The Hawaii Department of Education has expanded its list of summer learning opportunities this year for all students in grades K-12.
Options include the DOE’s official summer school courses, early kindergarten Summer Start programs, accelerated learning opportunities, and early college and career options for high school students preparing for further education.
“Our schools have worked hard to design a variety of programs that attract the interest of both our vulnerable students and students seeking to explore new interests,” Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a press release. “We are excited that students will have the access to learning support and enrichment opportunities throughout the upcoming summer months.”
The DOE’s official summer school program offers enrichment, remediation, credit advancement or credit recovery options for grades K-12, as well as online options through the Hawaii Online Courses program.
Waiakea High School will be offering summer school programs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for grades nine through 12 starting May 31. More information can be found by contacting director Vincent Cenzon at (808) 974-4888.
Accelerated learning courses also are being offered for those in grades nine through 12 hoping to get a jump start on higher education. The early college option is a partnership between the DOE and University of Hawaii system, where students can even earn dual credits for both high school and college courses.
On the Big Island, there are 12 high schools offering early college courses this summer, including Hilo High, Honoka‘a High and Waiakea High. A full list of schools can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/yc3t43bw.
“Early College has helped me have peace of mind about college,” said Waiakea High School sophomore Dontae Taifmai, who earned nine college credits through the program. “This program is also a big help for me and my family financially, because I am earning college credits while I am in high school. This means I won’t have to pay as much for classes when I go to college.”
For younger keiki, the DOE is offering Summer Start Kindergarten Transition programs, which provide a free classroom experience for incoming kindergarten students with little or no preschool experience.
Enrollment is open at Mountain View Elementary, Chiefess Kapi‘olani Elementary and Keaukaha Elementary.
A full list of schools with Summer Start Kindergarten Transition programs can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/5d2pdt3h.
Other summer learning hubs for 2023 will be available throughout the Hilo-Waiakea complex, which has 12 schools participating this year, including Hilo High and Intermediate, Waiakea High and Intermediate, and Kaumana Elementary, along with several others that can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/4cfarvbc.