Makalapa Elementary School

I love the Hawaii public school system! I know you don’t hear this often enough but our experience through Makalapa has been great compared to the school system we left in Oregon. If you pass by the school on Salt Lake BLVD in the morning rush hour you might think it is a world of craziness with commuters zipping by, teenage drivers rushing into Radford and general mayhem of getting all those people off Salt Lake BLVD into the school.
The reason it works is because you have the principal, assistant principal, teachers and even the stern crossing guards taking their responsibilities very seriously. They are present all around the school, calling the kids by their names, greeting the parents. We go to several events and the teachers and administrators show a servants heart towards the kids and the families as well.
The programs and activities available to the kids are great and keep them enthusiastic about going to school. Mrs. Miyamoto’s music class is an especially great program that both my kids are involved with. I think the school system sometimes takes an unnecessary beating and the prominence of private schools here seems to overshadow the great things happening at places like Makalapa. There is every opportunity to thrive at this school and I look forward to sending the rest of my kids there in the future.