with the school system, especially now that they have implemented Furlough Fridays, however we also know that some schools are better than others. It seems that different real estate sites will list different schools for a particular piece of property. With the same piece of property it may be both the best school in the area and the worst! Is there a reliable place for me to go to on line and verify what school a particular house or condo is assigned to?
Just to let you know, yes, we are well aware that there is a particular set of difficulties associated with living in Hawaii. I, myself, lived on Oahu for 6 years when I was a child. This trip is as much for us to answer questions about whether this would be the right place and job for us to spend the next several years, as it is for the prospective employer to assess my husband.
Do yourself and your child a favor and place her in a good private school; it will be an investment in her future. Don't fool yourself into not spending the money and justifying your actions with whatever reasoning. The best public schools in Hawaii are still for the most part subpar.
Last edited by 7th generation; 11-21-2009 at 05:28 PM..
Reason: she's asking about public schools
To find out which public school she would go to from any particular address, simply call the dept of education and ask them. Ask your realtor to give you a list of the houses you're planning to preview several days ahead of time, then you can call about them. Sometimes it's fairly easy to tell which public school is yours, but not always. It is also possible to get a waiver to attend a different school based on the family's needs such as route to work, babysitter's location, etc.
Hawaii Public Schools (http://doe.k12.hi.us/index.php - broken link)
How would the elementary schools rate with any average mainland school?
I'm hoping to hear about a job in Hawaii sometime in the next 3 months..We have a 1 year old, and would probably be on one of the islands for atleast a couple years into her schooling. Definitely Kindergarten and 1st grade...
I assume the first few years of school would not be "as important" as the later years..Any one with kids can a share their opinions/thoughts...
BTW the job would pay around $105K/yr...Lots of time off(to spend with the family)and we would be renting for the duration, but would be required to live in specific areas (island to be determined) near work...
How much would private school average (just a general $$ amount would do)..Or would public school be ok just for the first few years?
That's not really fair. Some people need to relocate to Hawaii for a job opening and can't afford private school there.
Thank you for the understanding! This just might end up being a move that we HAVE to make. If so, we will work hard to make it work in the best way possible for the entire family.
Have the schools gotten that much worse in the last 20 years? I know that they were bad when I was there and I had to play catch up when I moved back to the mainland in 8th grade, but I was bright and still ended up 3rd in my class at my high school. I also went to one of the top Liberal Arts Colleges in the US, so from my experience, a few years in the public schools in Hawaii when you are young won't guarantee that you are academically scarred for life. Of course, parents who encourage learning outside of the classroom are probably key.
I hate to say it, but San Diego's schools can't be all that much better. They are talking about increasing the Kindergarten class sizes to 30 students!
Thanks to the folks who gave me some useful links!
Thank you for the understanding! This just might end up being a move that we HAVE to make. If so, we will work hard to make it work in the best way possible for the entire family.
Have the schools gotten that much worse in the last 20 years? I know that they were bad when I was there and I had to play catch up when I moved back to the mainland in 8th grade, but I was bright and still ended up 3rd in my class at my high school. I also went to one of the top Liberal Arts Colleges in the US, so from my experience, a few years in the public schools in Hawaii when you are young won't guarantee that you are academically scarred for life. Of course, parents who encourage learning outside of the classroom are probably key.
I hate to say it, but San Diego's schools can't be all that much better. They are talking about increasing the Kindergarten class sizes to 30 students!
Thanks to the folks who gave me some useful links!
I guess the reason I wouldn't be that shocked by Hawaii's public schools is that we are in SO CAL right now and they are not the best. There are better ones here and there but overall there is much to be desired. And Balad that is cruel to say "check your conscience", like I said in my post that was deleted because you etited your post was some people can't affird to put their children in private school but must move for a job whether it is military or civilan employment. Best of luck to you Loves to Dance!
Last edited by 10,000Lakes; 11-22-2009 at 11:01 AM..
How would the elementary schools rate with any average mainland school?
I'm hoping to hear about a job in Hawaii sometime in the next 3 months..We have a 1 year old, and would probably be on one of the islands for atleast a couple years into her schooling. Definitely Kindergarten and 1st grade...
I assume the first few years of school would not be "as important" as the later years..Any one with kids can a share their opinions/thoughts...
BTW the job would pay around $105K/yr...Lots of time off(to spend with the family)and we would be renting for the duration, but would be required to live in specific areas (island to be determined) near work...
How much would private school average (just a general $$ amount would do)..Or would public school be ok just for the first few years?
Thanks
I think the first few years in a public school won't do any harm. That's our plan. Do the first few years in a decent public school in a desirable part of the island then private school for junior and high school. That's what my parents did with me and my siblings, and I grew up here. Not all public elementary schools are the same. I would look at the Honolulu Magazine link I posted above. Check out the schools that are ranked at the top by teachers and parents. We live close to an elementary school that is in the top 20 of the entire state. It's really well maintained. The parents are actively involved in the school. I took all of that into consideration when making the decision. If I hadn't liked the neighborhood elementary school, I would have looked into getting an exemption so that my child could attend school in another area. You'll have to find a justification for why your child can't attend the local neighborhood school. I think family expectations and parental involvement play a big role in how well a child does in school. Read daily to the child, make sure there is a set time where your child can do homework without any interruptions, talk regularly to the child's teachers...all of those can enhance what is taught at school.
At the upper end, the private schools can cost about $18k-19K a year. However, there are local private schools that are about $7k - $10k a year, and perhaps some with tuition even lower than that.
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