Mokapu Elementary School

My daughters have attended Mokapu for the past three years, ranging from grades K-3. While I was very disappointed in the administration and office staff at the onset of their education in 2009, this year has seen a DRASTIC change. At the beginning of this school year Mrs. Kane (former VP) has taken over the principal position, and the office staff, teachers, students and community has flourished under her guidance. Overall the school has done a 180 and that is evident in the overall feel of the school. While the teachers have always been amazing, I feel they have more confidence and support from their leadership. It should be noted: many of the grievances of earlier reviewers such as early Wednesdays, furloughs and cultural nuances are indicative of the educational system in Hawaii overall and do not occur only at Mokapu. Other great features of the school include their enrichment programs, AGT for academically gifted and talented students and the strong abilities of the teachers to teach to each child! The teachers my daughters had in the past did not teach to a baseline, but instead encouraged every child to reach their own potential.
--Submitted by a parent

This has been my worst school experience. This is definitely a different culture and the word "proactive" does not exist. No matter where you are coming from it takes 24 hours to place a child in a class, that's even if you show up at 7:30 am. I'm used to teachers and staff that value education. Why you keep a child out of the class room. It is not a distraction to start a child in the middle of the day. That child could use that time to get aclimated and the mainland gets that. The staff at Mokapu is much too relaxed and has a nonchalant atitude when it comes to helping families.There is more than one occasion where I was given bad information about enrollment, luckily I was able to correct the administrator on the spot. If you don't know, don't make up information. That is just frustrating!
--Submitted by a parent

This school is currently going through transition as many schools in HI are experiencing. However, the support community to include the administration, the transition office, the Parent Community Networking Committee (PCNC), and the outstanding PTA has provided commendable services to ensure the success of Mokpo Elementary Students. The current rating does not accurately reflect the positive learning environment occurring at this school.
--Submitted by a parent

We just moved here and while the Hawaii school system overall is a year behind the mainland, the Mokapu teachers are trying very hard to push the kids to be the best they can be. My daughter is in 5th grade and special needs and so far, all of her accomadations have been honored and the teachers are great with her. They are taking the time to help her with her school work and socially to make friends. It takes the parents and teachers working together. It seems the upper level of the Hawaiian school system are the ones who are messed up and don't know what the schools really need. One change that needs to be made is getting out of school at 12:30 every Wednesday! And, the number of days the kids are out of school is just crazy! The kids and teachers need more time in the classrooms!!!!!!
--Submitted by a parent

I have found that Mokapu has many good teachers (along with some bad), and some fun after school programs that the kids enjoy. There is a great new assistant principal. He is so friendly and welcoming to parents and kids, be sure to meet him! The major downfall to this school is with the head principal. I have found her to be at times very blunt and rude. Many teachers and base employees that I have gotten to know also complain of this and many other issues regarding the principal's decisions. I am amazed she still has a job there, someone should step in and change the leadership. Ending on a positive note...bottom line, if they were to get a new principal I would change my review to 4.5 stars because there are so many other positive points to this school!
--Submitted by a parent

this is my childs first year at Mokapu. She will NOT go back next year. I will home school her. The teachers and the front office need to learn people skills. I talked to my friends on the mainland that is in the same grade as my daughter and we are so much behind the mainland. Hawaii schools are really bad. I think the Military should step in and take over. I cant be involved at all because i have two other little kids but I try to talk to the teacher before or after school and she is so rude!
--Submitted by a parent

My child has been attending Mokapu for 2 years now and am VERY greatful to be apart of Mokapu School. As I was browsing through the reviews I came across some that were very untrue and negative!!!!! The office staff has been wonderful to my family. Everytime I walk in there they always greet me with a smile and a hello. I have been volunteering ever since my child started. I've witnessed a LOT of rude parents that complain about EVERYTHING and ANYTHING to get what they want. I've also seen parents be very pissy to the office staff/admin. They are the first who greet us and last and I give them a lot of credit dealing with unruley parents. Send your child to Mokapu, a GREAT school!!!
--Submitted by a parent

After 3 1/2 years with my children at Mokapu, I can recommend it, particularly if you have a gifted child. Mrs. Tsuzaki is wonderful with the AGT kids (grades 3-6.) The after school enrichment activities range from Arts & Craft, to Drama, Choir, Lego Robotics, and Astronomy Clubs. Most of the teachers are great, although every school has it's share of burn-out. If the front office staff would develop better people skills and some manners, it would leave me with nothing negative to say! (Except that parents need to get more involved, but the school cannot counteract the deployment depression that some parents are suffering from, nor can it make people with island fever happy to be here.)
--Submitted by a parent

Based off of reviews from this site I decided to get a GE form and try to get my daughter in a very good school out in town. Unfortuantely the class she needed to be in was full. After much thought we decided we would go ahead and give Mokapu a try. We went to go enroll her and met the rudest staff by FAR! They were very unprofessional, wouldn't even bother to get up from their desks to help me - there was one helpful person in the office, but even she wasn't enough to make up for the rudeness of everyone else. I decided there was no way my child could go to a school like this. The teachers may be great - I don't know - and never will because I cannot imagine dealing with that staff on a year round basis.
--Submitted by a parent

I have enjoyed our time at Mokapu. My daughter has spent 2.5 years here, and has had excellent teachers. My complaints come from the front office staff. Although there are a couple helpful polite ladies, everall they tend to be short and rude.
--Submitted by a parent