Overview

Founded in 1949, Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy (HPA) is one of the premier independent, co-educational college-preparatory boarding and day schools in the Pacific Region offering a full range of academic and extracurricular opportunities for 575 students in grades K-12. The school is located on two campuses encompassing 228 acres in the heart of world-famous Parker Ranch on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. HPA offers a boarding option for students in grades 6-12, and draws its diverse student body from the Hawaiian Islands, 16 other states and U.S. territories, and 12 other countries.

HPA features many unique courses and activities (marine science field studies, sea turtle research, scuba certification, and more) that make use of Hawaii's geographical setting and give students a strong sense of Hawai'i and its culture. Offerings also include programs in the visual and performing arts as well as a successful Upper School interscholastic athletic program that stresses school-wide participation and teaches the values of sportsmanship and fair play.

The school has two campuses in the town of Waimea (Kamuela) on the island of Hawai'i. The Lower and Middle Schools are located on nine acres in the heart of Hawaii's ranching country, while the Upper School is located just two miles away on a 200-acre campus at the foot of the Kohala Mountains.

HPA is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and is a member of 12 educational organizations including the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, College Entrance Examination Board, Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education, Cum Laude Society, National Association of College Admission Counselors, Hawai'i Association of Independent Schools, and National Association of Independent Schools.

Enrollment

There are 350 students at the Upper School – half boarders and half day students – with virtual parity in the number of boys and girls. Class sizes at the Upper School range from 6 to 20 students, averaging 13 students per class. Grades K-8 at the Village Campus comprise 250 students, with an average class size of 17.

Geographical Representation

HPA enrolls boarding students from all over the world. In 2006-2007, our students came from the Hawaiian Islands, 13 other states and U.S. territories, and 16 other countries.

The Academic Day

Upper School students attend class Monday through Friday from 8 am to 2:45 pm. Students in grades 6-8 attend class from 7:50 am to 3:10 pm and K-5 from 7:55 am to 2:45 pm, Monday through Friday.

Faculty

HPA has 65 teachers, with two-thirds holding graduate degrees. The average tenure is 10 years. 32 faculty and administrators live in campus housing and support the residential programs.

College Counseling

The college counseling program at HPA is highly individualized to address the needs of each student. College counselors meet with freshmen and sophomores in groups, and with juniors and seniors individually, to discuss college admission and to help students and parents choose colleges that will offer the student the best possible academic and personal growth. The College Counseling Center contains current printed, computer, and video materials for students to research universities of interest. Each year, HPA graduates attend some of the most selective universities in the United States, including Stanford, Yale, MIT, Cornell, Wellesley, and more, as well as public universities on the U.S. mainland and international colleges.

Sports and Activities

Each week, all Upper School students participate in varsity sports and other co-curricular activities for a two hour daily activity period after school.

Advanced Placement Preparation

HPA offers students Advanced Placement courses in Art History, Biology, Calculus AB, Chemistry, Computer Science AB, English Composition, English Literature, European History, French, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Music Theory, Physics B & C, Psychology, Spanish, Statistics, Studio Art, and U.S. History.

Technology

Upper School students use three computer laboratories that house over 100 Macintosh and PC computers. The Upper Campus is fully networked with fiber optic, CAT5, and wireless infrastructure. Filtered T1 Frame Relay Internet connection is provided in all classrooms and in all Upper School dorm rooms. At the Village Campus, two computer labs feature Macintosh systems and the Lynn Taylor Library also has a bank of computers used for research and class projects. Middle School boarders have Internet access in their dorm rooms and they also have access to the computer labs after school. HPA provides a variety of software, including the Microsoft Office Suite, graphic arts, browsers, and e-mail, and digital media classes are available to students on both campuses.