Kailua Intermediate School (KIS) is a comprehensive public intermediate school serving grades seven and eight. The school is one of four intermediate schools in the Windward District of Oahu and one of two in the Kailua-Kalaheo Complex Area. KIS was originally built as a high school in 1954 and in 1962 was converted to an intermediate school..
KIS is located on Oahu and is situated in a residential area next to the heart of Kailua town minutes away from beautiful white sandy beaches. It occupies approximately fourteen acres of land next to Kailua District Park. The school has seven buildings and sixty-one classrooms.
KIS draws the majority of its students from nine elementary feeder schools in Kailua, including one located on Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay. Other students from neighboring communities attend KIS on geographic exemptions. Upon completion of the eighth grade, most KIS students move on to Kalaheo High School, Kailua High School, or a private secondary school.
KIS is located near Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH). Approximately nineteen percent of KIS students are military dependents. This transient community both strengthens and challenges the school in its efforts to provide a positive, inclusive, nurturing and safe learning environment for KIS students. Working with military community members, KIS benefits from its volunteers and their unique experiences.
The school is staffed with a principal and two vice-principals, a registrar, and a school services coordinator. There are fifty four classroom teachers and 12 educational assistants. Additional support is provided by School Administrative Services Assistant (SASA), grade-level counselors, two School Based Behavioral Health Specialists (SBBH), the registrar, the librarian, the cafeteria manager, a half-time student activities coordinator (SAC), health aide, Student Service Coordinator (SSC), custodial staff, half-time Parent Community Networking Coordinator (PCNC), technology coordinator, Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC), and Part Time Teachers (PTTs).
Its staff includes two Hawaii Association of Middle Schools (HAMS) Teachers of the Year, the 2012-2013 State Teacher of the Year, and the 2016-2017 Windward District Teacher of the Year and 2016-2017 State Teacher of the Year finalist. The staff also includes three teachers who have earned National Board certification.
Participation in professional development opportunities has enabled our faculty and staff to more effectively address the needs of our diverse learners. Using student data we have identified and assisted students who need additional support provide through targeted learning experiences and supports. Developments over the past few years include the school-wide adoption of AVID, a college readiness program for all students, a Co-Teaching model in which 83% of students in the special education program are learning alongside their general education peers, and STREAM Academy, a collaborative effort to promote real-world connections through Science, Technology, Responsibility, Engineering, and Math.
Teachers and support staff collaborate to improve communication with stakeholders via Jupiter Ed, Lotus Notes, school website, monthly newsletter, weekly e-bulletins, and Back to School Night. Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) and School Community Council (SCC) meetings are held monthly. The school has partnered with Parents for Public Schools Hawaii to host parent education events on the topics of nutrition, adolescence and transitions and provide school tours.
At Kailua Intermediate we recognize that adolescence is a remarkable stage of life. Aligning with Association for Middle Level Education standards, our faculty embraces the unique characteristics of this age group and promotes organizational structures that support meaningful relationships and learning. We offer relevant, challenging, and exploratory programs to the approximately 740 seventh and eighth graders we serve. Our school environment is safe, nurturing, disciplined, and exploratory enabling students to build on their strengths and interests. We like to say that we are unapologetic about our mission to prepare every student for a four-year college education and success in a global society. Students are able to learn from the most experienced and talented teachers in our state. These amazing educators are supported by an equally talented cast of staff members and we all work together to create a positive and vibrant learning environment. We are committed to partnering with parents and our school community to help each child succeed. We have a strong Parent Teacher Student Association and supportive Parent Community Networking Coordinator. We encourage active family involvement and there are many points of access, from one-time service days to regular contributions of time, talent and resources.
