Upper School Academics

Parker Upper School (grades 9-12) invites students to explore the furthest reaches of their academic, artistic, and athletic abilities and sets high standards for excellence in all areas. The dynamic curriculum includes 10 honors options and 12 Advanced Placement courses. As in the lower divisions, Parker Upper School offers a multitude of rich extracurricular options, including Student Council, athletics, technology and performing arts, which afford students the opportunity to take a new path or delve deeply into their passions with the support of the staff and their peers. A Parker School diploma acknowledges a student’s successful efforts and ability to engage with the world in a meaningful way.

Student-Centered Learning

Students take ownership of their learning and school experience through student-led conferences, contributing to discussions, choosing topics of interest to them, and leading weekly Family Meetings.

Hui Mālama

Hawaiian for “Care Group,” the Hui Mālama is a student’s home base that they meet with twice a week to develop social-emotional strategies and tend to their own—and each other’s—wellbeing.

Big Island Science Series

Making science come alive, this series explores the natural world that surrounds students on Hawai’i Island with weekly presentations by local, leading experts through the lens of western science, cultural significance, and Hawaiian wisdom. Recent topics include:

Lava Sharks Coral Bleaching Hawaiian Voyaging Traditions The Search for Alien Life and a Home on Mars Keck Observatory