Nā Wai Ola Public Charter School

Our Mission: Nā Wai Ola Public Charter School’s staff, parents, and community are dedicated to the intellectual, personal, social, emotional, and physical growth of students. Our highly qualified and skilled staff recognizes the value of professional development to rigorously challenge students. Our teaching practices are grounded in Hawaiian culture, values, and traditions, and are reflective and responsive to the needs of our students. Through our Hawaiian-focused, project-based learning experiences and opportunities, our students discover their potential, achieve readiness for their life’s journey, and succeed in a safe and caring environment.

Our Vision: Nā Wai Ola Public Charter School’s vision is to educate and prepare students to be resilient, lifelong learners that will thrive globally with a strong identity and connection to Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiian culture.

Our Story: Nā Wai Ola Public Charter School is a Grade Kindergarten – 5 school, founded in July of 2000, and has evolved to become who we are today…a Hawaiian-focused, project based learning school that implements Hawaiian culture, values, and traditions as its guiding principle. Grade-level projects are centered around Aloha ʻĀina (love of ourland) and are focused on sustainable living through ʻIke Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian knowledge) and Mahiʻai (Hawaiian agricultural practices). Nā Wai Ola Public Charter School is committed to educating and caring for the whole child (intellectual, personal, social, emotional, and physical well-being), providing a well-rounded, educational experience through a project-based learning program in ʻIke Hawaiʻi and Mahiʻai that includes all academic core content areas.

The name of our school “Nā Wai Ola” translates to “The Waters of Life.” We appreciate and understand that water is a valuable, crucial, and important component for sustaining life. Aia i hea ka wai a Kāne? - Where is the water of Kāne? This question isa query asking where life-giving water can be found. Through our project-based learning program, our students investigate, learn, and practice different approaches to a sustainable life through Aloha ʻĀina, ʻIke Hawaiʻi, and Mahiʻai. Hawaiʻi Island is known to have some of the purest sources of water filtered through a natural aquifer in our sacred mountain, Mauna Kea. It is at Mauna Kea that you will find life-giving water. Like water sustains all life and life forms, and so, our school sustains life through education.