Kanu o ka ‘Āina New Century Public Charter School (Kanu) welcomes students, families and staff of all ethnic groups and cultural backgrounds who make a commitment to actively perpetuate Hawaiian language, culture and traditions, and agree to strive to reach their highest level. The school serves preschool through twelfth grade students at our Kauhale ‘Ōiwi o Pu‘ukapu campus in Waimea, Hawai‘i, and kindergarten through twelfth grade in Ka ʻOhā, a virtual and blended learning program with students on Hawaiʻi Island, Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, and Molokaʻi. We continue to be the only public high school in Waimea. We opened our doors in August 2000 as a start-up charter school with 127 students, and currently serve 612 students in total, on campus and through our Ka ʻOhā virtual learning program and an additional 27 in our PK program.

Kanu’s educational programs are united in the implementation of school-wide goals and objectives found within the mission and vision, cultural benchmarks and values, and student learner outcomes. Cultural benchmarks and values drive curriculum and instruction through the whole school, serving as a roadmap for curriculum and instructional practice.

Mission Statement

Kanu’s mission is to kūlia i ka nuʻu, or strive for the highest. A philosophy of excellence guides Kanu as we collectively design, implement and continuously evaluate a quality, culturally-driven, intergenerational Hawaiian model of education with Aloha.

Vision

As a community-based learning ʻohana, Kanu is steadfast in cultivating compassionate, empowered, highly competent learners of all ages, grounded in Native Hawaiian culture and language.