Waiakeawaena Elementary School

684 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

Waiakeawaena Elementary School is a public school located in the town of Hilo on the island of Hawaii. Serving students from kindergarten through grade five, the school is situated in a vibrant community setting on Kilauea Avenue. It operates as part of the Hawaii State Department of Education, providing a foundational academic environment that emphasizes core subjects while fostering the social and emotional development of its young student body.

The school is well-regarded for its commitment to the local Hilo community, often integrating the unique cultural values and geographical context of Hawaii into its educational mission. With a focus on creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere, Waiakeawaena Elementary strives to prepare its students for future academic success by balancing traditional classroom instruction with school-wide programs that encourage student engagement, character building, and community participation.

684

Total Students

51.0

Full-Time Teachers

13.4

Student/Teacher Ratio

50.3%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Waiakeawaena Elementary School
Demographic	Student Count
White	32
Hispanic	196
Black	1
Asian	82
Two or More	213
Pacific Islander	160

Two or More
213 (31.1 %)
Hispanic
196 (28.7 %)
Pacific Islander
160 (23.4 %)
Asian
82 (12.0 %)
White
32 (4.7 %)
Black
1 (0.1 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Hawaii Department of Education
Phone:	(808)981-7200
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	684
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	51.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	13.4
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	276
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	68

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 15

Kindergarten 94

Grade 1 119

Grade 2 101

Grade 3 117

Grade 4 114

Grade 5 124