Private Christian schools on the island (Hilo, Waimea: hotels, private school tuition, income)

[craezie]

Hello,
We are planning a move to the Big Island next year, to pursue some business opportunities and the slower paced lifestyle. We have spent fairly extensive time in all parts of the island over the past 7 years, and I'm confident I am aware of what the island has to offer in most points.

However, the issue that is holding me back is the schooling of our 4 children. On the one hand, I've experienced children in Hawaii to seem happy and I think that having more access to the outdoors and room to play free would have amazing benefits. On the other hand, people seem to universally detest the school system.

We are flying out to check out the three Christian schools on the island. Makua Lani on Kona side, Christian Liberty and Haili on the Hilo side. I'm concerned by the information provided that these schools just seem to offer packaged curriculum from Abeka and Bob Jones, and pretty easy math. The Christian private school they have attended prior had a very rigorous curriculum.

Can anyone on the Big Island with children share experiences with these schools? First, the educational quality, and second the social atmosphere (especially since we will be newcomers)? Our first choice is to live north of Hilo, but we will live Kona side if the education is appreciably better.

I am aware of the good private schools in Waimea, but Waimea is our last choice of areas to live and we prefer Christian schooling if possible.

Thanks in advance.

[davephan]

You might need to do more research about the schools in Hawaii. The general consensus is that the public schools are the bottom of the barrel, compared to many other areas of the US. Many people have posted that private school is a “must” in Hawaii because the public schools are so poor. The cost per child per year is roughly $15K per year. That’s $60K per year for your four children. I don’t think you’ll be able to get a volume discount! Add to that, the general high cost of living. You would probably need a family income of about $150K per year, or more. If you also are saving for retirement, you’ll need more money, probably closer to $200K per year family income. Healthcare is also bottom of the barrel, so you should do more research about healthcare too.

Raising a large family of kids in Hawaii is an expensive proposition. Of course, there are probably large families in Hawaii that get by with a lot less money, and their children attend public schools. Either you’ll need a serious family income, or you’ll need to make a lot of compromises.

[peta2013]

Originally Posted by davephan

Raising a large family of kids in Hawaii is an expensive proposition. Of course, there are probably large families in Hawaii that get by with a lot less money, and their children attend public schools. Either you’ll need a serious family income, or you’ll need to make a lot of compromises.

Sadly that is what put us off of our move. The concept that we could be shortchanging our kids for their entire lives was not worth our happiness. Hopefully mom and dad enjoying peace in the islands and exemplifying a happy retirement will be enough.

[craezie]

Originally Posted by davephan

The cost per child per year is roughly $15K per year. That’s $60K per year for your four children. I don’t think you’ll be able to get a volume discount! Add to that, the general high cost of living. You would probably need a family income of about $150K per year, or more. If you also are saving for retirement, you’ll need more money, probably closer to $200K per year family income. Healthcare is also bottom of the barrel, so you should do more research about healthcare too.

Raising a large family of kids in Hawaii is an expensive proposition. Of course, there are probably large families in Hawaii that get by with a lot less money, and their children attend public schools. Either you’ll need a serious family income, or you’ll need to make a lot of compromises.

Thanks for your concern, but we are business owners and have adequate income to support our family. We actually live in an area of the country with a much higher cost of living than the Big Island currently, and are used to paying private school tuition for all our children. You would be surprised to know that the majority of private schools on the Big Island have tuition under 10k per year, and they do generally reduce tuition for each additional student. The only one that is probably out of consideration due to cost is the Hawaii Preparatory Academy, at 22k per student.

I would like to hear any users' experiences with the Christian schools mentioned, or other private schools on the island.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by craezie

..The only one that is probably out of consideration due to cost is the Hawaii Preparatory Academy, at 22k per student. ..

And it's probably the only good private school out there.

Dunno, but I've heard that the Christian school in Keaau doesn't hold up well in comparison to other HS schools in Hawaii, for example, and the competition isn't very strong.

Good luck. I'd go with the best public schools available there for my kids' education.

In fact, I'm quite satisfied that we decided to stay here in Alaska for her schooling.

[davephan]

That’s $88K for the 4 kids, unless you can get a volume discount! You’ll need a big budget for the larger house, maybe in a higher priced area, because you need to keep your family safe. Add a lot more budget to feed everyone with the high priced food you’ll find at the grocery stores. Add to that the higher state and federal income taxes from your upper bracket income, and probably higher business costs. You’ll need to hope no one needs a lot of healthcare or gets into an accident, since healthcare is lousy. Plus, you need to save for your retirement. But maybe you’ll do just fine if you’re income is several hundred thousand a year.

[Enyo]

Originally Posted by davephan

That’s $88K for the 4 kids, unless you can get a volume discount!

It would not be 88k per year. The 22k/year per child was the only school that is out of their price range. The rest of them, as previously stated, are 10k a year or less which is in the OP's budget.

[glassnumbers]

Educational quality is poor and since you are obviously whiter than white bread in the full afternoon sun, there's a very good chance your children will be bullied the entire time they grow up for being haole. That's not some random anecdote i read online, either, I actually know a woman who grew up here, went to high school here. Kill Haole Day is a real thing, no, they aren't going to murder your kids, but they are going to make them miserable.

Racism here on Hawai'i is reversed, instead of the brown people getting the short end of the stick, its haoles instead. This is due to the fact that haoles were the ones who originally overthrew the queen of Hawai'i, haoles are the ones who build their bigass hotels and development that block off the view that everyone used to share, and haole tourists are the major source of oxybenzoate bleaching our reefs via toxic sunscreen, a problem that will eventually destroy the island chains because the reefs are so vital to us. It sucks but I'm actually grateful that the racism here at least has a good reason. Given all the absolutely horrid **** white people have done to this island, they deserve the racism.