Is Kalihi Waena Elementary School a good school?

Kalihi Waena Elementary School ranks 147 th of 207 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Kalihi Waena Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 465 students attended Kalihi Waena Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Kalihi Waena Elementary School?

Students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School are 44% Asian, 39% Pacific Islander, 13% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Kalihi Waena Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Kalihi Waena Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Governor Sanford B Dole Middle School High : Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School

Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Summary:

Kalihi Waena Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Honolulu, Hawaii, with a diverse student population that is predominantly Asian (44.3%) and Pacific Islander (39.35%). While the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio and high per-student spending, it has consistently struggled academically, with proficiency rates well below the state and nearby school averages.

In the 2023-2024 school year, only 40% of Kalihi Waena Elementary students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, 36.86% in Mathematics, and 29.63% in Science. These scores are significantly lower than the nearby Kalihi Kai Elementary (51.12% ELA, 51.29% Math, 50% Science) and Major General William R Shafter Elementary (65.45% ELA, 67.88% Math, 70% Science). Additionally, Kalihi Waena Elementary has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 26.4%, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools.

The challenges faced by Kalihi Waena Elementary School may be influenced by the socioeconomic factors of the community, as the school has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 64.52% to 71.87% in recent years. Addressing these issues through targeted interventions and community partnerships could be crucial for improving the educational outcomes for the students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School, which is part of the Hawaii Department of Education.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1240 Gulick Ave
Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 832-3210

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
147^th of 207 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,807

Students who attend Kalihi Waena Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Governor Sanford B Dole Middle School
High:	Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.0

Number of students: 465

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

44.3%

Pacific Islander:

39.4%

Two or more races:

12.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64.5%

See top rated Hawaii elementary schools

Compare Kalihi Waena Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Kalihi Waena Elementary School ranks worse than 71% of elementary schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 139^th among 183 ranked elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.37. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Kalihi Waena Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Hawaii Department of Education School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kalihi Waena Elementary School is $17,807, which is the 41^st highest among 183 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kalihi Waena Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Kalihi Waena Elementary School 147^th of 207 Hawaii public elementary schools. (See Kalihi Waena Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Asian students:

Pacific Islander students:

White students:

Hawaii Department of Education:

SchoolDigger ranks Hawaii Department of Education 1^st of 1 Hawaii school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Kalihi Waena Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile
2006	20.88	171^st	194	11.9%
2007	19.99	167^th	192	13.0%
2008	15.87	134^th	146	8.2%
2009	32.47	147^th	191	23.0%
2010	23.20	153^rd	183	16.4%
2011	16.64	176^th	191	7.9%
2012	25.58	166^th	195	14.9%
2013	39.55	135^th	196	31.1%
2015	10.11	180^th	194	7.2%
2016	17.70	169^th	195	13.3%
2017	33.94	152^nd	207	26.6%
2018	33.35	134^th	193	30.6%
2019	31.20	138^th	196	29.6%
2021	20.02	161^st	196	17.9%
2022	28.94	144^th	193	25.4%
2023	21.32	158^th	195	19.0%
2024	33.37	147^th	207	29.0%

See the entire list of Hawaii Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	46.17	133^rd	198	32.8%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	36.33	155^th	207	25.1%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	77.20	55^th	203	72.9%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	31.97	153^rd	196	21.9%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	0.00	200^th	202	1.0%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Hawaii State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Kalihi Waena Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	20	2	593	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	623
1989	20	0	601	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	629
1990	15	1	562	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	585
1991	20	7	575	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	607
1992	38	4	568	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	626
1993	28	3	488	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	533
1994	30	5	524	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	575
1995	28	7	551	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	595
1996	28	7	551	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	595
1997	27	4	570	12	0	n/a	n/a	-3	610
1998	37	6	574	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	631
1999	34	9	563	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	622
2000	27	5	555	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	595
2001	22	4	535	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	568
2002	22	2	537	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	568
2003	22	2	537	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	568
2004	27	2	522	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	557
2005	32	1	520	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	558
2006	28	5	526	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	563
2007	31	2	519	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	559
2008	31	5	502	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	545
2009	38	4	505	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	552
2010	39	5	504	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	556
2011	5	4	331	6	0	168	65	0	579
2012	3	6	306	7	0	248	26	0	596
2013	2	5	308	12	0	227	30	0	584
2014	0	2	297	12	0	244	32	0	587
2015	0	2	267	10	1	228	38	0	546
2016	0	4	266	14	0	194	50	0	528
2017	0	0	252	10	0	172	53	0	487
2018	0	0	236	10	0	171	50	0	467
2019	0	0	233	19	0	166	51	0	469
2020	0	0	242	19	0	185	59	0	505
2021	0	0	245	13	0	177	57	0	492
2022	0	0	221	13	0	193	60	0	487
2023	0	0	206	17	0	183	59	0	465

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	623	35.5	17.5	49.6
1989	629	31.5	19.9	45.6
1990	585	30.0	19.5	43.9
1991	607	31.0	19.5	41.4
1992	626	32.0	19.5	44.4
1993	533	28.0	19.0	40.3
1994	575	33.0	17.4	21.9
1995	595	35.0	17.0	33.1
1996	595	35.0	17.0	33.1
1997	610	35.0	17.4	63.6
1998	631	36.0	17.5	52.1
1999	622	36.5	17.0	68
2000	595	41.0	14.5	67.7
2001	568	38.5	14.8	82.4
2002	568	35.0	16.2	81.3
2003	568	35.0	16.2	81.3
2004	557	36.0	15.5	81.3
2005	558	36.0	15.5	80.3
2006	563	36.0	15.6	75.5
2007	559	36.0	15.5	68.9
2008	545	37.0	14.7	74.9
2009	552	38.0	14.5	77
2010	556	37.0	15.0	79.1
2011	579	35.0	16.5	78.2
2012	596	37.0	16.1	85.1
2013	584	37.5	15.5	81.7
2014	587	35.0	16.7	81.1
2015	546	34.0	16.0	76.9
2016	528	34.0	15.5	75.6
2017	487	37.0	13.1	76.8
2018	467	35.0	13.3	73.2
2019	469	33.0	14.2	72.1
2020	505	34.0	14.8	68.7
2021	492	33.0	14.9	66.7
2022	487	33.0	14.7	71.9
2023	465	33.0	14.0	64.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Kalihi Waena Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	623	35.5	17.5	49.6
1989	629	31.5	19.9	45.6
1990	585	30.0	19.5	43.9
1991	607	31.0	19.5	41.4
1992	626	32.0	19.5	44.4
1993	533	28.0	19.0	40.3
1994	575	33.0	17.4	21.9
1995	595	35.0	17.0	33.1
1996	595	35.0	17.0	33.1
1997	610	35.0	17.4	63.6
1998	631	36.0	17.5	52.1
1999	622	36.5	17.0	68
2000	595	41.0	14.5	67.7
2001	568	38.5	14.8	82.4
2002	568	35.0	16.2	81.3
2003	568	35.0	16.2	81.3
2004	557	36.0	15.5	81.3
2005	558	36.0	15.5	80.3
2006	563	36.0	15.6	75.5
2007	559	36.0	15.5	68.9
2008	545	37.0	14.7	74.9
2009	552	38.0	14.5	77
2010	556	37.0	15.0	79.1
2011	579	35.0	16.5	78.2
2012	596	37.0	16.1	85.1
2013	584	37.5	15.5	81.7
2014	587	35.0	16.7	81.1
2015	546	34.0	16.0	76.9
2016	528	34.0	15.5	75.6
2017	487	37.0	13.1	76.8
2018	467	35.0	13.3	73.2
2019	469	33.0	14.2	72.1
2020	505	34.0	14.8	68.7
2021	492	33.0	14.9	66.7
2022	487	33.0	14.7	71.9
2023	465	33.0	14.0	64.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,789 (10.0%)	$16,018 (90.0%)	$17,807

Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kalihi Waena Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 138^th of 196 Elementary schools	Ranks 158^th of 195 Elementary schools	10.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Kalihi Waena Elementary School)	39	26	13%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	53	49	4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Kalihi Waena Elementary School)	42	30	12%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	56	52	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Kalihi Waena Elementary School)	41	42	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	52	51	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Kalihi Waena Elementary School)	50	44	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	49	50	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Kalihi Waena Elementary School)	44	35	9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	57	55	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Kalihi Waena Elementary School)	38	28	10%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	44	44
All Grades English Language Arts (Kalihi Waena Elementary School)	42	35	7%
All Grades Mathematics (Kalihi Waena Elementary School)	43	34	9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	469	465	0.9%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	233	206	11.6%
Hispanic	19	17	10.5%
Pacific Islander	166	183	10.2%
White	0	0
Two or More Races	51	59	15.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	72.1%	64.5%	7.6%

Schools Near Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				HSA Science (2024)	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2024)	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	HSA Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Kalihi Waena Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1240 Gulick Ave	Honolulu	96819	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 832-3210	465	33	14.0	64.5%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.7%)	206 (44.3%)	0 (0.0%)	183 (39.4%)	59 (12.7%)	33.4	147^th of 207 public elementary schools	29.0%		21.3	158^th of 195 public elementary schools	19.0%	11	29.6	40.0	36.9	$17,807	$1,789	$16,018
Linapuni Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	1434 Linapuni St	Honolulu	96819	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 832-3303	105	11	9.5	90.5%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.9%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	94 (89.5%)	7 (6.7%)								(n/a)				$22,013	$1,530	$20,483
Kapalama Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1601 North School St	Honolulu	96817	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 832-3290	518	36	14.3	58.5%	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (10.6%)	321 (62.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (11.2%)	81 (15.6%)	80.1	53^rd of 207 public elementary schools	74.4%		71.4	55^th of 195 public elementary schools	71.8%	2	63.6	62.2	58.1	$15,866	$1,539	$14,327
Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1121 Middle St	Honolulu	96819	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 832-3040	394	29	13.5	75.4%	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (4.8%)	133 (33.8%)	0 (0.0%)	198 (50.3%)	40 (10.2%)	27.3	159^th of 207 public elementary schools	23.2%		18.2	170^th of 195 public elementary schools	12.8%	11	33.3	34.9	33.2	$17,487	$1,896	$15,591
Kalihi Kai Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	626 McNeill St	Honolulu	96817	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 832-3322	528	38	13.8	67.8%	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.1%)	357 (67.6%)	0 (0.0%)	102 (19.3%)	41 (7.8%)	62	89^th of 207 public elementary schools	57.0%		47	101^st of 195 public elementary schools	48.2%	12	50.0	51.1	51.3	$17,912	$1,974	$15,938
Major General William R Shafter Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	2 Fort Shafter	Honolulu	96819	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 832-3560	392	27	14.5	22.7%	161 (41.1%)	48 (12.2%)	87 (22.2%)	28 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.0%)	60 (15.3%)	87.5	34^th of 207 public elementary schools	83.6%		82.8	29^th of 195 public elementary schools	85.1%	5	70.0	65.5	67.9	$16,290	$787	$15,503
Kaewai Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1929 Kamehameha IV Rd	Honolulu	96819	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 832-3500	277	22	12.5	75.5%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.1%)	71 (25.6%)	0 (0.0%)	159 (57.4%)	30 (10.8%)	25.8	160^th of 207 public elementary schools	22.7%		18.3	169^th of 195 public elementary schools	13.3%	9	17.9	27.5	35.7	$18,403	$1,847	$16,556
Puuhale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	345 Puuhale Rd	Honolulu	96819	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 832-3190	243	21	11.8	77.4%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (9.5%)	73 (30.0%)	0 (0.0%)	124 (51.0%)	23 (9.5%)	47.5	121^st of 207 public elementary schools	41.5%		29.6	143^rd of 195 public elementary schools	26.7%	22	45.0	49.5	37.4	$19,790	$2,507	$17,283
Princess Miriam K Likelike Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1618 Palama St	Honolulu	96817	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 832-3370	263	22	11.9	74.5%	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (8.4%)	110 (41.8%)	0 (0.0%)	91 (34.6%)	39 (14.8%)	47.2	122^nd of 207 public elementary schools	41.1%		45.1	105^th of 195 public elementary schools	46.2%	17	41.7	44.2	44.6	$18,177	$1,768	$16,409
Kalihi Uka Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2411 Kalihi St	Honolulu	96819	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 832-3310	259	19	13.6	71.0%	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.6%)	143 (55.2%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (20.8%)	40 (15.4%)	71.2	77^th of 207 public elementary schools	62.8%		57.9	78^th of 195 public elementary schools	60.0%	1	53.3	60.0	51.2	$18,128	$1,896	$16,232

Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Kalihi Waena Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hawaii Department of Education:

What do you think?

Rank History for Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Rank History for Asian students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Enrollment information for Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Kalihi Waena Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Kalihi Waena Elementary School