Programs
About Kanu o ka 'Āina
Kanu o ka ‘Āina New Century Public Charter School is a Hawaiian-focused, bi-lingual public charter school serving 220 students in grades K-12, which started up in 2000 in Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island. Our motto “Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu” signifies our efforts to provide a quality choice in education, as well as our ongoing focus on growth and excellence at all levels, a standard set by Hawaiʻi’s native forefathers.
Our name kanu o ka ‘āina literally means “plants of the land” and figuratively refers to “natives of the land from generations back.” This name reflects the commitment of our school, our staff, our students and their families to perpetuate Hawaiʻi’s native language, culture and traditions, as mandated by Article X of Hawaiʻi’s State Constitution. It also demonstrates our efforts to assure that future generations of Waimea residents have the choice to remain natives of this land.
Currently, Kanu o ka ‘Āina NCPCS is organized into a Kula Pōkiʻi (Elementary School: kindergarten through grade 5) and Kula ‘Ōpio (middle and high school: grades 6 through 12), overseen by two administrators. Kula Pōkiʻi and Kula ‘Ōpio are composed of multi-age groupings. These self-contained sections (K-2, 3-5 and four 6-12 projects) are designed to meet the special needs of these groups of students. Outdoor and camp experiences are a vital component of our Kula Pōkiʻi and an integral part of Kula ‘Ōpio, where students spend every other week in outdoor learning laboratories.
Kanu has a graduation rate of 98 percent. More than seventy percent of our graduates go on to college including graduate school.
Our school colors are yellow and red, represent the royal colors of Hawaiʻi and reflect our efforts to raise future leaders. The school chant is "No Kohala."
State-of-the-art indoor facilities for our 6-12 students were completed in 2008, which are used by families and the community after school hours. Hālau Hoʻolako, a 9,300 square foot high performance building was designed to support educational programs tailored specifically to meet the intellectual, cultural and social needs of our learning ‘ohana. Open to the environment, Hālau Hoʻolako has a homelike, familial atmosphere. Learning and gathering spaces feature optimal lighting, acoustical comfort and other learning conditions designed to encourage collaboration and integrated learning.