Over a decade in the making, the countdown is on to the first day of school at Namahana! Many of our staff and kumu (pictured above) are busy preparing. As Namahana’s mentor from Big Picture Learning says, "this first day of school will only happen once.”

We are thrilled to welcome and introduce our founding Kumu (teachers) for Namahana School. The kumu are very excited about Namahanaʻs innovative school design, have experience and a deep interest in 'āina-based learning, and are passionate about supporting learners and their unique interests.  

For the second year in a row, The Vehr Family Foundation pledged $100,000 to Namahana if 100 people donated $1 or more to our middle school classrooms campaign. In just two weeks, our community came together to help us surpass 100 donors, secure the $100K match, and raise an additional $137,164. 

Mahalo to the Kauaʻi North Shore Lions Club, Honsador, and Garden Island Sheds & Portable Storage for their support building tables for the students. Honsador donated the building materials, and Garden Island Sheds & Portable Storage donated a container rental for project.

For John and Jody Vehr, coming to Kīlauea felt like coming home. The Arizona-based couple at the helm of the Vehr Family Foundation first visited the North Shore in 2015 and immediately fell in love with the area around Kauapea Beach…

For the second year in a row, an incredibly generous donor has pledged $100,000 to Namahana if 100 people donate $1 or more to our middle school classrooms campaign. Last year’s effort was a huge success: the community pulled together and we reached 100 donors in 6 days, unlocked the $100,000, and raised an additional $50,000 in the process.  We believe our community can have a greater impact this year!  

We’re thrilled to share a short video that beautifully captures Namahana and the community behind it.  It’s a powerful story that reflects the values and vision we are all building together.  We hope it moves you as much as it moved us.

Congratulations to Dr. Kapua Chandler, Namahana School Leader, for being named a Pacific Business News “40 Under 40” honoree! Kapua is being recognized for being the visionary leader and driving force behind the creation of Namahana School.

Mahalo to our Kaua’i delegation for securing this critical funding for Namahana School. If you missed our announcement on Instagram, check it out here.  

With this grant and other recent gifts, we’ve now raised 80% of our $10 million goal. We’re working hard to close the last $2M by the end of June, as we prepare to welcome our very first 7th and 8th graders to our temporary site this August! 

Mahalo nui to all of those who have been helping prepare our temporary campus for students this August!  We welcome you to join us at the Kula campus on Saturday, 6/22 and/or Friday, 7/12 from 9AM–12PM for ʻohana work days. Simply wear comfy clothes and come ready to have fun and lend a hand.  

Please RSVP to taeko@namahanafoundation.org. We’ll send you a short list of helpful items to bring when you sign up.  All are welcome to join.

Namahana School’s Dr. Kapua Chandler and Taeko Onishi recently joined the Hawai‘i State Charter Commission and global colleagues from Big Picture Learning schools across the U.S., Caribbean, Canada, Africa, and Europe for an International Conference. Hosted by Big Picture Learning Australia, Kapua and Taeko were joined on the trip by the Executive Director of the State of Hawaiʻi Charter School Commission, Ed Noh. 

In preparation for the upcoming school year, hiring continues at Namahana School.  Six Kumu and one Special Education Kumu have been hired. Leadership continues to actively hire for the following positions:

• Student Health Steward

• Campus Steward

• Educational Assistant

• Teachers

Today Namahana School announced a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor couple, catapulting it into the final stretch of a major capital campaign to build middle school facilities on its 11.3-acre site in Kīlauea. With the public charter school’s first cohort of seventh and eighth graders already enrolled for the 2025-2026 academic year and campus construction slated to begin as soon as permits finalize, the seven-figure donation pushes Namahana’s fundraising progress to $7.5 million, or three-quarters of the $10 million goal needed to complete its middle school.

On April 12th 2025, Namahana hosted its very first signing day. Over 100 of the inaugural 7th and 8th graders starting school with us this August were joined by their 'ohana to receive a ti leaf lei from our School Leader Dr. Kapua Chandler and officially sign their enrollment with a koa pen.

With opening day just around the corner, Namahana School welcomed its founding families at an official “Signing Day” event on Saturday, April 12. Throughout the morning, the charter school’s future seventh and eighth graders, together with their parents and siblings, visited the temporary Kula campus where the school will open its doors in August.

Mahalo to “The Garden Island” and “Kaua’i Now News” for their recent coverage of Namahana School’s signing day. Both pieces do a great job of not only showcasing the event, but also the long road that led to the day, as well as the effort that needs to be done as we work towards welcoming Namahana’s first students in August and beginning construction on the permanent campus. 

Mahalo to Zach Arreola, the designer behind our latest logo iteration featured on the recent round of Namahana t-shirts and other gear. For the design, he expertly weaved together the Namahana mountain range and its two highest peaks with the school’s core values: aloha ʻāina, aloha kanaka, and aloha i ke ao. 

Thank you for the great work and support, Zach! 

Namahana Education Foundation welcomes Kevin Newburg to the Board. A dynamic and visionary leader, he has a talent for innovation and strategic growth, and thrives on turning ideas into impactful realities. As a Co-Founder & Managing Partner of JuneShine, Mana Companies Asset Management, and Hale Real Estate Partners, the Board is grateful for his skills and energy. 

Welcome, Kevin!

As one of the six pillars of Big Picture Learning (Namahana’s academic framework), we embrace Hānai (eating healthy) as a key component to teaching both academically successful and healthy students. With this goal in mind, Namahana leadership is engaging with Thyme Culinary Market, owned and operated by Paulina Barsotti, to kickstart Namahana’s locally-sourced lunch program.

In preparation for the upcoming school year, hiring continues at Namahana School.  Six Kumu and one Special Education Kumu have been hired. Leadership continues to actively hire for the following positions…