The full calabash
Said of a knowledgeable person

“The Vision, Mission and Goals of Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo Public Charter School shall guide
the actions of teachers, staff and parents involved in the education of our students.

Our Vision and Mission shall further serve to recruit prospective families and
teachers who agree with the values that we place upon education.”
~ KA ‘UMEKE KĀ‘EO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL
Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP)
October 3, 2000

Ka Nu‘ukia Vision Statement

Ke Ala Nu‘ukia Mission Statement

Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo

The full calabash
Said of a knowledgeable person

Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo is a Hawaiian educational piko in Keaukaha. It is a place
where keiki, together with ‘ohana and community, build their spiritual,
physical and intellectual Hawaiian foundation through the Hawaiian
language. This foundation supports a Hawaiian worldview and the pursuit of
social and academic excellence.

Ka 'Umeke History

Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo Hawaiian Immersion Public Charter School (PCS) in Keaukaha

succeeds Ke Kula Kaiapuni Hawai‘i o Keaukaha (KKHK), the Hawaiian Language

Immersion “School-within-a-School” program at Keaukaha Elementary School (KES)

located in the heart of the Keaukaha Hawaiian Home Lands community of Hilo.  KKHK

was one of the first two Hawaiian language immersion public elementary schools in

the state since 1898, having begun with one K-1 class in 1987.  It eventually grew into

a full K-6 elementary school program and became a leader in indigenous immersion

education.

In 1999, the New Century Charter School legislation in Hawai‘i allowed for the creation

of up to twenty-five start-up and conversion charter schools.  The incentive to pursue

becoming a charter school was that as a School-within-a-School, KKHK lacked the

local control necessary to provide a flexible and responsive educational program that

recognizes the unique learning styles of its students.

In a broad-based and collaborative effort, the stakeholders of what would become Ka

‘Umeke Kā‘eo – teachers, parents and community members – identified the vision, the

mission and the general goals of their public charter school for the new century, and

made the commitment to ensuring a quality education for their children.

Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo PCS received its approval as Hawai‘i’s 12th New Century Public

Charter School on April 19, 2001, as an action of the Hawai‘i Board of Education.  

The momentous first day of instruction was August 2, 2001.

Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo continues to share the campus and facilities of KES and endeavors

to be a prime motivator for Hawaiian community development through culturally-

significant education in the medium of Hawaiian language.

Upcoming Ka 'Umeke Kāʻeo Events: