Rainbow School - Wahiawa, Hawaii

Sadie F.

Fantastic school. Only 2 months in and my daughter loves it. Great play-based philosophy with a structured atmosphere, caring adult guidance and really good student/teacher ratio. There’s an outdoor playground and covered outdoor eating area on site in addition to the 3 indoor classrooms.

We started her when she turned 2. I was worried about the transition since she was full-time at home prior, but even being very attached to mommy (my opihi), by the end of the first week of daddy dropping her off, she started taking off her shoes and walking right into the classroom on her own, albeit not every time, but I was shocked. Even more shocking — it also goes smooth when I drop her off. 😱

Rena, Drew, Maylani, Auntie Mele and all the staff really dedicate everything to these kiddos. The structured play is varied, from art projects to fine-motor games, and changes week to week. They currently use an app called class dojo to update parents with photos and announcements. Very convenient. They also give consistent feedback upon pick up about meals (which are provided), naps and potty/diapers. They also give optional ‘parent-teacher conferences’ to discuss how things are going. All I was looking for was a caring family-feel environment with opportunities for the kids to explore and learn. They hit all of those notes, but also provide so much more in terms of nurturing age-appropriate development, like reinforcing your at-home habits around potty training, fostering independence (washing hands, cleaning up, putting on shoes by themselves etc). Thanks Auntie Rena & crew! We love you!

Zoe

Rainbow School Wahiawa has been more than I ever expected and I am so humbled by our experience. My daughter joined the school mid-way through the year a couple months after turning 2. Before starting, she was slow to speak, taking erratic naps no matter how I tried to get her on a schedule at home, was below the chart for size, and not potty trained. In two months of Aunty Rena's class (along with Aunty Drew, Maylani, and Michelle) she was sleeping regularly, climbing back up the size chart, speaking in full sentences, showing more thoughtfulness and awareness of others, and completely potty trained. The play-based learning under the leadership of the director Ms. Mele is so full of movement, creativity and genuine care. I am astounded by the amount of art projects and both parent and child resources my daughter comes home with each week. In a few months she has also been exposed to special guest-led classes like a giant whale the kids could walk through and a soccer class. The students exude brilliance, diversity and kindness, which the school fosters, and have been such a positive influence as well. As our daughter catches up in all respects, this school has shown us nothing but love. It has been transformative and we are so grateful!