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Education
 Before you cash in your 401K, gut your savings or take out a second mortgage on your home, you might want to do a little more research before you succumb to the notion that if you're going to live in Hawaii, you'll have to put your kids in private school.
It's true that the state's public school system, one of the largest in the country, has often been maligned in past years, yet the majority of parents on Oahu continue to send their children to public schools. Maybe it's because they're convenient and supported by tax dollars, and the island's public school teachers are dedicated and well-trained, many with advanced degrees. Unlike most of the United States, Hawaii's 285 public schools, including 27 charter schools, are administered by the state rather than by school districts. With more than 180,000 students, it's the 10th largest school district in the United States. This means funding is often slow in reaching the individual schools, each of which has distinctive needs based on enrollment, skill levels of teachers and administrators, and socio-economic factors peculiar to the communities where they're located. Even so, most of Hawaii's public high school graduates go on to do quite well in college, with many going on to excel at the graduate level. As in most states, Hawaii's private schools are excellent, some ranking among the best in the country. If you decide private school is the best option for your family, prepare yourself for sticker shock. Tuition at the better known private schools have crept well past $10,000 a year. There are 132 regular and special education private schools that receive no state funds. Nearly 15 percent of Hawaii's youths attend private school, compared to 10 percent nationally, an indicator that Hawaii might not be that different from the Mainland when it comes to public versus private school enrollment. Keiki Care If you're a working parent, your keiki (children) are in good hands in Hawaii. Our state was the first in the nation to introduce the A+ after-school care program for kindergarten through sixth grade, and the program has grown more sophisticated through the years. Keiki are cared for in a safe, secure and nurturing environment offering a rich variety of activities. There are more than 175 sites statewide that provide after-school care through the A+ program. More than 100 are run by the State Department of Education; the rest are contracted out to private providers such as the YMCA, Kama'aina Kids, Youth and Community Services and Moiliili Community Center. For more details on the program, go to www.doe.k12 .hi.us/aplus.htm. Finding care for babies and toddlers may be more of a challenge. Ask friends and co-workers for referrals or contact PATCH (People Attentive To Children), a statewide childcare resource and referral agency. You also can call 839-1988 for referrals to licensed family child care homes and centers.
Other group childcare options for school-age children include the following:
Private after-school child care programs are also available.
Private Schools  There are 137 regular and special education private schools that receive no state funds. Nearly 15 percent of Hawai'i's children attend private school, compared to 10 percent nationally. The largest and wealthiest private school of them all is Kamehameha Schools, founded in 1887 by the will of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last direct royal descendent of King Kamehemeha the Great.
Kamehameha's policy on admissions is to give preference to children of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. The schools now have three campuses on O'ahu, Maui and Hawaii island with more than 3,550 K-12 students. In addition, Kamehemeha operates 31 preschools statewide serving more than 1,200 students.
10 Largest Private Schools
Homeschooling  Each fall when school begins, a growing number of school-aged children do not head off to a classroom. Instead, they learn at home with their families or with other children in their communities.
Homeschooling takes many forms, from a daily routine following a scheduled curriculum to child-led learning in which parents supervise and help. Choosing to homeschool or to traditionally educate a child is often a difficult and confusing decision for parents and guardians. If you decide to homeschool, please familiarize yourself with the Hawai'i Board of Education's procedures for Homeschooling. You will need to submit a notice of intent to home school your child to the local public school principal. This may be done via a Form 4140 "Exceptions to Compulsory Education" or by letter. To request a homeschool information packet with homeschooling guidelines, contact: Instructional Services Branch Hawai'i Department of Education P.O. Box 2360 Honolulu, Hawaii 96804 Telephone: 808-733-9131 Higher Learning  There are a number of higher education choices in the state, as well. The University of Hawaii system consists of six two-year community colleges and the four-year University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Hawaii at Hilo and West Oahu College in Pearl City.
The University of Hawaii at Manoa - one of 88 Carnegie One Research universities - is a world leader in astronomy, ocean marine sciences, Asian-Pacific studies and languages, and tropical agriculture. The University's College of Business is a national leader in international business, and the Colleges of Engineering and Computer Science are considered the best in the Pacific region. In addition, Oahu has three private four-year universities, two of which are under the auspices of religion - Brigham Young University-Hawaii is Mormon, and Chaminade University is Hawaii's only Catholic university. The former Protestant-affiliated Hawaii Loa College merged with non-affiliated Hawaii Pacific University in downtown Honolulu in 1991. University of Hawaii System University of Hawaii - Hilo 200 W. Kawili St. Hilo, HI 96720 Toll-free: (800) 897-4456 Phone: 974-7414 www.uhh.hawaii.edu University of Hawaii - Manoa 2600 Campus Road Honolulu, HI 96822 Phone: 956-8111 www.hawaii.edu University of Hawaii - West Oahu 96-129 Ala Ike Pearl City, HI 96782 Phone: 454-4700 www.uhwo.hawaii.edu Community Colleges Hawaii Community College 200 West Kawili St. Honolulu, HI 96720 Phone: 974-7311 www.hawcc.hawaii.edu Honolulu Community College 874 Dillingham Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96817 Phone: 845-9211 www.honolulu.hawaii.edu Kapiolani Community College 4303 Diamond Head Road Honolulu, HI 96816 Phone: 734-9111 www.kcc.hawaii.edu Kauai Community College 3-1901 Kaumualii Highway Lihue, HI 96766 Phone: 245-8311 www.kauaicc.hawaii.edu Leeward Community College 96-045 Ala Ike Pearl City, HI 96782 Phone: 455-0011 www.lcc.hawaii.edu Maui Community College 310 Kaahumanu Kahului, HI 96732 Phone: 984-3500 www.mauicc.hawaii.edu Windward Community College 45-720 Keaahala Rd. Kaneohe, HI 96744 Phone: 235-7400 www.wcc.hawaii.edu Private Universities Brigham Young University - Hawaii 55-220 Kulanui Laie, HI 96762 Phone: 293-3211 www.byuh.edu Chaminade University 3140 Waialae Avenue Honolulu, HI 96816 Phone: 735-4711 www.chaminade.edu Hawaii Pacific University 1166 Fort Street Mall Honolulu, HI 96813 Downtown Campus Phone: 544-0200 Windward Campus Phone: 236-3500 www.hpu.edu University of Phoenix 827 Fort Street Mall, Suite 600 Honolulu, HI 96813 Toll-free: (800) 228-7240 Downtown Campus: 536-2686 Mililani Campus: 625-7004 Kapolei Campus: 693-8686 Windward: 247-9080 www.phoenix.edu/hawaii/ Hawai'i Public Libraries  The beautiful, historic main branch of the State of Hawai'i Public Library System is located at 478 S. King St. There are 51 public libraries in the system throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
If you're a resident of Hawaii, there is no initial charge for a Hawai'i State Public Library card. But there is a small charge for a lost or stolen card. To get a library card in your name, you'll need your driver's license, state ID or something that will identify you and show your Hawaii address. For more information on Hawaii's public libraries, go to www.librarieshawaii.org. List of public libraries (Hours of operation vary by location):
Hawaii State Library (Main branch)
586-3500
Aiea Public Library
483-7333
Aina Haina Public Library
377-2456
Ewa Beach Public School and Library
689-1204
Hawaii Kai Public Library
397-5833
Kahuku Public & School Library
293-8935
Kailua Public Library
266-9911
Kaimuki Public Library
733-8422
Kalihi-Palama Public Library
832-3466
Kaneohe Public Library
233-5676
Liliha Public Library
587-7577
Manoa Public Library
988-0459
McCully-Mo'ili'ili Public Library
973-1099
Mililani Public Library
627-7470
Pearl City Public Library
453-6566
Salt Lake-Moanalua Public Library
831-6831
Wahiawa Public Library
622-6345
Waianae Public Library
697-7868
Waialua Public Library
637-8286
Waikiki-Kapahulu Public Library
733-8488
Waimanalo Public & School Library
259-2610
Waipahu Public Library
675-0358
Trade School
College is not for everyone in real life; people follow different paths to success. An attractive alternative for many would be to learn a trade.
Technical and vocational schools on Oahu offer a wealth of opportunities that exist beyond the traditional classroom, including:
Skilled Trade Apprenticeships are available in: |
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LIST OF ADVERTISERS
7-Eleven
AAA Hawaii Aiea Shopping Center Akamai Learning Center Allstate Altres Staffing America's Mattress American Carpet One Assets School Beretania Florist Budget Rent A Car Century 21 Hawaiian Style Coldwell Banker Color Cuts Damien Memorial School Edward Jones Gentry Homes Hagadone Printing Company HI Conf. United Church of Christ Hawaii Piano & Household Moving Hawaii Youth Opera Hongwanji Mission School Honolulu Symphony Hope Chapel Kaneohe Bay Ice Palace Iroquois Pt Island Family Christian Church Kahala Nui Kalihi Union Church Kapalama Shopping Center KCAA Preschools of Hawaii Kumon Learning Centers Kuub Cosmetics Le Jardin Academy Maryknoll School Midas NAPA Auto Parts Oceanic Time Warner Cable OK TV Okabe Dental Arts Pacific Buddhist Academy Paradise Pages Party City Pohai Nani Senior Living Facility Prudential Locations Punahou School Queen's Medical Center Reynold's Recycling Robert A. Baysa, D.D.S Saint Louis School SlumberWorld St. Andrew's Cathedral Church St. Andrew's Priory Sylvan Learning The Lock Up Self Storage The Medical Corner The Studio |
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