Located in one of the most remote, safe, and beautiful places on earth Maui Prep is a dream school. We are very lucky to be able to send our 2 children there. Great teachers and faculty, small classes, incredible environment, and Maui! We could not be happier with our choice of school.
Horribly, horribly mismanaged...specifically the inept administration. Not one staff member says the same thing as the next. Will NOT back up what they re selling in writing. No one is on the same page. The high school doesn t even follow a curriculum! Quite commonplace for numerous students to transfer out. Class titles are changed mid-semester with no thought to messing up high school credit. Class size is not 10:1. There s a reason their average high school graduating class is less than a dozen students each year when their elementary school is overflowing. The best thing they re consistent with is self-promotion, tuition collection and never ending fundraising. NOT a good experience. If I can prevent EVEN ONE family from the experience our family (1 middle schooler, 2 high schoolers) has had, it will be worth it. We wholeheartedly regret sending our children to Maui Prep. Very costly misstep...both financially and emotionally.
Our children have been attending Maui Prep since preschool. We are in our 5th year there and can t say enough great things about it. I ve seen my kids challenged, grow in areas I didn t expect them to (my very shy daughter is really into being on stage and part of their drama program, who knew?!), learn to be leaders and to live with aloha, just to name a few.
The staff and teachers are amazing. There is a real sense of Ohana and community within the staff and families at Maui Prep. The faculty : student ratio is great which enables are kids to have a lot of one on one attention.
There are some fundraising events, however, I see them as being a positive thing- the school raises a substantial amount of money to make it more affordable for families to attend bringing in a diverse student body.
Love the school, the staff and the families.... we LOVE Maui Prep!!! Go Pueo!!
Our daughter is in 4th grade at Maui Prep (we started attending Maui Prep in kindergarten) and I can't stop praising this school and the teachers.
The small class setting allows teachers to have a lot of time with every kid; all kids in all grades know each other and work together on a variety of projects.
I continue to be amazed by the things my daughter learnt in school and is so excited to show me at home, from how to make guacamole to making paper snow flakes or how much it costs for a family of 4 to go to Disneyland.
Maui Prep also offers a variety of after school activities, from karate to drama, crafting, etc. When I am running late for pick up I don't have to worry that my daughter is out in the street by herself, she immediately is sent to after care where she plays with the other kids. She likes the after care program so much that one day a week I have to plan for 2 hours of it no matter what.
Our daughter is sad when school ends and can't wait for school to start again. This alone tells me a lot!
Our children are both in high school, but we joined the Maui Prep 'ohana four years ago when we moved to Maui from Colorado. We are so glad we made the choice to send them to MPA. The teachers truly care about their students and their families. All students interact with each other in grades PreK-12. The younger students look up to the high school students, and the older students truly enjoy the little ones!
There is NO bullying, NO violence, NO cliques...everyone is simply kind, supportive, and respectful to each other regardless of race, religion, and economic status. I have worked with every school in the state of Hawaii and other programs simply do not compare in terms of safety, leadership, and molding our children into responsible young adults. THIS is why we are part of Maui Prep. The quality education is a bonus! Our children have thrived in the school's environment and they both have been encouraged care about their community and our island in general. They have been taught to be stewards of the 'aina, respectful of various cultures, and to appreciate the opportunities that they have been given. Our kids at MPA are kept incredibly busy with school work, projects, theater, field trips, community service work, science olympiad, sports, clubs, etc. They don't have the time to get into trouble. :-)
The administrators know every child and every child's family and they have gone out of their way to support our family through some difficult times. Students at MPA interact with other local schools/students across the state and the school is always well-represented. Each student is treated as an individual. We are so blessed!
This school is a small miracle, built on and sustained by love. As a parent of a preschooler, I've been consistently impressed with the diligence, care, professionalism, and commitment of my daughter's four preschool teachers. My three year old also gets to experience music, P.E., special performances, and more! This fourteen year old school continues to thrive and evolve because of dedicated and passionate faculty, parents, administrators, and Board Members.
As of August 2018, the school is also under the capable leadership of Head of School Robert Landau. This international educator has worked in Europe, Asia, North America, and Hawaii for much of his career, and he has seen firsthand what passionate, personalized, student-centered learning looks like. Even now, the school is aspiring to put up a gym and performing arts center, to expanding its boarding program, and to continuing to welcome families with Aloha.
Some of the reviews here are a bit dated or inaccurate. Regarding Ms. Farley's comments, many of them are patently untrue.
The Administration is united in support of its primary clients, which are its students.
The high school pulls enthusiastically on elements of the International Baccalaureate Curriculum, College Board certified AP Courses, passion-driven electives, personalized virtual courses, college courses, field-based learning, and more. The guiding pedagogical question here is: What's best for our kids and their futures?
Student transfers happen everywhere; it's natural and positive for students to move for all kinds for reasons. No school is the right fit for every student and family!
Class size is indeed an average 10:1.
Class sizes in upper school are bigger than in elementary school.
A lot of energy is indeed invested into unlocking community philanthropic resources, which is necessary and essential as there is no Church or State backing the school.
Regarding the low rating of Sophia Pastrana, some families need different schools to support the needs of their children. It's natural and okay for a family and a school not to be an ideal fit for each other.
The best strategy is to do quality research, and reach out to the school directly to feel the Aloha of the Maui Preparatory Academy ohana!
This is our 11th year at Maui Prep and is the best year ever! Both of our children are in middle school and are actually enjoying it! Yes, enjoying middle school- not many of us can say that! The safe, nurturing environment and small size give kids confidence to try new activities and develop talents they were unaware of. From sports to theater to science olympiad to fabulous interim trip experiences, Maui Prep, sets out to create well rounded students that are involved in their community. Both of our kids are taking mountain biking in PE this year! I never had that in middle school!
Class size for our two are around 16. They get such individualized teaching from caring and dedicated teachers. The teachers are from all over the mainland and come with new insights and approaches to learning. You're child is not just a number!
Our new Head of School, Robert Landau, is amazing with 30 yrs of experience in independent schools worldwide. He actually spent a whole school day with our son just to get a student's perspective of Maui Prep. He's very involved with the students and parents and a great communicator.
If you're interested in a private school environment, check out Maui Prep!
My kids have gone to Maui Prep for the last 10 years. We call the school an "ohana," and it truly has the supportive environment of a family. My 2 girls have been encouraged to develop their unique interests and personalities at this amazing place. The small class sizes allow for the teachers to get to know each student individually and support their development. Even teachers that do not have my girls in class know them because there are so many opportunities for extracurricular clubs and sports. All students are required to perform community service.
Each week the entire student body joins together at the Citizens Assembly (parents are encouraged to attend as well). Announcements are made about athletic events, college acceptances of seniors, upcoming events at the school. Students perform during assembly and share their projects and community events. Older kids congratulate the little ones on their accomplishments and the little ones hear about the older kids success in sports and getting college scholarships.
Maui Prep is a wonderful place for our kids to grow up.
mauiprep.org