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  • Feeder Preschools

    I moved to island a couple months ago and am just getting familiar with the entire preschool craziness. We applied to the Early School (basically have no chance of getting in), Star of the Sea, The Cole Academy, Mother Rice, Laura Morgan, and UH Children's Center. I want to send my child to Punahou, Iolani, Mid-Pacific and the other great schools here on the island so that he has a good chance for admission into a good college. Does anyone have any suggestions and also, has anyone heard of the Cole Academy and what kind of school that is? Thank you!!!

  • #2
    Re: Feeder Preschools

    I'm no authority on getting into private schools, but I do know that the Cole Academy is a highly regarded establishment. The founder, Gina Mangieri, is a reporter at KHON and named the school after her son, Cole. She didn't find what she was looking for as far as quality goes, so she started the school herself.
    As for if it feeds to the private school of your choice, dunno. Some people say you need to reserve a place in those schools when the pregnancy test is positive.
    Aloha from Lavagal

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Feeder Preschools

      Thank you Lavagal. Looks like the waitlist is near impossible to get on! Wish me and my baby luck. Still, I'd like to know if anyone has sent their kids to these schools yet and if so, where did their kids end up going to?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Feeder Preschools

        Sigh. You've been here less than a year and it sounds like you've already bought into the private school mindset.

        You want suggestions for how to help your kid be successful?

        Be a great parent to your kid. Set a good example. Teach him right from wrong. Show him that learning and curiosity and education are cool and fun and exciting. If you don't do those things, you could send him to Punahou and it still won't help.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Feeder Preschools

          Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro View Post
          Sigh. You've been here less than a year and it sounds like you've already bought into the private school mindset.

          You want suggestions for how to help your kid be successful?

          Be a great parent to your kid. Set a good example. Teach him right from wrong. Show him that learning and curiosity and education are cool and fun and exciting. If you don't do those things, you could send him to Punahou and it still won't help.
          Bravo Glen!
          Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
          Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Feeder Preschools

            i can only speak for iolani, from whence i graduated mumble years ago.

            when i went, girls could get in only from 7th grade on. i didn't go to a grade school that was particularly special or considered a feeder school. my classmates were sons of iolani (kids who have gone to iolani from kindergarten are daughters or sons of iolani), or came from schools as diverse as hongwanji mission school (private), island paradise school (private--no longer exists), st. teresa school (catholic), st. andrew's priory (episcopalian), maemae (public), and kalakaua (public) and washington (public) intermediate schools, and from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds (poor, living in kalihi, like me, to wealthy kids of prominent MDs and ESQs or businesspeople).

            my experience tells me that for iolani, it's not what school you went to that matters, but how you did at that school and how well-rounded you are of a student. connections supposedly don't hurt but they're not a guarantee. i know personally one ambitious mother who tried to use her lawyer husband's friendship with an iolani board member so that her daughter could get in at the seventh grade level to no avail. i think her daughter, while charming and with interests in music and athletics, was a B average student. she ended up at sacred hearts, which is not a bad school either (i work with some very successful sacred hearts women).

            prior to entering iolani, i was a mostly A student (Bs in math and science if anything) with fairly strong writing skills. i also danced hula and played ukulele. athleticism is what i lacked. somehow, in my entrance interview, which was with the dean of students (not everyone gets the dean--other potential students interview with faculty), i shined even though i was a little shy.

            also, going to a school like iolani or mid pac or punahou alone doesn't guarantee entrance into the best colleges/universities. remember that competition is fierce. again, specifically for iolani, if you are graduating from the middle of your class, you won't get accepted at harvard, stanford, claremont mckenna or berkeley, but you'll likely get acceptance letters from loyola marymount, university of san francisco and university of hawaii at manoa. mind you, the middle of the class students at iolani are in the 3.3 gpa range since most students take advanced placement courses which garner higher grade points. our valedictorians have 4 point plus gpas and often start college as sophomores. however, if you're top five percent at farrington, you'll get into the best of colleges, even tho if that farrington valedictorian had gone to iolani instead, s/he might have only been in the 3.0 gpa range.

            i don't particularly believe that going to a "good" preschool and then going to a "good" grade school and so on guarantees acceptance into a "good" college. it's what the kid does on his and her own while in whatever school she's at (which also depends on whether the school is a good fit for that student) that matters most.

            hope that helps.
            superbia (pride), avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath) & acedia (sloth)--the seven deadly sins.

            "when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people i deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly..."--meditations, marcus aurelius (make sure you read the rest of the passage, ya lazy wankers!)

            nothing humiliates like the truth.--me, in conversation w/mixedplatebroker re 3rd party, 2009-11-11, 1213

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Feeder Preschools

              Pity dee parents who spent ukapila kala sending their keikis to feeder schools and Private Schools. I know too many stories of spoiled brats who ended up in prison instead of College. Yep! Plenny who ended up strung out in Chinatown. Somebody's child. Students from Punahou, Iolani, every Private School is represented. If a child is going to succeed, the parents are going to have to be there from the start! As Glen so posted!

              Auntie Lynn
              Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
              Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Feeder Preschools

                i wholeheartedly agree with auntie lynn and glenn. i've gone to school with spoiled brats and the "better" education (which came with weekly chapel services, by the way--iolani is an episcopalian school after all) did not help them to be meaningfully "better" people. then again, i have relatives who went to public school and weren't financially well off but they were just as bad brats as the rich brats i went to school with, and as adults, they still are spoiled brats with little sense of ethical behavior. (those were the cousins who teased me with their "what, nerd??" or "what, you tink you special cause you go private school?")

                while i'm grateful that my mom sent me to iolani and i really do value the education i got there (they were great at nurturing my thirst for knowledge for the sake of learning--i've never been the kind to want to know stuff just bcs i wanted to be a know-it-all or just to ace/pass an exam or class; i'm a true nerd at heart), the lessons my mom taught me, whether with grace and gentleness and by example or whether those lessons were taught with the hard edge of a ruler on my okole, are just as valueable as anything i've ever learned from school.

                what i said before about going to "good" preschools etc fits into my philosophy about childrearing (not that i have yet been blessed with little terrors of my own): when it comes to the kind of person your kid will become, what you buy(clothes, education, toys, gadgets) is nowhere near as important as what you teach by example, by actions, and by words, conviction, and love. or lack thereof.
                superbia (pride), avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath) & acedia (sloth)--the seven deadly sins.

                "when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people i deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly..."--meditations, marcus aurelius (make sure you read the rest of the passage, ya lazy wankers!)

                nothing humiliates like the truth.--me, in conversation w/mixedplatebroker re 3rd party, 2009-11-11, 1213

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Feeder Preschools

                  That's all very nice, people, but you're not answering her question. If you're looking for a feeder preschool, one of the ones you want to look at is Kawaihao, which has been discussed here. There's more discussion here.

                  In fact, do a search for "preschool" and you'll find some good stuff, if you'll slog through some of the distracting posts.

                  I want to add a couple of my own distracting comments. The first is that Mid-Pacific does not really belong in the same sentence as those other schools you mention if you are talking strictly about academics. My own alma mater is much more rigorous.

                  Two schools you might look at are Waolani Judd (mentioned in one of the other threads) and Windward Nazarene Academy. As a secondary school teacher, I have appreciated how well-adjusted are the students I've taught who have attended those schools. And they are very informally thought of as feeder preschools for two other good schools you did not list.
                  But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
                  GrouchyTeacher.com

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Feeder Preschools

                    Originally posted by scrivener View Post
                    That's all very nice, people, but you're not answering her question. If you're looking for a feeder preschool, one of the ones you want to look at is Kawaihao, which has been discussed here. There's more discussion here.

                    In fact, do a search for "preschool" and you'll find some good stuff, if you'll slog through some of the distracting posts.

                    I want to add a couple of my own distracting comments. The first is that Mid-Pacific does not really belong in the same sentence as those other schools you mention if you are talking strictly about academics. My own alma mater is much more rigorous.

                    Two schools you might look at are Waolani Judd (mentioned in one of the other threads) and Windward Nazarene Academy. As a secondary school teacher, I have appreciated how well-adjusted are the students I've taught who have attended those schools. And they are very informally thought of as feeder preschools for two other good schools you did not list.
                    Kawaiahao Preschool is another excellent preschool to send your child to. It's a Montessori based learning center so it may not appeal to all however it is one of many preschools that are qualified to receive scholarship funding from the Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop Keiki Scholarship fund granted thru KSBE.

                    I have to beg to differ on the Public vs Private school issue. I have sent all of my children thru both kinds of schools and have maintained the level of parental support as well. There is a distinct difference in learning styles in private vs public.

                    At Hokulani Elementary school (near UH/Manoa) when one of my kids was attending 3rd grade, his teacher mentioned that as good as Hokulani Elementary school is (and it is a great elementary school), their curricullum could not meet my boy's desire for knowledge.

                    He ended up entering KSBE/Kapalama at 4th grade and has taken advantage of their studies there propelling him to the top 10% in the nation on SAT scores.

                    One of the key differences between Private vs Public schools is the nature of the campus settings. Because private schools can expell unruly students there isn't this intimidation among students. Yes it is the cream of the crop mentality, but it does provide a stimulating learning environment instead of one of self-defense and survival.

                    As any teacher will attest to is the need for effective classroom management. When you have an intimidating student in a class and the teacher feels powerless to deal with that unruly student how can that teacher provide a stimulating learning environment to their students? In a private school setting the student is simply expelled and the problem is solved.

                    You can't do that in a public school as efficiently as it can be done in private schools.

                    Private school teachers also get the much needed support from their administrative staff to provide the necessary learning materials needed to teach effectively. Public school teachers have to dig into their own pockets to see their vision of what is needed to teach a class effectively.

                    Yes I do believe parental involvement is necessary for students to be successful in any school (it is a requirement in most private schools as opposed to wishful thinking in public schools), but it isn't the only criteria for good grades. Private schools offer more and require more for their students and their student's parents.

                    Unfair comparison? Of course it is! But that's why it's difficult to compare one over the other. Public schools have everything going against them from a dysfunctional school board, to unions that cater to the needs of their members first then the students, to unruly students that create an environment of intimidation and hostility on campus, to downright neglectful parents who just don't care about their kid's education.

                    The public school students that rise above that challenge are truly remarkable students because they managed to get something great out of a tangled web of beauracracy and neglect.

                    But back OT...The Early School is considered a feeder to Punahou as well as Iolani and MidPac. Kawaiahao is also a feeder to private schools as well. All you have to do is to look at the kinds of cars parents use to drop their kids off on the grounds of Kawaiahao Church. And yeah I've sent four of my six kids to The Early School and one to Kawaiahao. The other attended KSBE Preschool at Kapalama. Three have graduated from KSBE, two are in public schools here on the Big Island (Waiakea Elementary and Connections PCS) while my youngest is back here on the Big Island attending Piihonua Preschool after transferring from Kawaiahao Montessori Preschool on Oahu.
                    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Feeder Preschools

                      all i'm gonna say is that i went to iolani from seventh grade thru senior year, and graduated form iolani, and never did i meet anyone who had gone to early school let me know when it came into being, cause i have no clue. remember, i'm childless and grad mumble years ago).

                      there was no real marked correlation that i could tell between what school someone came from prior to iolani versus how well they did by graduation time.

                      however, i did grad from iolani mumble years ago, so i will not hesitate to allow that perhaps things have changed quite a lot. but if feeder schools are a prerequisite to any future child i may have going to and succeeding at iolani, then the state of education in hawaii is disgusting indeed.
                      superbia (pride), avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath) & acedia (sloth)--the seven deadly sins.

                      "when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people i deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly..."--meditations, marcus aurelius (make sure you read the rest of the passage, ya lazy wankers!)

                      nothing humiliates like the truth.--me, in conversation w/mixedplatebroker re 3rd party, 2009-11-11, 1213

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Feeder Preschools

                        Originally posted by ericncyn View Post
                        but if feeder schools are a prerequisite to any future child i may have going to and succeeding at iolani, then the state of education in hawaii is disgusting indeed.
                        feeder schools are a must. you also need to make sure your kids are doing extracurricular activites. Ballet, gymnastics, piano, swimming, etc.

                        tutoring is also recommended. Kindergarten is extremely competitive and unless you are 100% committed in the effort, your kids are at an extreme disadvantage.

                        sad but true.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Feeder Preschools

                          Originally posted by 808shooter View Post
                          feeder schools are a must. you also need to make sure your kids are doing extracurricular activites. Ballet, gymnastics, piano, swimming, etc.
                          I'm sorry, but I must disagree. Feeder schools are NOT a must; neither, in fact, is preschool itself. It's true that a lot of parents feel this way, and a good preschool can be a very good thing, but if you raise good, bright, inquisitive (that's key), well-adjusted, resilient kids, you don't need to worry about a feeder school. Admissions people don't care where your kid went to school; they care about whether your kid can contribute to and thrive in the environment the school provides. I can say this with total confidence. In fact, NOT sending your kid to a feeder school can be an advantage: The admissions interviewers see the same preschools written on the same applications weekend after weekend; to see a completely different school's name there is likelier to get some notice.

                          As for extracurriculars, it helps if your kid has some exposure to different activities or displays some interests other than in his or her Nintendo Wii, but at least at schools where I've taught, this just isn't that important. Different activities can contribute to a child's inquisitiveness and well-adjustedness, but you can get all that from participation in a good church, or in a healthy family life, or in regular trips to the community library, or even in responsible television-watching.

                          tutoring is also recommended. Kindergarten is extremely competitive and unless you are 100% committed in the effort, your kids are at an extreme disadvantage.

                          sad but true.
                          Sad, yes. True? No. I can't speak for that school whose name begins with a P (I don't say the P-Word on my days off; sorry), but what you need to be 100% committed to is not academic achievement at that age; what you need to be 100% committed to is affective and social development. Yes, kindergarten admissions are competitive, but the way to get your kid into the school you want is to first raise the kid you want to raise, then find the school that best fits that child's needs.

                          You mention a handful of schools as possibilities, but each of those schools has a different target population. It's one of the best things about the large number of available private-school options in this state: there are a LOT of different environments and missions that address the needs of a LOT of different types of students. P------ has absolutely failed to teach a lot of the brightest students I've ever taught because a lot of students thrive in small classes but languish in larger classes or on larger campuses. Students whose passion is air riflery will not do well to apply to the school where I teach now, because as a matter of policy, my school does not participate in competitive riflery. You want your kid to be involved every day in faith-based learning? Don't send him or her to Iolani or P------. Does character-based education come ahead of academics? Choose one of our state's excellent Catholic schools.

                          Raising your kid to fit in at some pre-selected school before the kid is even in preschool is all backward. Raise your kid and THEN decide on a school. Please. I have to help children every day with psyches injured by parents' determination to make them fit in at some school (known by some colleagues but not me as "KaPunaLani") that (a) never really wanted or appreciated them or (b) they simply don't fit in at. You love your kid too much for that.
                          But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
                          GrouchyTeacher.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Feeder Preschools

                            Originally posted by scrivener View Post
                            I'm sorry, but I must disagree. Feeder schools are NOT a must; neither, in fact, is preschool itself. It's true that a lot of parents feel this way, and a good preschool can be a very good thing, but if you raise good, bright, inquisitive (that's key), well-adjusted, resilient kids, you don't need to worry about a feeder school. Admissions people don't care where your kid went to school; they care about whether your kid can contribute to and thrive in the environment the school provides. I can say this with total confidence. In fact, NOT sending your kid to a feeder school can be an advantage: The admissions interviewers see the same preschools written on the same applications weekend after weekend; to see a completely different school's name there is likelier to get some notice.

                            As for extracurriculars, it helps if your kid has some exposure to different activities or displays some interests other than in his or her Nintendo Wii, but at least at schools where I've taught, this just isn't that important. Different activities can contribute to a child's inquisitiveness and well-adjustedness, but you can get all that from participation in a good church, or in a healthy family life, or in regular trips to the community library, or even in responsible television-watching.


                            Sad, yes. True? No. I can't speak for that school whose name begins with a P (I don't say the P-Word on my days off; sorry), but what you need to be 100% committed to is not academic achievement at that age; what you need to be 100% committed to is affective and social development. Yes, kindergarten admissions are competitive, but the way to get your kid into the school you want is to first raise the kid you want to raise, then find the school that best fits that child's needs.

                            You mention a handful of schools as possibilities, but each of those schools has a different target population. It's one of the best things about the large number of available private-school options in this state: there are a LOT of different environments and missions that address the needs of a LOT of different types of students. P------ has absolutely failed to teach a lot of the brightest students I've ever taught because a lot of students thrive in small classes but languish in larger classes or on larger campuses. Students whose passion is air riflery will not do well to apply to the school where I teach now, because as a matter of policy, my school does not participate in competitive riflery. You want your kid to be involved every day in faith-based learning? Don't send him or her to Iolani or P------. Does character-based education come ahead of academics? Choose one of our state's excellent Catholic schools.

                            Raising your kid to fit in at some pre-selected school before the kid is even in preschool is all backward. Raise your kid and THEN decide on a school. Please. I have to help children every day with psyches injured by parents' determination to make them fit in at some school (known by some colleagues but not me as "KaPunaLani") that (a) never really wanted or appreciated them or (b) they simply don't fit in at. You love your kid too much for that.
                            scriv, i could hug you for this post. in fact, here:

                            ((((((((((((((((((((scriv))))))))))))))))))))))))


                            i went to bed kinda bummed that things had changed so much since i started at iolani. and you've restored my faith.
                            superbia (pride), avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath) & acedia (sloth)--the seven deadly sins.

                            "when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people i deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly..."--meditations, marcus aurelius (make sure you read the rest of the passage, ya lazy wankers!)

                            nothing humiliates like the truth.--me, in conversation w/mixedplatebroker re 3rd party, 2009-11-11, 1213

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Feeder Preschools

                              Whether it's a feeder school or not, preschool is very important. It prepares the child for the social impact they will encounter as they enter a mandatory educational system (whether it be a learning center or home school).

                              Children who have that social interaction under their belt will adapt better in a school setting.

                              Feeder schools are not necessary unless you want to condition your child for the entrance stipulations that most private schools imply. For those who want their child in a private school from the beginning, then a feeder preschool is a must. For those who want their child in a private school later on in life it's much harder as the entrance requirements are much harder academically.

                              There are both camps of parents who want what's best or realistic for their children. Is preschool right for every child? I don't think so just as some high school grads just aren't college material. Every child will find a niche eventually to cradle their intellectual ability.

                              The key difference is what Glen has already mentioned...it has everything to do with the parents of said children.

                              If you don't want to send your child to a feeder preschool, it's your choice. Is it bad? No it's not because it serves a purpose. If that purpose doesn't fit your idea of the direction you want to point your child in that's up to you and only you not for anyone else to say if it's right or wrong.

                              The proof will be in the outcome. Nobody could possibly know what that outcome will be unless you fail to act. A parent that proactively acts for their child and fails in their outcome at least tried. A parent that fails to act for their child...as my wife says, "Invest now or pay later".

                              And Ericyn, yes there are children who have gone to The Early School and have entered and graduated from Iolani. Just because you don't know of any that doesn't mean there aren't any, as a lawyer you should know better than to make an assumption like that.
                              Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                              Comment

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