Answering Your FAQ
We’ve been hosting great parent groups with the North Shore community. Thank you to all the parents who have come out to ask such insightful questions! Here, we’re answering three of the most commonly asked ones. Please keep your questions coming! We can also be reached via email, or message us on Instagram.
What does a practical day look like for a Namahana student?
As a student-driven, ʻāina-based school, a practical day truly depends on each student and their personalized learning plan—which will be based on their passions, interests, and gifts. Students can expect to start their day with a piko (gathering) to center themselves. Depending on the days of the week, students can expect to spend time in skills labs, creative activations, experiential learning, research in field study sites, real-world learning at internships, and a significant amount of time in advisory. Advisory will consist of whole class, small group, and independent work time. Each day will end with 10 minutes of mediation to re-center students.
Will there be sports and extracurricular activities for students?
In our opening year, the extracurricular activities will be based on enrollment and student interest. As Namahana grows from middle to high school, we will look to develop extracurriculars based on facility availability (i.e. Kīlauea Gym, Kīlauea play fields, new facilities, etc.) and community partnerships. Activities may include art, music, theatre, as well as sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball, canoe paddling, surfing, and swimming.
With a unique interest-based curriculum, what will college prep be like?
Namahana School’s curriculum is designed to prepare students to compete at the post-secondary level. Our high school graduation requirements align with the Hawaiʻi DOE requirements, ensuring all students are eligible for post-secondary education. In partnership with Big Picture Learning, Namahana will also provide opportunities for high school students to take college courses, giving them a taste for college curriculum and the confidence to go beyond the secondary level.
