SCHOOLS & CLASSES (CONTINUED) ‘IOLANI SCHOOL Located in the heart of Honolulu and minutes from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, ‘Iolani School has been teaching the young people of Hawaii since 1863. The student body is diverse in cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds and bring the best combination of intellect, talent, character and leadership to the school. Students are offered programs to develop their ability and confidence in intellectual, Youth Education 96 spiritual, social, and physical pursuits. These programs include a wide variety of hands-on innovative activities in the Sullivan Center, performing and fine arts, and sports. All students are supported by dynamic and caring faculty who know their students. ‘Iolani School takes pride in developing students to become active, informed, productive citizens in the local, national and global communities. To receive more information, call 808-943-2222 or go to www.iolani.org. boards. Although each is funded on a “perpupil” basis separately from DOE-operated schools, charters are open-enrollment institutions that are tuition-free. For more information, call (808) 586-3775 or visit CharterCommission.Hawaii.gov. HOMESCHOOLING Hawaii’s DOE recognizes the growing homeschool option as an alternative to compulsory school attendance. You can download a document defining legal guidelines from the DOE website. Among reasons parents may prefer homeschooling are desires to provide religious instruction and concerns about the environment of other schools. Requiring a great deal of commitment, homeschooling provides families with access to a variety of programs and support groups that broaden opportunities. Military families can take advantage of classes and resources available to all homeschoolers on Oahu, as well as MWR programs such as homeschool PE, youth sports and art offered especially for Hawaii’s military homeschooling population. For more details, enter “Homeschooling” in the “Search Entire Site” bar at the top of the Hawaii Public Schools website or visit hslda.org/legal/hawaii. PRIVATE SCHOOLS The Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS) serves some 120–plus private and/or independent member schools with nearly 33,540 students–one of the highest percentages in the United States. Tuitions run from $1,000-20,000 annually, with many schools requiring tests and interviews prior to admission. Interested in a private school? Consider your child's age, sex, grade and religion– along with your affordable tuition range. Many offer full or partial scholarships to exceptional and needy students. Some will consider alternative payment plans. A directory of private schools is available at your Family Service Center. Call HAIS at (808) 973-1540 or visit hais.us. TEN TIPS FOR SCREENING A PRIVATE SCHOOL • Consider commute time • Visit each school you are considering • Show your interest at interviews • Be honest about tuition concerns • Ask about pre- and post-school programs • Inquire about extracurricular activities • Check on classroom sizes • Ask about religious affiliation • Meet deadlines • Remain positive!
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