Kindergarten – Grade 3

Kindergarten Applicants

Developing a love for learning – whether through play, personalization, or exploration – along with becoming respectful, empathetic, collaborative members of a larger community is at the heart of a place where teachers learn alongside students every day and where love and kindness are valued. Each year we welcome 150 new students for the incoming Kindergarten class across six classrooms.

Applicants born between
June 1, 2020 – July 31, 2020

By September 1, 2025:
  • Complete and submit your application
By September 8, 2025:
  • Complete the Parent Questionnaire
  • Upload a copy of your child’s official birth certificate or passport

Applicants born between
August 1, 2020 – July 31, 2021

By October 1, 2025:
  • Complete and submit your application
By October 8, 2025:
  • Complete the Parent Questionnaire
  • Upload a copy of your child’s official birth certificate or passport

Age Eligibility

Punahou regularly reviews its admission policies to ensure we are following best practices. In an effort to promote greater gender equality in our application process, we have decided to move to a gender neutral age eligibility range.
 
Academic Year 2026 – 2027
Children born between June 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021

Academic Year 2027 – 2028
Children born between June 1, 2021 and July 31, 2022

Application Overview

List of 4 items.

  • Step 1: Application due by September 1 or October 1 (see above)

    Applications for kindergarten should be submitted as early as possible. Applicants with June 2020 and July 2020 birthdates must apply by September 1, and all others apply no later than October 1. Complete the Parent Questionnaire within a week after submitting your application. After we review your child’s application, we will assign a checklist to your online myPunahou account.
  • Step 2: Teacher References

    Starting October 15, send the Teacher Reference Form to your child’s current teacher. The teacher’s email address is needed for this step. The teacher report needs to be received directly from the applicant's teacher no later than January 15.
  • Step 3: Individual and Group Sessions

    Your child will be scheduled for a weekday morning individual assessment and a Saturday morning group session. These dates will be selected based on your child’s birthdate, and not based on when you submit your application. Your Admissions Specialist will send you an email with the date and time of your child's in-person sessions.
  • Step 4: Report Cards

    Upload a copy of the current school year’s first progress report/report card/conference notes as soon as available or by November 1. This will be your child’s first quarter or first trimester report. If your child does not attend school or their current school does not provide the requested information, please let us know. If your child receives quarterly or semester report cards, please upload a copy of the second quarter or first semester report as soon as available.

Application Opens August 1, 2025

Grades 1 – 3 Applicants

Openings in Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 are based on attrition. It is not unusual that we experience 100% re-enrollment in these grades.

Application Opens August 1, 2025

Application Eligibility

Applicants that were wait pooled last year are eligible to apply for these grades. If you were not wait pooled, or did not apply last year, please contact the Admissions office for more information
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