Saved Schools

Mālama Honua Public Charter School

Mālama Honua Public Charter School, nominated by an anonymous organization, is a elementary/middle school in Waimanalo, Hawaii that describes itself as a public charter school serving learners from a primarily suburban area.

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Location Waimanalo, Hawaii

Governance Public charter school

Grades Elementary, Middle

Students 167

Locale Suburban

Director Denise Espania

Demographics

Percentage of students*

—

English Learners

48%

Free/Reduced Lunch

18%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black —

American Indian/Alaska Native —

Asian 1%

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 79%

Hispanic or Latino 4%

White 16%

2+ Races —

Why Mālama Honua Public Charter School was nominated

Culturally Relevant Assessment Community and Hawaiian focus "Our founders, Nainoa Thompson and Robert Witt envisioned a school whose mission was to create leaders who embodied the attributes of The Mind of the Navigator and the values of the World Wide Voyage. Developing of the Mind of the Navigator will be achieved through place based, project based authentic learning experiences. Guided by our Core Values and keeping students at the core of our decision-making, we strive to develop learners who can set, plot, and successfully navigate the many voyages they will have in life while being grounded and confident in their cultural identity. We want our learners to persevere and know that if they take a wrong turn, they can right their wa?a and accomplish what they set out to do. We prioritize ?ohana and community involvement and strive to create a school where as a �village� we lead, learn and act with compassion, continuously educating our selves while facilitating the education of our keiki." - from their website

Student experience design

A'ohe pau ka 'ike i ka halau ho'okahi. All knowledge is not learned in one house/school. Our students learn within four walls but more importantly the classroom extends into our community. They read, research, and write, but more importantly they listen to elders and engage in restorative practices that perpetuate Native Hawaiian cultural and positively impact our earth.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Assessments For Agency And Self-directed Learning
5+ years

Assessments For Deeper Learning
5+ years

Place-based Learning
5+ years

Social Justice Focus
5+ years

All Practices

Adaptive Learning Software

Advancement On Mastery

Anti-racist Practices

Assessments For Career Readiness

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Blended Learning

Career Prep And Work-based Learning

Co-leadership

Community And Business Partnerships

Family And Community Support Services

Competency/mastery-based Education

Competency Framework

Culturally Responsive Practices

Early College High School

Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery

Hiring For Equity And Inclusion Values

All Courses Designed For Inclusion

Interdisciplinary

Interoperable Data From Multiple Technologies

Individual Learning Paths

Mental Health Services

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

Multi-age Classrooms

No Tracked Classes

Multiple Opportunities To Demonstrate Mastery

Project-based Learning

Peer To Peer Support

Performance Based Assessment

Physical Well Being Services

Reallocation Of Resources For Those Most In Need

Restorative Practices

SEL Curriculum

SEL Integration School-wide

Student-led Conferences

Students Access Their Own Data

Student-led Goal Setting

Self-paced Learning

Students Develop Projects

Tutoring

Universal Design For Learning

key reasons for innovating

Increase teacher agency

Date Updated: 4/1/2025

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.