Why Give to SEEQS?
SEEQS is changing our perception of public education.
As part of its assessment process, SEEQS conducted surveys of its faculty, parents and students. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Here are samples of what our students, teachers and families had to say:
Students
I feel I have made better friends and there are happier teachers. The classes feel better and I think I have learned a lot and got smarter.
The teachers are not always the upholders of the "law" and can often work as a student with the students.
…this school helps me to learn more than I usually would in a normal school. It is also much more active than your normal school which I love because normal schools are very boring and SEEQS is the exact opposite of boring.
They push us harder to be more successful in life…
…We act as a democracy. This makes me feel like my opinions are heard and thought through. This school treats us as people, not just kids. Also, if students see a problem, this gives room to address it. I feel that this makes our community incredibly close and safe.
It is growth mindset school, so I don't have a set grade, I can keep growing.
I like the intellectual safety at SEEQS. Intellectual safety encourages me to speak my mind.
… our opinion is heard and matters. We also have to work if we want to have our opinion used and considered. At previous schools the rules were all set and students didn't have a say in it.
SEEQS lets us be whoever we want to be without worrying about others’ criticisms.
SEEQS is a lot more hands on than other schools and it also connects school to the outside world. It is much harder to get good grades but it motivates me to work A LOT harder, which is good.
I feel I have made better friends and there are happier teachers. The classes feel better and I think I have learned a lot and got smarter.
The teachers are not always the upholders of the "law" and can often work as a student with the students.
…this school helps me to learn more than I usually would in a normal school. It is also much more active than your normal school which I love because normal schools are very boring and SEEQS is the exact opposite of boring.
They push us harder to be more successful in life…
…We act as a democracy. This makes me feel like my opinions are heard and thought through. This school treats us as people, not just kids. Also, if students see a problem, this gives room to address it. I feel that this makes our community incredibly close and safe.
It is growth mindset school, so I don't have a set grade, I can keep growing.
I like the intellectual safety at SEEQS. Intellectual safety encourages me to speak my mind.
… our opinion is heard and matters. We also have to work if we want to have our opinion used and considered. At previous schools the rules were all set and students didn't have a say in it.
SEEQS lets us be whoever we want to be without worrying about others’ criticisms.
SEEQS is a lot more hands on than other schools and it also connects school to the outside world. It is much harder to get good grades but it motivates me to work A LOT harder, which is good.
Teachers
SEEQS is more student-centered than any other school I’ve worked in.
I’m working harder than I ever have, and growing more as an educator than I ever have. There is balance of being pushed while feeling success and support.
The faculty work together on solutions and agree to be part of a community, which is more than just teaching every day. Working at SEEQS means you are committing to helping students become a whole person, academically, emotionally and physically through activities, advisory and performance
I like the passion from the teachers about pushing the limits of what an education can be, and teaching students how to learn, instead of cramming facts.
SEEQS has strong leadership with a clear vision and goal, including a path to reach that goal… [there is] talented, dedicated staff with expertise in many fields, not just their content area. Faculty have growth mindsets and are determined to do what is best for students. We are all on the same page, putting in the same effort to achieve the same goals. We are supported by each other, not competing with one another.
SEEQS is more student-centered than any other school I’ve worked in.
I’m working harder than I ever have, and growing more as an educator than I ever have. There is balance of being pushed while feeling success and support.
The faculty work together on solutions and agree to be part of a community, which is more than just teaching every day. Working at SEEQS means you are committing to helping students become a whole person, academically, emotionally and physically through activities, advisory and performance
I like the passion from the teachers about pushing the limits of what an education can be, and teaching students how to learn, instead of cramming facts.
SEEQS has strong leadership with a clear vision and goal, including a path to reach that goal… [there is] talented, dedicated staff with expertise in many fields, not just their content area. Faculty have growth mindsets and are determined to do what is best for students. We are all on the same page, putting in the same effort to achieve the same goals. We are supported by each other, not competing with one another.
Parents
As a new school, SEEQS is not without its challenges - one of the biggest being a lack of facilities and funding. After one year at SEEQS, our daughter was tired of trying to learn in a tent or outside in the heat or rain.... She left SEEQS for a well-respected public school with air conditioned classrooms and well funded facilities and academics. After just 4 weeks, she felt the difference of the academic philosophy of teaching to tests verses teaching to learn. She developed stomachaches and headaches which we later realized were due to school stress. She returned to SEEQS and was immediately a different student--excited about her projects and engaged in learning again. Having experienced both systems of learning, we as parents have become even more committed to SEEQS. It is critical for SEEQS to thrive in Hawaii for our kids - especially those who don't do well in a traditional school.
We love SEEQS. One of my children plans to leave his private school to join his sister at SEEQS next year!
The project-based learning environment has created a new perspective for my son where learning to work with others is important. Additionally, it teaches him how to prioritize, as he has milestones to reach.
My daughter is captivated and engaged in her studies.
They’ll [SEEQers] be employable far beyond their peers when they hit the workforce.
The teacher interaction is much higher than I found at any of my children’s schools.
The staff is committed to excellence, everyday.
[Faculty members] all pay attention! It seems like such a simple thing but it wasn’t happening at his last school. They seemed like they were just going through the motions. My son feels it as well.
My child likes going to school. I think the school gives him independence and more freedom than other schools. He is very proud to be a SEEQer.
She comes home and says she is happy with her life and loves her school.
SEEQS makes them feel like superheroes who could make the world a better place… They are the generation who will save the planet.
As a new school, SEEQS is not without its challenges - one of the biggest being a lack of facilities and funding. After one year at SEEQS, our daughter was tired of trying to learn in a tent or outside in the heat or rain.... She left SEEQS for a well-respected public school with air conditioned classrooms and well funded facilities and academics. After just 4 weeks, she felt the difference of the academic philosophy of teaching to tests verses teaching to learn. She developed stomachaches and headaches which we later realized were due to school stress. She returned to SEEQS and was immediately a different student--excited about her projects and engaged in learning again. Having experienced both systems of learning, we as parents have become even more committed to SEEQS. It is critical for SEEQS to thrive in Hawaii for our kids - especially those who don't do well in a traditional school.
We love SEEQS. One of my children plans to leave his private school to join his sister at SEEQS next year!
The project-based learning environment has created a new perspective for my son where learning to work with others is important. Additionally, it teaches him how to prioritize, as he has milestones to reach.
My daughter is captivated and engaged in her studies.
They’ll [SEEQers] be employable far beyond their peers when they hit the workforce.
The teacher interaction is much higher than I found at any of my children’s schools.
The staff is committed to excellence, everyday.
[Faculty members] all pay attention! It seems like such a simple thing but it wasn’t happening at his last school. They seemed like they were just going through the motions. My son feels it as well.
My child likes going to school. I think the school gives him independence and more freedom than other schools. He is very proud to be a SEEQer.
She comes home and says she is happy with her life and loves her school.
SEEQS makes them feel like superheroes who could make the world a better place… They are the generation who will save the planet.