Hale Keiki School

153 Bougainville Drive

Honolulu, HI 96818

26 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-5
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 13, 2024

This school is OK, but not worth the money. The teachers are good, but facilities are outdated, the tuition is too high and keeps rising. Strangely, the administration seem to think we are receiving 10% pay raises every year. The student's performance is average, and the school lacks activities and any real sports. Having learned of yet another tuition increase I will be look for other options.
Submitted by parent on December 06, 2022

I never imagined my kids would have access to so many things at an early age... things offered at HKS and things that matter to our family. This magical place offers opportunities for kids, parents, teachers, and more. They have educational and fun family events as well as parents night out, a Young Patriots Club to support The Greatest Generation, and great before/after/summer care options. The price and location are ideal for our family, and we can't imagine a different environment for our keiki to attend elementary school.
Submitted by parent on December 06, 2022

All 3 of my children have attended and graduated/grew out of Hale Keiki School. This school is an amazing and wonderful place. The staff and faculty are what makes the school so incredible. They go all-out to be communicative and welcoming to all. But Hale Keiki School does not just focus on academic enrichment, they are concerned about the whole child and work to help the children grow. Our 3 children had a great foundation of academic and social growth with Hale Keiki School. All of our children always tested well above average. Of all the schools my children went to, Hale Keiki School was hands down the best. My children always felt safe and cared for at HKS."HKS is a place where I have made lifelong connections, friends, and even some that I would consider family. The community that has formed and been built up around the school is unlike any other, and I am proud to be a part of it.""I grew up at HKS, and as years gone by I'm proud to see it always improving. The quality of life for teachers and students excites me, and I love the changes the campus alone has gone through."
Submitted by parent on December 03, 2022

The school name was recently changed to Hale Keiki School perhaps because it is not only for Navy/military students but serves everyone in the community. As a dual-military family this school has been a dreamy oasis conveniently located next to Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (and Target). Early morning drop off at 6am and late pick up at 6pm make it perfect for working parents who can't get off work at 3pm to pick up their kids. (School hours at 8-3pm normally). Class sizes are small and the teachers and staff are fantastic. Academic standards and expectations of students are high. My oldest daughter graduated 5th grade and her test scores showed she was reading at an 8th grade level. The PTO is active and engage and offers many opportunities for parents who want to get involved. The school hosts some amazing events -- Back to School Night, Fall Festival, Shop and Drop School Sleepover, Holiday performance. The staff and volunteers are dedicated and always pull of some amazing events!
Submitted by parent on May 05, 2021

This school incooperates many subjects and helps students grow in many different ways. The teachers are so supportive and caring and make it their business to make sure your okay. They handle bullying and other incidents perfectly. I have so many amazing memories from when I attended NHKS. If you want your kid to have an amazing childhood please send them to this school. It helps students grow academaclly, socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually. It has many special events such as the annual book fairs, "fun week", lei day, holiday specials, plays, end of the year mini graduation parties, mini stores, art shows/galleries, pearl harbor (you honor veterans), the kauai/big island trips, the amazing feild trips, talent shows, school sleepovers, auctions and so much more. NHKS makes learning so fun and you can tell that the teachers are so passionate about what they do. Each classroom is made into a safe and comfortable enviornment for the students to learn. One thing that makes NHKS so unique is is the flexible seating. Some classrooms have yoga balls, office chairs, and other cool seating that helps the students learn better. (scientifically proven) NHKS is diverse, and teaches you about many world injustices- (racism, sexism, disabilities,) and does not sugar coat it. I promise this school shaped me into who I am today and I STRONGLY reccomment it to you.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2021

We absolutely love this school. The teachers are caring, compassionate, hard-working, and go above and beyond to create an environment for their students that is nurturing, engaging, and fun. My child has thrived at this school and we are so grateful that the administration was able to find a way to safely open the campus for families to return this school year. We feel truly lucky to have found this little gem of a school.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2021

Best school ever! Everyone here goes above and beyond to provide the best education on the planet! I couldn’t ask fo a better place for my children to grow and learn!
Submitted by parent on August 02, 2020

Disappointed. 1. Our child maintained a 95-97% in academics. Our child was never recognized for academic efforts. The children in our child’s grade who were recognized as Keiki of the Month were often senior ranking officer children or PTO children. 2. If you are part of a dual working family and are unaware that events such as lei day are half days — surprise. They tell you the day prior (it’s not laid out in a calendar). My spouse and I travel for work. This was a nightmare. 3. The teachers are kind and loving. 4. The level of communication and access I have had at our local public school here in Hawaii has put this school to shame.
Submitted by parent on May 03, 2017

Character building, appropriate discipline principles and caring teachers are the foundational blocks of what we have experienced at NHKS. Would recommend this school to anyone who values education in a supportive, positive environment.
Submitted by other on May 02, 2017

Unfortunately, we experienced an unethical administration with a lack of critical thinking skills. They are unable to process situations which deviate from the norm in order to treat others with love and respect.
Submitted by parent on March 27, 2017

This school is absolutely amazing! We can't recommend it enough. We currently have two children at the school and will have a third next year. It was a sacrifice which we were very unsure of when we first registered our kids. Since the school came so highly recommended from our neighbors, we proceeded to enroll them. We couldn't be more happy with our decision. It is worth every penny. I know the tuition looks high, but after doing lots of research, relative to other schools on island, this school is a deal. Plus this school understands the military more than any other school on island. They work with parents and children to get through tough deployments and TDYs. Also, patriotism at this school is inspiring. No other school has WWII and Pearl Harbor survivors visit! Or astronauts! This is a testament to the school reputation. We also utilize the afterschool program and our kids WANT to go to afterschool care! I can't say the same for the public schools in the area. We actually tried the public elementary around the corner for a year before enrolling our first child. Although the teacher was ok, everything else about the school was a nightmare and the bureaucracy ridiculous. We hated the common core curriculum and my child was just another kid in a mass crowd of chaos. It was a regular occurrence to hear foul language and see kids pushing each other around after school as I walked my child home from school. Plus I hated the open campus utilized at most public schools in Hawaii. Both of my kids have excelled academically and we have no doubt it is because of the dedicated staff at NHKS. If you are on the fence, I would highly encourage you take a leap of faith and enroll your child/ren. You will not be disappointed! (Note: Don't ignore this school if your child has special needs. Although, NHKS doesn't have the resources to address all needs, they are excellent at working with parents of special needs children to see if they can accommodate them)
Submitted by parent on March 25, 2017

From the moment we toured this school, I've loved it. It has been a warm, inviting, and encouraging learning environment for my son from pre-k through first grade. I feel like everyone from the front office to the teachers to the involved parents really cares about the students. I feel my son has gotten a quality education that will prepare him for when we have to move.
Submitted by parent on February 28, 2017

We are in our 3rd year with NHKS and could not be more pleased. The school creates a safe, loving, and fun environment for the students. The students are challenged academically, but they are also taught how to be respectful and kind and take part in their community. It's a small school with a big heart!I love that my second grader gets two recesses every day. She has about 10 minutes of homework most nights, which is a review of what they have been working on in class. Our Pre-K student LOVES school, and wishes she could spend the whole day there. The activities in her classroom are playful, but also very purposeful. (Playing with playdoh to strengthen their fingers, so that they can then learn to cut and write properly.) Her school days are off to a positive start with a very solid foundation.Communication between teachers and parents is wonderful. We feel like we always know what is going on in our daughters' classrooms and the school in general. The school has an active PTO that hosts fun family events throughout the year. There are fundraisers, but we have never felt pressured to participate (encouraged, but not pressured). Tuition rates are extremely reasonable.
Submitted by other on February 07, 2017

Navy Hale Keiki School is more than just a school…it’s a family. My son is in his 4th year attending NHKS and my daughter is in her third. In fact, my daughter is in the very class that a previous commenter was displeased with. Unlike her opinion of the class and the school, I absolutely ADORE the teachers in that class. My son had such a wonderful experience in her class, and I specifically begged to have my daughter in the same class 3 years later. We have loved every single teacher at the school, and found them to be very loving and sweetly affectionate with the children. They truly care for each and every child, and from what I have seen, they would never accept discrimination or bullying in any form. The administration would work proactively to peacefully mitigate any conflicts. The staff, and parents alike, strive to create a community of caring children…caring for one another, caring for our family, caring for our community. You won’t find a school with more parent involvement, happier kids, or better staff. In our time at NHKS, we have seen our children excel in the well-balanced curriculum, which includes music, art, computers and physical education. In my son’s 3rd grade music class, he is learning to play the ukulele! In afterschool programs, my children have participated in dance and hula classes, robotics and Lego building clubs, and swim classes. They take wonderful field trips several times a year…to museums, plays, farms, historic sites, zoo and aquatic parks. There are overnight camps, trips and parties. In short, NHKS offers opportunities to experience a wide range of educational, cultural and leisure activities. I cannot rave about this school enough. My children have LOVED Navy Hale Keiki!
Submitted by parent on January 23, 2017

We’ve been at Navy Hale Keiki School for a little under 2 years and could not be more satisfied! Prior to our experience at NHKS, we had our girls at a Christian school; although the education was good, we felt a lack of communication from the school with events and requirements always popping up at the last minute. As a dual military family, with high optempo jobs and a frequent travel, early and often communication makes our life much easier. At NHKS we always feel well informed. The teachers communicate often with parents and identify early potential issues. The office staff responds quickly to requests and seems to know every child at the school. Teachers work with students to expand on their strengths and build up any weak areas. For example, my daughter’s teacher identified, prior to the first trimester ending that my daughter was reading just below grade level. The teacher sent a note home for us on daughter’s status, along with some tips for at-home learning. The teacher increased 1 on 1 time with the TA during the school day. Within 3 months, my daughter caught up and is now working slightly above grade level. Most importantly, my daughter continues to love reading. Our girls have had some bumps on the playground; school always sends home an injury slip or gives me a call. One night my daughter told me a boy kicked her on the playground. It didn’t seem too serious, but we contacted the teacher. Both her teacher and the other K teacher took the report very seriously and had an answer for me by the next day. One of the boys was taking his Jedi training a little too seriously and my daughter ran into him. It was early in the school year, so the teachers reinforced the playground rules. While talking to a co-worker whose son was at the school, he relayed a story about his son. It turns out his son was the Jedi in training and he confirmed the school took the incident seriously. NHKS conducts a daily flag ceremony and emphasis service through the year. In Dec NHKS hosted Pearl Harbor Survivors & WWII vets for lunch, classroom visits and performances by the keiki. It was a top notch day and so humbling to see our kids and amazing veterans bonding across the generations. I can’t say enough good things about NHKS. Yes, it’s pricey, but everything is in Hawaii. You can tell each teacher cares about the kids and puts 100% effort into them.
Submitted by parent on December 07, 2016

Navy Hale Keiki School (NHKS) was our first choice to send our child too. We are a military family (both parents) and it seemed like the right choice at that time because we thought that our child would be supported by other children with similar shared deployed parent stories.Prior to our child attending kindergarten at NHKS, she had spent two years at a Christian Preschool prior to attending Kindergarten. I think it's important to add that while there, she was described by her teachers and school director as a very compassionate, sensitive, fun loving, and happy little girl. After a couple months at NHKS, our child's behavior changed dramatically. It was for the worst. We talked about her day, everyday, after-school and sometimes it was good and then, other times not. She mentioned that she didn't like school. She even drew a picture and wrote out that she didn't like school. Which was later removed from her binder by someone. We thought it was just part of growing up as a new kindergarten student. The change of behavior continued, then, little stories started to follow when we questioned her days spent at school. To move this story along --- I went on a business trip for a month, so, my better half took on the responsibility to care for our daughter while out. I spoke to my family everyday and one day our daughter told me her nose was bleeding. She was kicked in the nose by a fellow student. No call or report was given to notify us. Our daughter told us that a teacher saw this, yet failed to report it. The way this school handled it was UNSAT. They continue to stand their ground to say that "no one saw this incident" and no further action or correction known to us was taken. Lastly, our daughter was taught by another student about the color of skin and not in the context of curiosity. This made me very upset! I am a local female born and raised in Hawaii and never separate races. What we just experienced was unbelievable! Nuts! For the curious minds, our daughter is Hapa --- brown & white. When I returned from my trip, I removed our daughter from this school. It's been roughly over a month at her new private school and happy to report that we have our happy daughter back. She loves school again and even wrote it in her new journal with hearts. Beware. Appearances are often deceiving.
Submitted by parent on May 19, 2014

Navy Hale Keiki has been an excellent choice of a school for our child this year. Being that the school services mostly military families, we have felt our child is in an environment that it perfect for her. She is surrounded by children who face the same issues and dedicated teachers who understand the needs of the population. We are excited for her to continue at NHKS for years to come. We also would like to say that the office staff is supportive and helpful with all of our questions this year. Mahalo!
Submitted by parent on November 24, 2013

To the 17 Jun post: Before you single out a (gasp) negative comment about this school and seek to spin the truth, perhaps it's worth others considering NHKS to know the facts. It's a good school with lots to offer but the administration and Board of Governors pushed through additional costs without properly publicizing this, however small they may have been, and admitted this (I have it in writing). If the school needed to gain efficiencies and wholly benefitted from them, it should have borne the cost. This post is not "ridiculous", unless ridiculous = truth, of course. I'll never be appreciative of paying more for something I don't want and wasn't told about ahead of time in some official format. Folks ought to know this so they can make informed decisions or in case it happens again.
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2013

I cant say enough good things about this school. The staff and teachers truly understand the challenges faced by military students and actively seek to engage them in overcoming said challenges. The academics are spot on. Our child was not reading when we started NKHS in kindergarten and is now reading on a 3rd grade level. Our family electively chose to extend orders in Hawaii so our children can attend NHKS longer. If there was anything I could say negatively, it would be that we often feel nickled and dimed. That being said, we understand that this comes with almost any private school. We love NHKS!
Submitted by parent on August 10, 2013

I really enjoyed this school for pre-k. It developed a patriotic pride in the children, wonderful teachers and families. Drop-offs and pick-ups were a bit stressful due to the lack of space & parking. But they made every effort to make it smooth as possible. And I do feel that the academics could have been stronger given the teacher/child ratio was good (10 to 1). Reading and basic math skills could have been touched upon in pre-k and it was just basic phonics and number writing. We enrolled in Kumon for additional work so along with home study, our child did well.