We are pleased to announce that 7th grade enrollment for the 2026-27 school year is officially open!  

At Namahana School, haumāna (students) are mentored through their Personalized Learning Plans (PLP) both on-campus and off-campus in Ulu ʻĀina (field study) experiences in the community. They give maximum effort with a hiki nō (can do) attitude and are proactive in their interest-led academic and personal journey. Students will be with the same classmates and teacher for 2-3 years, which we call an ʻOhana (advisory).

On January 31, Melanie Parker will be celebrating 8 years of service and stepping-down from her role as Executive Director of Namahana Education Foundation to focus on her ʻohana at a critical time. The full school, foundation, boards, and staff are deeply grateful for her transformative impact…

We are starting 2026 with incredible gratitude. In just over two weeks, 34 generous donors stepped up and donated over $102,000 to Namahana School. By reaching this goal, we officially  secured the $50,000 December match gift from Jack Sutton, bringing our total impact to over $152,000.

This funding will support building essential classrooms on our permanent land in Kīlauea. We are deeply grateful to Jack Sutton for hosting this match challenge, and to our full community for continually supporting and sharing our story. Mahalo for making the dream of a middle and high school a reality for the North Shore!

At Namahana, learning is based on the interests and goals of each student in relation to their community, which includes people and place. Curriculum must have real-world applications, and abilities are authentically measured by the quality of work.

Here, some highlights from the last few weeks around campus:

 At the turn of the year, Namahana’s temporary campus came alive with the spirit of makahiki. The word “makahiki” can refer to a time of celebration, as this season is the start of the rainy season—a season of peace, celebration, and games. In the makahiki games, students competed in traditional Hawaiian games including kōnane, pā uma, pā ʻumeʻume, haka moa, ulumaika, and moa pāheʻe—bringing energy, laughter, and friendly competition to the day.

Some Namahana champions then went on to represent the school at the island-wide championship at Kauai Community College, joining hundreds of other middle schoolers from all over the Kaua’i (see the recap in “The Garden Island” here). What a memorable week of makahiki games!

We are looking for individuals interested in leading clubs or with coaching experience. Ideas are welcome, but students have recently expressed interest in sewing, dirt bike mechanics, Japanese language, strength training equipment, e-sports, and more.  Please contact Taeko directly at taeko@namahana.org!

On January 24, the Hawaiʻi Cup surf competition made its way to Hanalei Bay, Kauaʻi. Namahana students were honored to host the event’s opening ceremony.  They also had the opportunity to meet professional surfers from across Hawaiʻi, including Zeke Lau and Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore. Special thanks to Krisy and Sebastian Zietz for all they do for Namahana School and our community!  

This December, we have a great opportunity: a $50,000 match campaign! Mahalo to Jack Sutton, who is graciously funding this month’s effort to match community donations up to $50,000—that could be $100,000 towards the building of Namahana’s essential classrooms! 

Jack noted, “I’ve seen firsthand how the right learning environment can change a child’s future, and Namahana’s model captures what matters most—supporting each student’s unique passions, talents, and needs. I’m honored to support this work and invite others who share these values to stand with a community committed to giving every student a real chance to thrive.”

Give whatever you can, the amount doesn't matter!  And please tell your ʻohana, neighbors, friends, and social media followers to do the same.  We need your support to amplify the voice of Namahana School.  This campaign is live; share our story and donate any amount today.

This month, Namahana School celebrated our inaugural hōʻike, a meaningful milestone for our school community. Our seventh graders gathered at Waipā, while eighth graders came together at Kīlauea Agricultural Center, to demonstrate their learning and share gratitude with the people and places that have nurtured their learning over the past six weeks. 

The energy was electric as students showcased the depth and range of their experiences—each one finding their own unique way to express what they learned and what they're carrying forward. Mahalo nui to all the makua (parents) who joined us for this special occasion. Check out the short video we created from these special events. 

As we enter into the last part of the quarter, students will be preparing for their exhibitions: their "Who I Want to Be" projects. We look forward to seeing how each student brings this personal reflection to life.

Learn More About Academic Learning Goals at Namahana.org

Namahana’s unique and rigorous learning model is in action. Rooted in the nationally-recognized Big Picture Learning design, we’ve showcased academic Learning Goals in a new section at Namahana.org.

At Namahana, learning begins with pilina, the relationships we build with people, place, and culture. Rooted in these connections, our Learning Goals extend beyond traditional standards, combining academic excellence with personal growth, social responsibility, and ʻāina-based experience. Learning is personal because it begins with relationship; we first understand the learner, then shape learning around them.

This personalized approach meets and extends  beyond the Hawaiʻi Common Core Standards. It then extends learning into real world understanding, critical thinking, and meaningful connection. Through daily reflection and applied experience, students discover who they are, how they learn, and how their knowledge can serve their community and the world.

In an effort to give students as much real world educational experience as possible, this month the school hosted the first Career Connects event with a visit from the Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center.

The Career Connects series brings experts from community directly into the school to talk with students. Bringing credible industry experts into the school provides real world career experience, plus the chance to network and gain insight into the wide breadth of career paths and opportunities available.    

If you have ideas for people or organizations who might come in to present, please let Taeko know via email.

This month, Pam Murphy celebrated her retirement from her role as Chair of the Governing Board of Namahana School. Namahana’s staff and boards are deeply grateful for her six years of dedicated service and expertise…

Listen to this interview with Dr. Kapua Chandler, who checked in with Hawaiʻi Public Radio a few weeks ago. The interview is a great insight into the challenges of building a public middle and high school on the North Shore—which, until now, has been considered a learning desert due to its sheer distance from educational opportunities. In the interview, she explains the challenge facing rural communities and the need being met by Namahana School.

Mahalo to the community and to North Shore Give for the support during their annual Give Week. North Shore Give proudly supported 25 local nonprofits and fundraising campaigns during North Shore Give Week, including Namahana School’s effort to build essential classrooms in Kīlauea. We are grateful for the support!

Head over to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser website to read an Op-Ed penned by Dr. Kapua Chandler, Namahana’s School Leader. The piece centers on water safety, and how it can and should be considered as a vital part of children’s education.

The stats are clear: drowning is the number one cause of death among children in Hawaiʻi, and among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children ages 1-17. The percentage of drowning deaths is more than three times higher than that of all other ethnicities in the same age group. The article focuses on how we can address this, and what Namahana School is doing (including last month’s collaborative lessons with the Kauai Lifeguard Association). 

Click here to read the article. For those without Star-Advertiser subscriptions, you can read the article on our website via the button below. 

Mahalo to the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association and the Kauaʻi Ocean Safety Bureau for a comprehensive first aid and water safety training that was built directly into the Namahana School curriculum. Over two days, students were able to work directly with lifeguards and Namahana kumu (teachers), weaving together real world skills with their ongoing education. 

Namahana was deeply honored to receive a $150,000 gift from Matthew Monahan, Brian Monahan, and Catlin Powers of Biome Trust, whose commitment to earth care, self care, and community care beautifully mirrors Namahana’s ʻāina-based model.

The McInerny Foundation recently granted $150,000 to Namahana School. Dispersed over 3 years, it is a big honor to receive a grant of this size from this prestigious Hawaiʻi-based organization. We are extremely thankful to the North Shore community, who stepped up in many ways to recommend Namahana for this grant.

As Namahana students begin Quarter 2, students, their families, and their kumu came together to create Personal Learning Plans (PLPs) for each student. These meetings are a special time  to come together and reflect on the work and experiences of the prior quarter. 

This month, Namahana School launched ulu ʻāina (field studies)—seven weeks of our students learning in community, one day each week culminating in a Hōʻike (demonstration of learning). This is the foundation we're building for our haumāna to be comfortable learning off-campus regularly, developing the skills and relationships that will serve them when they pursue internships during high school.