Waimea’s Schools: What Parents Need to Know
Updated April 2026. Originally published March 2020.
Waimea’s schools are limited — which is not surprising given the town’s population size. Here is an honest overview of what’s available and what to realistically expect.
The Schools
Waimea offers a surprisingly diverse range of school options for a small town:
- Waimea Elementary School — public, waimeaelementary.org
- Waimea Middle Public Conversion Charter School — public charter intermediate, wmpccs.org
- Kanu O Ka Aina — Hawaiian language immersion charter school, K-12, kalo.org
- Waimea Country School — private elementary, waimeacountryschool.org
- Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA) — private K-12, hpa.edu
- Parker School — private K-12, parkerschoolhawaii.org
Note that there is no public high school in Waimea — students in the public system must travel to Honokaa or Konawaena for high school.
Honest Assessment
I know people whose children attended the public schools and went on to become doctors and veterinarians. I know more people whose children attended the private schools and have gone on to professional careers. The education necessary to get into good colleges is available here — but I would not rank Waimea’s schools highly in terms of breadth of educational opportunity.
The private schools send graduates to elite universities, but students may find themselves underprepared for the breadth of coursework they encounter there, where many classmates will have taken AP classes in subjects that simply aren’t offered at smaller schools.
A friend who has taught in Waimea schools for many years offers this useful guidance: children with special needs are generally better served in the public school system. Exceptionally bright or ambitious children will likely need supplemental educational opportunities — tutoring, online courses, or mainland summer programs — to stay engaged and on track, regardless of which school they attend.
The Bigger Picture
Waimea is, as one of my clients recently described it, a “windy, cold, little mountain town.” Many people find it one of the most desirable places to live in the world. Others find it too isolated, too limited, or simply not the right fit. With respect to schools, the word “little” is key — given the pool of potential students to draw from, it should not surprise anyone that resources are limited and even the private schools face constraints in what they can offer.
If schools are a primary consideration in your decision, spend time here first. Talk to parents. Visit the schools. And read my post on What You Need to Know Before Moving to the Big Island for a fuller picture of life in Waimea.
Judy S. Howard, Esq. is a Realtor Broker with COMPASS in Waimea, Hawaii, and a licensed Hawaii attorney with over 30 years of experience. She can be reached at judy@livinginwaimea.com or 808-885-5588.