K-12 School in Honolulu County, Hawaii

Ho`ala School, Honolulu:
Ho`ala is a small, independent, college-preparatory non-sectarian school for Grades K-12 that is nationally recognized as a model for character education. Established in 1986, Ho`ala was founded by Sr. Joan Madden who combined her own faith in humanity with studies in Adlerian psychology and the ideas of professional educators and spiritual thinkers to create Ho`ala School. Today, Ho`ala remains a community of people who embrace character development as the cornerstone of life-long learning. Located in the heart of Wahiawa in Central Oahu, Honolulu County, Ho`ala School is an effective, small, caring, vibrant learning community serving 120 students, K-12.

College Prep Programs for K-12th Grade Students: 

Elementary School:
Language Arts is taught throughout the day, every day. There are blocks of time specifically focusing on language arts. The blocks are about 45 minutes each. Typical topics include letter and sound recognition, writing capital and lower case letters, and kinesthetic and hand-on activities designed to support and reinforce reading and writing readiness. Student are read to at least twice each day. They are invited daily to peruse a variety of illustrated books in the classroom. They are given activities to develop pencil grip and fine motor control. In the second semester, students are introduced to sight words and beginning and ending sounds (rhyming sounds). Effective communication and listening skills are encouraged and developed.

Math is taught daily. Students learn counting and number recognition. They learn shapes and measurement. They do sorting and pattern recognition. Initially, most activities are hands-on. As the year progresses, students do work in math workbooks. In the second semester, they begin to learn some basic addition and subtraction.

Social Studies and science are taught two to three times each week. In social studies, kindergartners learn about self and community. Students are encouraged to notice and express their own identity and traits, and to notice classmates’. They explore jobs in the community. They begin to develop map skills. The agreement system also gives students real experiences of social
responsibility. Beginning to have homework responsibility also develops skills
and awareness in this area.In science, kindergartners learn about the environment, weather, living and non-living things, and what living things need.

Physical Education is taught twice each week by the by the P.E. teacher. Through games, dance, and most of all fun, students learn a variety of skills, which include following directions, building teamwork, listening, and developing large
muscle motor skills.

Middle and Upper School:
In Ho`ala's uniquely safe and effective school environment, students become fully alive in their learning, naturally leading to maximum creativity and exploration. In the context of our college-prep curriculum, students are encouraged: to deepen their awareness of themselves, others, and their world; to think logically, creatively, and critically; and to reflect on how they can achieve meaning and purpose in their lives through empathethic learning.

At Ho`ala, students become fully alive in their learning. Ho`ala supports a college-preparatory curriculum that is innovative, interdisciplinary and integrative. Ho`ala's curriculum includes activities that go beyond the classroom and often benefit the wider community through project-based, service-centered learning.

Math:
Using an assessment test, past teacher’s recommendations, and family recommendations, students are placed in either Middle School Math, Pre- Algebra, Algebra I, or upper level mathematics if applicable.

Social Studies:
Students take one year of American History and one year of Cultural Geography/Hawaiian & Pacific Island History.

Language Arts:
These courses cover standards in reading, writing, listening, speaking and grammar.

Science:
Students take one year of Life Science and one year of Physical/Earth Science where they will discover, invent, and investigate various topics in order to gain a better understanding of the world around them.

Physical Education:
Through games, dance, yoga, Pilates and most of all fun, students will learn a variety of skills that include following directions, building team work, listening, and developing large muscle motor skills.

Foreign Language:
Spanish classes will work to develop an appreciation of Latino culture and the differences among Spanish-speaking countries; to motivate students to learn a new language and give them confidence to do so; and to use their knowledge of the culture being studied to produce artwork, crafts, or graphic representations that reflect the Latin culture.

Fine Arts:
Ho`ala provides fine arts courses for all students, K-12, including painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, multi-media art, photography, drama and movement.

Music and Movement:
Music instruction is provided for all Ho`ala students in grades K-6 and offered as an elective for grades 7-8. An emphasis is placed on movement and rhythm, and students learn to read music and discern music genres.

Summer Enrichment Program:
For students entering grades 1-6, this summer day program leads children on an exploration of a different academic topic each week through hands-on experiments, art, music, dance, field trips and games.

Camp Kokua: Summer Camp:
Working in partnership with the University of Hawaii's Service Learning Program, Ho`ala hosts "Camp Kokua," a summer program focused on service learning for students entering grades 3-8.