Ka'ohao Public Charter School

Posted: December 9, 2025

Wow! What an incredible school. My son is in Kindergarten here and every single person we've encountered - from teachers, to counselors, to the nurse the principal, the front office, and education aides - has been truly committed to supporting the children. The older children smile and wave when they walk past the grown ups. It is a magical place, both in terms of the physical space and the overall vibe. They really are living their values and the kids here are fortunate to learn and grow in an environment that appreciates SEL as much as academic progress (and understands they are two sides of the same coin). We couldn't be happier or more grateful about our decision to send our son here.

Posted: December 9, 2025

Posted: December 9, 2025

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Posted: September 23, 2024

Like others have stated. This school is clicky. If you are not with the in crowd. You are the outcast. This school also doesn't support mental health or safety concerns properly. The people in charge should not be.

Posted: September 23, 2024

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Posted: June 26, 2013

School is above average for Oahu, similar to other elementary schools in Kailua. After reading the last review I had to submit. We have a different experience. Yes 2 of the teachers mentioned are great and caring (1st & 2nd grade) yes the new director is a HUGE improvement over the last principal, but many students & parents have a different view point of the art "teacher" and that includes my family. Constantly hearing complaints about her yelling at the students, not speaking loud, yelling. Other parents & grandparents have heard her yelling at her classes when on campus and passing her classroom. Some students do not want to go to art because of this and because they have no opportunity to be creative in her class. Quote from my 5th grader "we have to do everything her way, we do not get to be creative." Three of my children have had this experience, they and many of our friends children have had this experience with this individual. I hesitate to call her a teacher because she is not certified to be one. Some of the art the children produce looks good but there is a sameness about it. I appreciate that they have an art program here, just wish someone else was teaching it.

Posted: June 25, 2013

We recently left Lanikai because of a military move. We loved the school. My children both had excellent teachers all three years we were there. Mr. VanDerKamp, Mrs. Villegas, and Mrs. McKay were all excellent! Mr. Noh (principal) is great. He helped start a chess club with a few parents. My 6 year old loved playing chess and thought it was cool to play with the principal. Mr. Noh knows all the kids and knows most of the parents. The art teacher Mrs. Kristy is also amazing. I loved the accessibility of the teachers. They make you feel totally welcome to email or just talk before or after school. I truly felt that they cared for my children. My kids loved the school and I loved the feeling of Ohana. Both kids are ahead of their peers at their new schools. I was so worried that they would be behind due to the reputation of Hawaii schools. I'm so glad we got a G.E. to attend this school. We miss it terribly, our new school doesn't begin to compare.

Posted: February 16, 2013

I LOVE Lanikai Elementary PCS! The school is small and really feels like an Ohana. The new director is amazing and the children are always pushed to think outside the box. That being said there is always need for improvement. Homework is brutal, especially in the upper grades. I would like to see a policy implemented that limits projects and requires no more than 10 mins of homework per grade level. The school is wonderful at encouraging volunteering and has a lot of activities planned by the LSO (PTA). I don't think there is a better elementary school (on the Windward side) that considers the whole child unless you want to pay $10K+ a year.

Posted: November 10, 2012

This school is amazing! Left another one to go here it's a great school to go to

Posted: November 10, 2012

So tired of the politics at Lanikai. If you are not part of the in crowd, your kids are done for. If your kid is being bullied, forget trying to have anything constructive done for them. It is such a shame that the needs of the children are placed so far downstream of those of the staff and parents. Don't get me wrong. Some of these teachers work darn hard to give the kids every opportunity and benefit that they might have, but there are too many people standing in their way. The haters and the controllers need to fall by the wayside and let those with constructive ideas come forward to propel this potentially talented school forward with the students at the front. I guess we've just given up on it and have decided to take our kids elsewhere.

Posted: September 5, 2012

One of the teachers I know of there could be more has no degree. Not in anything, not in the subject taught, not in education, none. Some of the substitute teachers they use have not been through the program required for all substitute teachers in the State. Requirements include a college degree and specific coursework relating to teaching as a substitute ( lesson plans, classroom management etc.)

Posted: May 24, 2012

It really depends on what you're looking for in an elementary school. If you want a school admin. that effectively handles bullying from children and adults alike, this is not the school for you. If your child is shy, quiet, or has any sort of trait that would be considered "different", this may not be a good fit. If community events, school social nights and Extra Curricular are what you like, this IS the school for you. PTSA has some great members, and some not-so-great. If you are not accepted socially, it is a nightmare-but that is true at any school. Teachers vary here. Some are wonderful, and others really need to go. If you can afford the after school activities, they are enjoyable. I don't see favoritism but I do see a lack of consistency with school policy throughout. The new principal has been here for a full year and he is very nice, but reluctant to administer any meaningful consequences for students who need discipline. Academically, my child did well here, but could have done so much more if the teachers were allowed to teach rather than spend time dealing with disruptive behavior in the classroom. Ultimately this was not a good fit for our child and we are leaving.

Posted: May 22, 2012

Lot of favoritism behind the scenes. Teachers entering the one-way school lot going the wrong direction. What kind of EXAMPLE is that? Should also consider ONLY upper class-men for the student council vice president and president positions.... Other than that school is good-ish.

Posted: May 14, 2012

I L-O-V-E- Lanikai Elementary School. We have been at this wonderful school for 2 years. A new admin team was established this year, and the trio have done an outstanding job through out the school. The teachers and parents support eachother, seeing eye to eye on the national standards of scholarly achievements and have teamed together to exceed those expectations. This is the little school that could and CAN. PTSA has done a fantastic job in getting parents and the community members involved and engaged with the school and students. From Hawaiiana, Library, Computers, Music, PE and ART- this is a school that you would be proud to be a part of.

Posted: April 23, 2012

Lanikai PSC is a wonderful elementary school! The families at the school are great and care about their children's education. They volunteer in the classroom as well as at school events. Teachers are committed and dedicated to the kids. The principal is outstanding! He sets such a positive tone for the school. Our kids love the specials (art, music, PE) and we feel fortunate that Lanikai offers them. They also have a wide range of after school activities which our kids have enjoyed. We feel very fortunate that we were accepted as GE into Lanikai and wouldn't want our kids anywhere else!

Posted: April 11, 2012

Our family has been at Lanikai PCS for four years now. There are so many aspects to consider when looking at schools. Lanikai is a very special school with many opportunities that go beyond the excellent academic focus. It is unusual to find a school that still has a teacher specially trained and teaching the following areas- PE, music, art, library and technology. Our children enjoy the small size of the campus and the Ohana feeling at the school. The new school director is absolutely a phenomenon. Our school is so lucky to have him and his positive presence on campus. Parents are involved volunteering in the classrooms and the PTSA continues to put on amazing events like Math and Science Night and the Concert Under the Stars. We feel fortunate to have our children attending Lanikai PCS.

Posted: February 20, 2012

It's VERY hard to read the negative reviews on here about Lanikai! I usually don't review schools but I had to make sure I wrote one on behalf of Lanikai. I'm a parent of 2 boys who attend Lanikai. My kids are now in 5th & 2nd grade & I'm EXTREMELY happy to be apart of the Lanikai Ohana!! I've NEVER had a bad experience with this school. The students are smart and well behaved. Both of my boys have been blessed to have great teachers for the past 2 years. The teachers are approachable and reachable for any & every concern I have. The principal is so friendly & actually knows our entire family's first names. He gets to know his students & is nice enough to attend birthday parties & events of his students upon request. They DO NOT tolerate bullying!! I've seen first hand how they nip it in the bud quickly. We're a military family & Lanikai is extremely pro military & supportive of the struggles we face with deployments, training schedules and PCS. We just received orders back to CA & I'm SO bummed that we'll have to leave Lanikai. I chose to get involved with the PTSA & these women are phenomenal. They work for FREE & do an amazing job. I love Lanikai Elementary & will miss it dearly

Posted: November 21, 2011

Lanikai could be a great school if the punk kids could be reined in a bit. The teachers are great, and the new principal seems to really care about the school, but some of the kids really bring it down.

Posted: November 4, 2011

To the woman who blamed the children in waimanalo for bully... Get a grip. My children have been attending lanikai for many years and not one has ever been in any type of trouble, the all get near perfect grades, and are just nice good children. My oldest that has moved on to middle school is doing better than I could have ever imagined. They all have or had GE's to attend Lanikai. The only time they mentioned bullies in the school was in regard to military child.... yet I do not blame ALL military and their up bring. Perhaps the real problems is your lack of aloha.

Posted: October 17, 2011

Severe bullying problem which the principal, teacher, and school counselor where not able to resolve. Politics over the care for the students. Deeply frustrating and disappointing. We where not the only parents who had to resort to taking our child out of the school. Makes you want to occupy the school yard.

Posted: October 2, 2011

For those that complain, complain, complain...I suggest getting involved. Those women in the PTSA and on the committees are not getting paid- they are putting their money where their mouth is, and I guarantee anyone of them would be more than willing to take you under their wing if you kindly asked ; they did me when I was a newby her last year, but I came in with a humble attitude, not a mightier than thou attitude. If you want a better school and you want change, then you need to be a change agent not an agent of negativity and bashing- what good does do anyone? By the way, I am from a military family and I can guarantee it is not the score so military kids that are boosting the overall scores. Have a look at the military scores for school on the bases here- you will see they fair nowhere close to being great. Put that energy to work- in a good way-please.

Posted: May 18, 2011

This school is so hard to be a part of. It is clickish- both parents and teachers. And everyone has a personal agenda. That is why this school is well known in the area for producing the worst math students, so much so that the intermediate school has to work remedially with them. All those many years ago when I was in school, schools centered around the kids not forgot about them. PTSA is run by a group of friends who think they know what is best for everyone and take no consensus from their membership. It is a disappointment that we can not have a student-centered environment. Thank goodness we have so many military kids to pull up our test scores, otherwise we would be in a much sadder state. Here's to hoping that the new principal can come in and get things in order, but that is placing a huge burden on his shoulders before he even starts. Maybe we could coalesce around him and set aside our egos for the better of the children. If not now, when?

Posted: February 2, 2011

It is almost ironic. We moved our children to this school when we moved to Hawaii and had done a ton of research before we arrived. We know that no school is perfect, but I am amazed at how much control a few of the teachers have over the school. Certain teachers require their elementary students halfway through the year to address them as 'Dr.' instead of the Mrs. that they had become accustomed to. And some teachers with tenure are so stuck in their ways that the educational style seems not to have progressed since they taught 3rd grade in the 80s. This is a good school for Hawaii, but anywhere else it would be considered substandard. Many of the parents are no better than the teachers. Most stand around before and after school stirring the pot instead of doing something creative for the kids. The school needs to be built for and around the students, not the ancillary adults.

Posted: November 1, 2010

Love this school with small class size and peaceful setting. Yes, we are currently without a principle but the value here is really the teachers not the principle....the teachers are simply a cut above and both my kids have gone from kindergarten all the way up so i know them all!!! I love that we the parents get an active voice since this is a charter school. Bottom line: my kids love to go to school and are reading 3 -4 years above grade level, understand what it means to be a community contributor and the importance of education...what more could you want?

Posted: October 15, 2010

Very happy here. We have all three children enrolled and love the school. I love the parental involvement.

Posted: October 7, 2010

So far I am very happy with this school. My daughter has a really great teacher and absolutely LOVES this school. The parent involvement is wonderful! I am very happy that I decided to go with this school - my daughter is learning and bringing some pretty cool stuff home - she loves the friends she's made, loves her teacher and likes all of her fun classes.

Posted: August 23, 2010

Glad we left. We took our kids out of the school last year due to poor instruction and constant drama. Last week the principal resigned. Now no one is steering this last ship.

Posted: August 23, 2010

I am highly impressed with the teaching staff and leadership. A tight ship that has ensured a safe, nurturing and accountable exemplary staff is the obvious product of vigilance and focus on what is at the very heart of what our school system should be about- the children served. Sometimes a country road is well worth the journey to finds the treasures not often seen on the road most traveled. This school will breeze through a seamless leadeship trasiton on the shoulders of already inplace objectives and visions, great adminstration mentorships, the support of caring parents and a stellar porfessional staff.

Posted: August 17, 2010

Where has the morale of the school gone? We have enjoyed several wonderful years of education at Lanikai, our school of district, but the morale deterioration that started with the administration's foray into juvenile politics has only been exacerbated by the power play between teachers and the administration. It is a shame that this school year ushered in a time when the children are being used openly as pawns by the teachers to fend off attacks by the admin. We are being forced to shop elsewhere for an education for our son. Such a shame since the school had such promise a few years back.

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