Skip to main content
Miscellaneous » About Us » About Us

About Us

Kaunakakai Elementary School (KES) is located in the main town of Kaunakakai, Moloka'i.  Established around 1908 we support a rural community rich in cultural diversity and deeply rooted traditions. 298 students make up our Preschool through Sixth grade population.  We house the only Preschool Special Education program on the island.  We also have a Pre K class funded by the Executive Office of Early Learning (EOEL) program.

At KES we strongly promote Hawaiian Core Values of Kuleana, (Responsibility), and Laulima (Cooperation), and Hoihi-Respect (KLH).  We all expect to live by these values and ensure that our campus exemplifies a place where students, families, staff, and visitors feel welcomed, safe, and a sense of belonging.
 
Our school-wide Positive Behavioral Support System (PBIS)  & Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS), help students grow socially, emotionally and academically.  Student Council allows for student voice to be part of school improvement efforts.  Our School Counselor and Behavioral Health Specialist work together to support students and social-emotional needs.  Our Parent Community Network Coordinator (PCNC) connect families with the school offering a wide array of engagement activities.  To support student attendance, we are part of the K-12 Molokai Attendance Program (MAP) that track student attendance in alignment with the state’s goal of reducing chronic absenteeism in all schools.

Our Leadership Team drives the development, implementation, and monitoring of progress of our Academic Plan.  We meet bi-monthly to ensure that what we are monitoring student progress and adjusting the plan appropriately to meet our goals and objectives for school improvement.  Through our Response to Intervention (RTI) system we identify students with academic and social emotional needs and implement specific support and services.  We use the Data Team process to collaborate, review student data, and drive decisions on how we improve instruction and learning. Teachers analyze their students' data and work together to address the specific learning needs of their students.  
 
We have just been granted a Six-Year Accreditation Status through June 30, 2030 by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC) through June 30, 2030. This accreditation status is based on all of the information provided by the school, including the self-study report, and the satisfactory completion of the on-site accreditation visit.

Our school is blessed to have community partners who provide much support through funding, on-site and off campus learning experiences.  We want to thank:  Lahaina Arts Association, Maui Dance Council, Maui Realtors Association, Maui Economic Development Board, Friendly Isle United Way, Molokai Police Drug Abuse Resistence Education (DARE) Program, Alu Like, Molokai Drugs, Inc., Kaunakakai Parent-Teacher Organization (KPTO), and our families and friends who've always supported our school Ohana throughout the years.

Our school-wide motto is, "Ha'aheo O' Kaunakakai, The Pride of Kaunakakai!"