Maui Schools (Honolulu, Kihei, Lahaina: home, neighborhoods, best schools)
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I am new to this forum, but am really happy to have found it!
I am looking for constructive thoughts from people who have personally experienced Maui schools.
My kids are from elementary school aged on up through high school.
I'd really like to know if there are schools we really should try to steer clear of and if there are schools we may want to look into more closely and possibilities.
And does anyone know of any websites of the Maui schools? I have done search after search and best I can come up with are really outdated sites for a couple of the schools. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places but it appears to me there just are no websites, is this correct? Please set me straight if I am wrong.
I keep hearing how bad the schools are in Hawaii, and am a little worried about this. But to be completely honest I know very well there are bad schools anywhere. And I have 14 years experience as a parent in the public school system in different places and know problems are not only in Hawaii.
Please, you need only reply if you have useful information and first hand knowledge.
I really hope to hear back!
OK, I'm going to break your rules of "useful information and first hand knowledge". It's possible that some general observations will help you too. Plus maybe taking off that admonishment will uncork others...
Disclaimer - We don't have kids in school.
BUT - there aren't that many choices for schools. Because of the size of Maui, and because of the way the jobs & distances here, I'm going to guess that most people have to first determine where they can live, then their kids go to that school. It is not as common for people to have all the choices about where they can live and therefore choose first the school in which to put their kids.
Unless, of course, you have a lot of personal resources, in which case you can choose from private schools and have the time & money to ferry your children there.
Unlike some more urban areas of the mainland, you just don't have that many choices. And as a parent with 14 years experience dealing with public schools, you probably know that any child's schooling experience can be (really must be) greatly enhanced by the involvement of the parent. Again, unless you can afford the very best private schools with individual attention, you are going to have to stay very actively involved, add your own lessons and activities, and work with the school staff in achieving what you want for your children.
Can't tell where you are moving from, so we can't give you comparisons.
Schools everywhere are underfunded. From observing the neighbor's kids, we have to say that schools here have fewer resources than SOME places in California (our only other experience). But now California is broke, so not sure how things compare now.
One of the best schools, because it is private and expensive and REQUIRES parents to be involved, is Seabury Hall. That's located upcountry. But see, how do I know you can afford that, and that upcountry living is possible or what you want?
Don't know of, haven't heard about, ANY schools you should absolutely steer clear of. If in California, I could say, but again that's because of the difference in available choices. As "bad" as any school is on Maui, I know for sure there are worse places in California. Your biggest problem for elementary schools here is going to be that they just don't have enough money. So you will have to make sure your children have what they need, in supplies and attention and outside experiences, to give them the best educational experience. Not all of that costs money. Teaching happens everywhere, you just have to be there to do it.
And does anyone know of any websites of the Maui schools? I have done search after search and best I can come up with are really outdated sites for a couple of the schools. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places but it appears to me there just are no websites, is this correct? Please set me straight if I am wrong.
I keep hearing how bad the schools are in Hawaii, and am a little worried about this. But to be completely honest I know very well there are bad schools anywhere. And I have 14 years experience as a parent in the public school system in different places and know problems are not only in Hawaii.
Please, you need only reply if you have useful information and first hand knowledge.
I really hope to hear back!
Although I only have "second-hand" experience with the schools on Maui (via my best friend who graduated from Lahainaluna in 1980s, my cousin who taught at Seabury Hall in the 1990s, and my nephew who recently graduated from Maui High School), you're probably looking in wrong places for the websites and other information about the schools there. Below are links for the websites of the high schools on Maui... Seabury Hall Lahainaluna High School St. Anthony Junior-Senior High School Maui High School King Kekaulike High School
H. P. Baldwin High School (http://www.hpbaldwin.k12.hi.us/Index1.html - broken link) Kihei Charter School
Thank you for the replies. I realize I should have not been so strict and abrupt. I was just afraid of being attacked by someone not really 'in the know' about how bad the schools are.
I guess I just need thicker skin.
And I should have been more specific, I realize.
When I said personal experience that would/should have included relatives or friends. So that part was my error.
We can not afford private schooling. We would need to live somewhere not very remote. Jobs are a factor. And yes, I realize most people do it the other way around, find jobs and housing and then figure out schools, my issue is I am starting from basics here, trying to see if there are schools we should try to aim for and see if that works with jobs/housing. I would hate to get all situated with everything and then find out we are in an area with the worst possible schools. It's got to all blend and fit together in my book. And yes, I realize nothing will be perfect.
We live in Washington state. The elementary school where we live is terrific- even if they don't manage to reach 'standards' in all areas all of the time. But in my mind students, schools and learning is not just about a schools ability to push as much information on a child as possible, it's about good, friendly, considerate teachers, a nice experience for the child, a good experience for the teacher, a caring helpful environment and the safety of the child. Yes, learning has to play a huge role but I believe if the above things factor in then the learning comes along with it.
That being said, the junior high here is not the best, we have had problem after problem with the teachers and their crazy wacky behaviors. And although I do not have any personal experience with the high school I have heard many stories about it. We shall see as my daughter starts there on Tuesday (school starts pretty late here).
I grew up in New Mexico, dealt with schools there in the 80's and would not wish that on anyone. It was an absolutely horrid experience. Fights all of the time, massive drug use, huge discrimination (I am white), knifings, weapons, bad teachers (there were some great ones though), awful policies on bad behavior, barbed wire fencing... the list goes on and on.
So when I ask about Maui schools, I am not really wanting to know how up to standards in testing they are, I am more concerned about keeping my children in a mindframe where they love school so much they can't wait for summer to end. Where teachers really do care, where the chances of them getting beaten up or seeing someone else beaten up are not a daily occurrence.
So taking the above into account and removing the 'personal experience' rule- does anyone have any thoughts for me?
We are in Kihei and we have one child in 1st grade at Kamali‘i elementary school. We like it and she does too. A small percentage of the parents are VERY involved and their involvement makes for a great school. A new principal has made some changes that we like. A lot of depends on the teacher you have. We had my son there for half of second grade and then sent him the next year to private - he had a need for a smaller, more manageable class size and we knew he'd thrive with more personal attention. Our daughter will probably join him as soon as we feel the teacher is sub-par, or the class size just gets too out of hand - usually based on age of kids. We know many families who have their kids in Kamali‘i through 5th then on to Lokelani Middle School, who like it and do very well, top of their class. I think in all of those instances the parents are involved in their children's education, with an understanding that if there's something that's lacking in the education they make it up other ways though further studies at home or extra-curricular arts, sports or music.
My kids are too young for me to know much about any older grades and fights or other discipline problems. For public elementary, besides Kamali‘i, I would check out Poma‘ikai Elementary where they use a curriculum that stresses the arts, don't know much more about it than that and it's a newer school as far as facilities go. Also look into Kihei Charter School, where K-8 has a virtual school hybrid where kids are home-schooled part-time and spend certain hours meeting in-person with their teachers. Their 6-8 program and High School offered is a mix of face-to-face classroom experiences, field-based learning activities, community involvement, and virtual learning opportunities.
Thank you so much NandVsMom!! So great to hear some positives!
Is Kihei Charter School publicly funded?
Do you know of a district chart or catchment map or something where I could see which schools are directly linked with which areas? Meaning Kihei has at least 3 elementary schools, correct? How would I see which school would be linked to which neighborhood?
I see that the charter school does not offer busing- (or am I mistaken?), do the other public schools offer to and from school busing?
Again, thank you very much!
I had to phone each school we were interested in and ask about their boundaries. Kamali‘i's is from Welakahao south through Makena. There are no neighborhoods for quite some distance after that. No I don't believe Kihei charter has any bus service but since families come from all over I think they work out carpools. Public schools do have busses. I don't know what qualifies a neighborhood for service, perhaps distance. I know there is an extra fee just like school lunches.
There is a fee for riding the school bus to/from school? Interesting, never heard of that before... is this typical for all of Hawaii?
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