Where do Huakailani graduates go?

Huakailani is a full-service elementary school that focuses on developing a strong foundation during the elementary years so that each Huakailani graduate will be a successful Middle School student regardless of which Middle School she goes into - private or public. 


During the 6th grade year, we provide counseling services for the families and students that support finding the right match for each student in the middle school years (much like 12th graders get counseling services for finding the right college in HIgh School).  We can provide help with applying for scholarships, preparing for admission interviews and SSAT prep as needed. 

Formula Behind Huakailani's Success?

I often get asked the question, how do you individualize learning for all students? It all sounds great but how do you do it?

In this blog posting, I will outline the formula behind Huakailani's successful program. It is actually quite scientific and parallels the medical field. Would you go to a doctor who was not grounded with knowledge of best medical  practices, constantly researching best medicines, practices and proactively monitoring and assessing your health and helping you get better if you were ill?

The formula for Huakailani's individualized program is grounded by my many years of experience in the public and private education system. As a parent, teacher and administrator, I have been through the educational swings of the pendulum: basal books to whole language, phonics is a taboo word to we need phonics, enrichment programs are important to back to basics only, no standardized testing to teach to the test. The educational practice pendulum and buzzwords make it even murky for teachers to determine what is the best practice. Parents end up having to place all their trust in their child's school, hoping they know what the practices are and that they are being used on your child.  In the end, it is not the current educational trend or program that is labeled as "the best" that is the best for all students.  The latest medical procedure or medicine may not be the best for your ailment or illness.

Another important element in the our school's formula is the priority the school places on keeping up to date on current brain research and programs, methodologies and curriculums that are available. This is an essential best practice so we can prescribe the right methodology/program for your child. You trust that your doctor does this for you medically, shouldn't a school do this for your child educationally?

At Huakailani we do not just use one particular methodology or program for every child. That would be comparable to prescribing only one brand of medicine to all patients who have the same ailment.  We use the program or methodology that best matches your child's learning needs. Just as you would expect your doctor to prescribe the medicine or procedure that is the best for your specific medical need.

The best way to describe what we do behind the scenes to determine what to method or program we use with your child is to relate it to a physical. It is not only important for a person to go to the doctor when he/she is ill but also regularly for physicals or check ups to make sure that there are no medical problems. A doctor finds out your medical history and gives you tests as needed to determine any present problems as well as being on top of what has gone on before in your medical history. A thorough medical exam would exam you from the top down.

At Huakailani, we collect as much information as we can about your child's social, emotional and educational history. If there is any information missing, we take the time to collect the data. If we find problems or areas of concern (weakness in phonics, lack of a particular social skill, reading below grade level, weakness in number concepts, etc) we "prescribe" a methodology or program to fix it. During the learning process, I even tell the girls that quizzes are just check-ups to see how you are doing. The girls have even made their own connections relating practice at school to medicine. "You give us practice Dr. Brown so we get better at multiplication and once we get better, we don't need that practice anymore." I couldn't have said that better myself!

Not only do we take the time to collect this important information so that we have your child's full educational history, we also continue to constantly monitor problems to make sure that your child is educationally healthy!

So you may still be wondering - how do you do it?  We didn't invent anything new, we just use a system that already works. We run our program like a doctor's office. A lead instructor is supported by a staff of educational assistants who specialize in various areas. Students are diagnosed individually and continuously. A plan is put into place to "prescribe" remediation, practice or enrichment."

Of course, any great formula always has special ingredients that makes it a formula that provides results, the top secret ingredient in the Huakailani formula is the organizational day to day structure, personnel schedule and organization that makes all this happen. The not so secret ingredient is the love for learning, care, nurture, enrichment and fun that is mixed into the formula. We know the formula works because we see positive results in our students every day.

Experience and knowledge + constant research + ongoing check-ups + accurately prescribed prescriptions + Huakailani special ingredients = Educationally healthy student who is working at her full potential

How much homework is the right amount?

There are numerous reports about the pros and cons of homework. Teachers and parents can find research to support the benefits of a large homework load and to support the benefits of less homework. After researching and studying this topic, sifting through the reports and articles available and surveying parents and educators over the years, I have come to the conclusion that the following are the most essential points about homework and its benefits for our children. Since Huakailani is an elementary school, my list focuses on the benefits of homework for primary school children aged 5 - 12.

1. Homework gives students the opportunity to practice important work skills such as: responsibility, time management & finishing a project. Successful people in school and eventually in the adult workforce are people who excel with these work skills. Teaching these skills and practicing them via homework at an early age is important.

2. Homework gives students the opportunity to learn and practice important study skills that best support their learning style. Learning the various ways to study (highlight, summarize, locate the main idea, make study cards, type, outline, record, list, read, use technology, etc.) allows elementary students to practice the various ways to study so that by 4th - 6th grade, they begin to understand which study tools and strategies best support their learning. This allows the students to confidently use the study skills that help them learn most efficiently in the middle schools and beyond.

3. Homework is practice that reinforces learning. There is no specific data to support exactly what kind of homework should be assigned but data supports that "homework" should reinforce the skills or concepts being learned in the classroom.

This means that if a child is not able to "practice" (complete homework) without minimal support or guidance from an adult, it is not reinforcing the skills (ie. more direct instruction needs to take place in the classroom because your child is not ready for the independent practice). On the opposite end of that spectrum, it means that assigning packets of worksheets that are not reinforcing what is being learned in the classroom or work that is too "easy" for your child is just busy work and does not have much academic value.

So how do "homework projects" fit into this homework scheme? Homework projects are great opportunities to practice all of the above. An effective project will allow your child to practice work skills & use study skills on a topic that is being taught in school. The project could prepare for new learning (at the beginning of a unit of study) or extend learning (at the end of a unit of study). In elementary school this means that parents should only provide "minimal support or guidance - see point number 3. Projects that end up being projects completed by the parent have no real value for the child except possibly to teach the skill of delegating work.

So how much homework is the right amount? Most reports suggest that 10 minutes of homework per grade level is the right amount (10 minutes for kindergarten, 20 minutes for grade 1, 30 minutes for Grade 3, etc.)

This area gets very murky though because the amount of homework expected by a parent differs based on the varying expectations of families.  For example, in just one grade level, parent expectations can range from "My child should have an hour of homework each night" to  "My child should not have any homework." What causes this variation? The list is a long one: A family's own homework and educational philosophy, a parent's experiences as a child with homework, the academic level of a child, the number of after school activities such as Taekwondo, gymnastics, piano & clubs a child is enrolled in and even a parent's work load. The list can go on and on.

As you see, this makes it very difficult for schools to make everyone happy despite the school's homework policy or philosophy.  Surprisingly, whatever a school's policy on homework, the majority of parents, in private and public school settings, are content with their child's homework load.

So what does it this mean Huakailani? You can expect the following:

We take into consideration the latest studies that show homework in general has been found to have little affect on a student's achievement, especially for elementary students. Therefore, homework at Huakailani focuses on giving students the opportunity to practice work skills and to learn and practice study skills.

Homework assigned will reinforce learning in the classroom which serves a dual purpose of independent practice for your child and communication to you as a parent regarding what your child is learning at school. The type of homework and projects assigned will be based on your child's developmental and academic learning needs. We use the homework hour guidelines used by most schools which is 10 minutes per grade level.

Being a small private school that tailors its program to meet the individual needs of its students, we can also offer the customization of taking the time to learn a family's homework expectations. Since homework is completed at home, it is a critical element that must be taken into consideration. This element is usually missing from most school homework policies.

Add this unique last element to the mix and you have Huakailani's Homework Policy which equals meaningful, harmonious homework time for your child and your family. After all the main purpose of homework is for it to have beneficial and positive effect on your child's overall learning experiences. 

At Huakailani we have taken the steps to stay current on homework research & studies and to focus on the most essential objectives of homework.

What kinds of tests are given at Huakailani?

Testing in our nation’s schools is on the rise. From the classroom quiz to the large-scale standardized test, the pressure for education to be “accountable” has intensified. As your child experiences this new tide of testing, it’s helpful to become more aware of the different types of tests and their purposes.

You will not find a "test-driven" curriculum or program at Huakailani. Instead, Huakailani uses a variety of assessments to get the most accurate view of the "whole child" in order to assist us in identifying the most effective teaching tools, strategies, methods and programs to help your daughter reach her full  potential. These "tests" help us to maximize our teaching in order to maximize student learning.

Here are some of the basic kinds of tests your daughter will encounter:

Standards-Based Tests

States and school districts develop standards-based tests to measure student and school progress toward reaching state content standards. State (or district) standards are a written description—usually by grade level—of what students are expected to know in major subject areas. Students across the state or district take the test and the results are used to create a series of proficiency levels linked to the state standards.

The levels usually include below basic, basic, proficient and advanced, but the terms and number of levels can differ between states or districts.  A standards-based test may include multiple-choice, short answer, or essay questions, or include a combination of formats. Huakailani's curriculum is based on National Standards.

Nationally Norm-Referenced Tests

Many states or school districts include a national norm-referenced test as a part of their assessment programs. Norm-referenced tests measure basic concepts and skills commonly taught in schools throughout the country. These tests are not designed as measures of any specific curriculum or instructional program. Well known norm-referenced tests include the Stanford Achievement Test, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, California Achievement Test, and Terra Nova test. Results from norm-referenced tests compare a student's achievement with that of a national sample of similar students. Scores are given as a percentage or a ranking based on percentage. A rank of 40 percent means a student scored better than 40 percent of the students in the sample; 75 means a student scored better than 75 percent of the sample group. Another way norm-referenced scores are expressed is the grade equivalent score. A 4.5 grade equivalent score implies that the student is at the 4th grade, fifth month grade level. Such a specific score suggests more accuracy than a test can measure. No one really knows exactly what a student at the 4.5 grade level should be able to know and do, so the score is an estimation that should be taken somewhat cautiously. Similar to standards-based tests, most national norm-referenced tests are administered once a year with results returned to students several months later. Huakailani uses the California Achievement Test for Grades 3-6.

Classroom Tests

We’re all familiar with basic classroom tests from our own school experience. Classroom tests are given periodically, sometimes weekly, or at the end of a curriculum unit. The teacher may originate many; others are adapted from a textbook or other instructional material. Classroom test formats may include multiple-choice, true/false, short answer, essay, performance, displays or exhibitsprojects  and even computer administered tests. Performance tests require students to apply their knowledge to longer or more complex problems. Classroom test results allow students to get ongoing feedback about their own progress and can inform teachers about additional instruction students may need. Teachers often use classroom test results during parent/teacher conferences as evidence of strengths, areas needing improvement, and progress. Portfolio assessment (a collection of student work graded to specific criteria) can also help demonstrate student progress over a period of time. Classroom tests are important components of student evaluations, but they are only one means of assessment—a more complete picture includes teacher observation of a student’s classroom participation, student performance on assignments, portfolios, and many other assessment strategies that experienced teachers employ.

Is one type of test better than another?

Each type of test serves important but different purposes. At its best, a state standards-based testing tells you how well your child is achieving the state standards. Huakailani's report card (issued once every quarter) is standards-based.

A national norm-referenced test provides valuable information that can be compared to a national average. On the other hand, standards-based and norm referenced

tests often are not able to assess a student’s deeper conceptual understanding or complex thinking abilities. A classroom test provides information about your child’s performance in a specific topic taught by a specific teacher. Major advantages of classroom tests are that they can provide much more frequent information on student progress, help diagnose specific student strengths and weaknesses, and can lead to improved instruction for students. 

How is your program structured?

I believe teaching students to be independent learners and workers is important. Learning organizational skills and good study habits is essential. Our program is a balance of one-on-one and small group individualized instruction yet the girls are given the time and skills to work independently. Each student has a daily learning plan that structures their academic schedule - it consists of instructional time with the teacher, computer time, center time and independent seat work time- where she is responsible for completing assigned work independently. The girls are responsible for keeping track of work they completed on a learning plan (organization skills). The learning plan varies by grade level. Even the youngest in the class, Kindergarten, has been trained to do this. This is how I run a differentiated classroom and teach varying work skills and academics at the same time. Learning these important skills at an early age sets a strong foundation for future study and work skills. This structure allows for individualized instruction and learning and allows for instruction and activities to be tailored to meet the needs of each student.

Why all-girls?

 Why all-girls? 

I get asked this question often.

According to an article in the Honolulu Advertiser, the state Department of Education and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, "Private schools account for about 18% of the total school enrollment in Hawaii." Nationally, the proportion of students enrolled in private schools is only about 10-11%

As an Oahu parent, educator and administrator, I found there was a need amongst Oahu private and public school families for more school options for their children. With the rising costs of private schools on the island in recent years, there was even more parent need for quality education at an affordable tuition. With over 100 private schools on island, in order for a new private school to be successful, I needed to find a niche was not yet filled.

A curriculum and program that was tailored to meet the needs of each student was rare. There were only 3 all-girls school options on island. I had found a niche!

The niche was a small school setting with high quality individualized instruction for girls. Huakailani is the only non-denominational all-girls elementary school in the state with an individualized program.

Why all-girls and not all-boys?

The answer is simple, because I am a girl (female)! Only a girl (female) completely understands a girl's needs! Studies support that girls and boys learn and think differently. Parents find that large sized co-ed classes are not meeting the needs of their children. I personally experienced as a young child, instructional styles and school settings that did not meet my needs as a "girl." As an educator, I have worked with more girls than boys who would have blossomed in a single-gender setting.

The environment provided by an all-girls school can be exactly what a young girl needs in order to be successful in today's society. The all-girl classroom setting in elementary school provides the foundational knowledge, confidence and skills needed to be successful in Middle School and beyond.

The curriculum and program has been created by a female with a focus on what is best for a "girl." A perfect match!

See the list of benefits of an all-girl education for more on this topic.