Introduction

Moving to a new duty station has its challenges. You have to find a place to live, learn to navigate the area, and figure out where your kids are attending school or what childcare facilities are available for your children. Luckily, Oahu is a dense and beautiful place and there will be no shortage of quality schools with options for your children on and around Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH). See for yourself.

Suggested Read:

Marine Corps Base Hawaii: In-Depth Welcome Center

Hawaii School Enrollment

To be enrolled in a Hawaii school for kindergarten, children must be five years of age on or before July 31 of that school year. Kindergarten is mandatory for children in Hawaii, with some exceptions. Registration typically requires a birth certificate or other proof of the child’s age, documentation of residency and the child’s previous school records and immunization records. Visit the Hawaii State Department of Education website for more information. Check with individual schools for additional enrollment requirements prior to arriving.

Schools in Marine Corps Base Hawaii

For service personnel living on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, you will send your elementary-aged child to Mokapu Elementary on base. Otherwise, your child attends school in the Windward Oahu District connected to your mailing address. Wherever they attend, rest assured that they’ll have access to the finest education possible. And if your child requires extra assistance, there are a number of assistance programs through the school liaison.

Marine Corps Base Hawaii Elementary Schools

1. Mokapu Elementary School

1193 Mokapu Road Marine Corps Base Hawaii, HI 96734

Phone:

1 (808) 254-7964 Mokapu Elementary School is the largest school on the Windward side of Oahu, enrolling more than 900 students each year. Mokapu’s academic and co-curricular programs include: Gifted and Talented, special education, physical education, computer technology, English language learners, student council, supplementary reading, speech, and blocks for math interventions.

Marine Corps Base Hawaii Middle Schools

All middle schools are off base and listed below.

Marine Corps Base Hawaii High Schools

All high schools are off base and listed below.

Schools Near Marine Corps Base Hawaii

There are a number of public schools, charter schools, private schools and other options for school-aged children living near Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

Windward Oahu District

46-169 Kamehameha Highway Kaneohe, HI 96744

Phone:

1 (808) 784-5900 School districts in Hawaii are set up differently than in the mainland. The Hawaii State Department of Education is a single, statewide school district with 287 schools plus 11 adult education schools spread across seven islands. Oahu comprises four smaller districts — Honolulu, Windward, Central and Leeward. Each of the four districts has two to three Complex Areas. Each Complex Area has a high school plus regional elementary and middle schools that feed into it. Many students in the Windward Oahu District have ties to nearby Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

Elementary Schools Near Marine Corps Base Hawaii

1. Aikahi Elementary School

District:

Windward Oahu District 281 Ilihau St. Kailua, Hawaii 96734

Phone:

1 (808) 254-7944 About two miles from Marine Corps Base Hawaii sits Aikahi Elementary School. The school serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Aikahi offers a variety of programs that address the unique needs of students, including special education with ties to the Windward District’s Hard of Hearing/Deaf Program.

2. Kainalu Elementary School

District:

Windward Oahu District 165 Kaiholu St. Kailua, Hawaii 96734

Phone:

1 (808) 266-7835 Kainalu Elementary School serves approximately 440 students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Marine Corps Base Hawaii is just 5 minutes away, and about 25% of the student population has ties to the base. Students benefit from an emphasis on academics but there’s plenty of time for fun with chess club, chorus, garden club, student council, ukulele club and more.

3. Ka’elepulu Elementary School

District:

Windward Oahu District 530 Keolu Drive Kailua, Hawaii 96734

Phone:

1 (808) 266-7811 Ka'elepulu Elementary School serves approximately 200 students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Marine Corps Base Hawaii is less than 6 miles away, and many students have ties to the base. The school practices a philosophy that fosters creativity and higher-level thinking in the classroom.

Middle Schools Near Marine Corps Base Hawaii

1. Kailua Intermediate

District:

Windward Oahu District 145 South Kainalu Drive Kailua, Hawaii 96734

Phone:

1 (808) 263-1500 Kailua Intermediate students have access to seven computer labs, three of which are mobile, allowing them to complete research and present findings using various forms of technology. Classrooms are equipped with Smart Boards and LCD projectors to enhance instruction.

2. Gov. Samuel Wilder King Intermediate

District:

Windward Oahu District 46-155 Kamehameha Highway Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744

Phone:

1 (808) 233-5727 King Intermediate provides students with a balance of academic and cocurricular choices to meet their needs. The school offers honors classes in core subjects and myriad electives. Co-curricular opportunities include cross country, volleyball, basketball and track.

High Schools Near Marine Corps Base Hawaii

1. Kalaheo High School

District:

Windward Oahu District 730 Iliaina St. Kailua, Hawaii 96734

Phone:

1 (808) 254-7900 Kalaheo High School is the closest high school to Marine Corps Base Hawaii, with more than 800 students. The school has an award-winning Naval JROTC, and offers health services, arts and communication academy, public human services, industrial and engineering technology.

2. James B. Castle High School

District:

Windward Oahu District 45-386 Kaneohe Bay Drive Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744

Phone:

1 (808) 305-0700 James B. Castle High School sits roughly 6 miles from Marine Corps Base Hawaii, serving more than 1,100 students in ninth through 12th grades. The campus offers multiple pathways that feed into five academies: STEM Academy, Natural Resources Academy, Health Academy, Arts Academy, and the Liberal Arts Academy.

3. Kailua High School

District:

Windward Oahu District 451 Ulumanu Drive Kailua, Hawaii 96734

Phone:

1 (808) 266-7900 Kailua High School encourages college and career readiness with career pathways in arts and communications, health services, industrial engineering technology, natural resources and public and human services. The school enrolls more than 800 students in ninth through 12th grade.

Charter Schools Near Marine Corps Base Hawaii

Charter schools are public schools of choice that are tuition-free, serve all students, and have open enrollment. There are nearly 40 public charter schools in Hawaii; there are three located near Marine Corps Base Hawaii. For more information about the charter schools in Hawaii, visit the Hawaii State Department of Education’s website.

1. Hakipu’u Academy

45-720 Kea'ahala Road, Cottage #1 Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744

Phone:

1 (808) 235-9155

2. Kāʻohao Elementary School

140 Alala Road Kailua, Hawaii 96734

Phone:

1 (808) 266-7844

3. Ke Kula ʻo Samuel M. Kamakau Laboratory Public Charter School

46-500 Kuneki St. Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744

Phone:

1 (808) 235-9175

Private Schools Near Marine Corps Base Hawaii

Parents who choose to send their children to a private school near Marine Corps Base Hawaii are met with a few (but great) options. The private schools in the area have a religious affiliation but they do not skimp on academics. According to Private School Review, these are the best private schools in the area.

1. Koolau Baptist Academy

45-633 Keneke St. Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744

Phone:

1 (808) 233-2900 Koolau Baptist Academy serves nearly 200 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The school takes a Bible-based, Christ-centered approach to education.

2. Saint Mark Lutheran School

45-725 Kamehameha Highway Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744

Phone:

1 (808) 247-5589 Saint Mark Lutheran School offers a fully accredited program that challenges its nearly 250 students with a rich and rigorous curriculum taught by highly qualified faculty and staff who work to educate the whole child.

3. Windward Nazarene Academy

45-232 Puaae Road Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744

Phone:

1 (808) 235-8787 Windward Nazarene Academy seeks to partner with parents to nurture the whole child spiritually, intellectually, socially and physically in a loving environment in accordance with God’s word. The school enrolls more than 160 students from pre-K through eighth grade.

Daycares Near Marine Corps Base Hawaii

Leaving your child in someone else’s care is not an easy decision. When looking for the right daycare facility, reading reviews on sites like Care.com and Yelp and visiting a few options in person when possible is the best way to make a decision about where to send your child. There are also family child care options on base at Marine Corps Base Hawaii that include child development centers, full-day child care, hourly care and youth programs.

Conclusion

Moving so often can be difficult for you and your children but ensuring their education is taken care of right away helps alleviate this burden. There are plenty of Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) schools on base or nearby to make sure your children’s mental and physical well-being will be well taken care of. Use the above information to help narrow down the choices so you can rest easy and spend your time on something else, like finding new restaurants to try, enjoying the ocean breeze, watching surfers at the North Shore or trying to spot a green sea turtle in an underwater adventure.