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KHIS » Overview

Overview

KHIS has provided generations of students with academic, artistic, and athletic excellence since 1897. Our Vision is “Learning today for lifelong success in College, Career, and Community” and our C3 Journey provides all students with customized grade-level experiences that lead to cherished memories, a quality education, and a post-high school plan. Our schoolwide behavior expectation is Respect and Responsibility for Self, School, and Society (R2S3) and to Choose Aloha. 
 
KHIS embodies the “Spirit of ‘Ōhana” and recognizes the importance of all stakeholder engagement in the effort to provide all students with a safe social environment conducive to the delivery of high quality and equitable academic experiences. Our Ke Kula Kaiapuni Hawai‘i ‘o Kahuku Academy provides students the opportunity to learn in an environment immersed in the Hawaiian language and culture. We are also proud to have an Army Junior Reserves Officers’ Training Corps Program.
 
KHIS serves approximately 1,400 students in grades seven through twelve and is part of the Kahuku Complex in the Windward O‘ahu District. Our elementary feeder schools include Ka‘a‘awa, Hau‘ula, Lā‘ie, Kahuku, and Sunset Beach; and span across 25 miles of Ko’olauloa communities.
 
KHIS is referred to as “The Pride of the North Shore” in honor of our outstanding band program history. Our students continue the legacy of outstanding performances in academic and athletic programs that garner district, state, and national recognition annually. A Hamashige Endowment created in 1995 by the late alumnus, Dr. Shin-ichi Hamashige (Class of 1944), has awarded over $200,000 in scholarships.
 
Our community partners include the Kahuku Public and School Library, kahuku.org, the Red Raider Health Clinic, Ko'olauloa Health Center, Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation, Johnson ‘Ōhana Charitable Foundation, Harold K. L. Castle Foundation, Turtle Bay Resort, Turtle Bay Golf Course, Brigham Young University-Hawai‘i, Kahuku District Park, Kahuku Medical Center, Polynesian Cultural Center, and Windward Community College.

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Link to Strive HI Report

COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER
Our center provides college admissions counseling, career counseling, scholarship and financial aid information, and assistance with fee waivers for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, NCAA Eligibility Center, ASVAB. In 2011 graduate scholarships totaled $1,134,840.

ON-LINE GRADES
Our school participates in an on-line grades program, where all students and parents can view updated grades as well as communicate with teachers through e-mail.

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
We offer many levels of class instruction in every subject, including nationally recognized curriculums such as Orton Gillingham, nine Advanced Placement courses, and Academy structures for students to advance in a specific elective field. Advanced placement courses allow students to receive college credit by exam.

AVID
A(dvancement) V(ia) I(ndividual) D(etermination) is a national program to support students in reaching their higher academic goals through tutoring and goal setting. This elective program continues a curriculum that is age-specific throughout middle and high school years.

English Language Arts
Stellar academic program featuring honors, advanced, Advanced Placement Language and Literature.  Read 180 and ACHIEVE 3000 programs are provided to support and accelerate readers. Speech and Debate students have garnered the National Forensic League Award for Excellence in Speech and Debate. Journalism program produces the yearbook and school newspaper. KHIS students publish the annual Tusitala literary magazine.  Students participate in Profiles in Courage contest from the JFK Presidential Library and Museum, Star Poets, Peace Poem, WriteOn Hawaii, and Write in the Middle.   Drama puts on two major productions a year, one a musical; students perform all roles from director to stage designer.

Math
KHIS Math Department takes great strides in meeting the needs of the individual student by using the results of extensive assessments to place incoming students at their ability level yet providing a challenging curriculum.  Advanced Placement Calculus and Statistics offerings give students the demands of a college math curriculum and a chance to earn college credit.

Science
KHIS has excellent science facilities and offers Advanced Placement Biology, Medical Biotechnology/ Forensics, and Physics.  KHS Science Club won First Place at the Windward Regional Science Olympiad 2011.  The Kahuku Health Academy prepares students for careers in the health field.  Students in the HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) competition went to nationals in 2011.

World Language
KHIS offers three levels of Japanese and Spanish language. The Japanese students each year host several Japanese school visits.  Hawaiian Immersion Kula Kaiapuni Hawai’i ‘o Kahuku Academy allows students to continue their high school education entirely in the Hawaiian language.

Social Studies
Since 1993 KHIS has participated in National History Day and sent students to represent Hawaii at the national competition every year!    Advanced Placement offerings include World History, U.S History, and Government & Politics. Students participate in Model United Nations and Mock Congress. The department sponsors: International Aloha Shoe Box Project: A global citizenship project, Beach Clean Up Days, and the School-wide Recycling Campaign

Physical Education
The KHIS Physical Education Department promotes, teaches, and facilitates the attainment of movement forms, skills, cognitive concepts, and physical fitness to maintain physical activity throughout life.  This includes exposure to a variety of sports plus the skills to develop a personalized aerobic and weight training program.  The KHIS Adaptive PE program is geared towards students with special needs.

Art
KHIS has a 7-12 Visual Arts Program including courses in arts & communication, drawing & painting, graphic art, photography, digital media, and fashion design.  Visual Arts students have garnered awards in local and national arts competitions: CTSO Showcase, Congressional Art Competition, Scholastics Art Competition, Youth Art Month Competition, and the FCCLA (Family Career & Community Leadership of America).

JROTC Red Raider Battalion
KHIS JROTC Battalion is an Honor Unit with Distinction (HUD) for the 19th consecutive year.  This honor is achieved by only 10 percent of all HS in the nation and is the highest score in the state. A JROTC HUD gets five appointments to the nation’s military academies, provided cadets meet the admission prerequisites. 

Kahuku Music Learning Center
This award-winning program includes the Intermediate Band, Symphonic Band, "The Pride of the North Shore" marching band, Intermediate and HS choirs, and the show choir, Vocal Motion.  Bands perform at football games, band festivals, concerts, Parade of Bands, and various community events.  The Band won the 2011 Sweepstakes Trophy at the Kapolei Marching Band Festival, and 1st place in music, marching, and soloist. Vocal Motion honors include Outstanding Choral Group trophies, Adjudicator's Award, and a Western Division American Choral Directors Association Convention performance in Las Vegas.

Kahuku Health Learning Center
The Kahuku Health Academy is a Hawaii State-funded Health Learning Center.  Its mission is to provide career and technical education in the health professions and to inspire high school students to pursue post-high school education and careers in medicine and health care. The program offers several courses.  In year 1 students take a Core Health Services class.  In year 2 students complete a Clinical Health class and a course in Human Physiology.  In year 3 students can take a Capstone class with a focus on the Nursing Assistant curriculum and independent leadership projects to promote health in the school and community.  In addition, students may also enroll in a medical biotechnology class.  

Students in the program can join the national HOSA-Future Health Professionals organization and participate at the state level in various health-related competitions.  Students placing in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd places in their events go on to compete at the National Leadership Conference. Second-year students also are active in 20 hours of health-related service projects or job shadowing.
 
Mrs. Amy Swiderski is the director of the program and teaches the Human Physiology classes.   Brittney Peay teaches the Health Core, Clinical Health and Capstone classes.  Mrs. Iris Kahaulelio teaches the Medical Biotechnology course.


KHIS Clubs
Students can participate in a wide variety of interests in Art Club, Calabash Club, Computer Club, Digital Media Club, Environmental Club, Green Club, Kahuku Dance, Japanese Club, National Honor Society, Photo Club, Science Club, Sign Language Club, Society of Aspiring Thespians, and Surf Club.