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Q

When do most students enter La Pietra?

A

A majority of girls will enter during the Middle School years (6, 7, or 8) or 9th grade. Depending on each girl’s situation, we will consider applications for girls entering into all grades (6 – 12).

Q

What are your application deadlines?

A

La Pietra offers rolling admissions, so applications are accepted throughout the year. However, due to space limitations, we strongly recommend that families apply by the end of March before the desired admission year. Our rolling admissions process allows us to accept students for Term 1 (Fall), and also for Term 2 (October), and Term 3 (January).

Q

How much weight will my daughter’s SSAT test score, academic record, or teacher recommendations carry in her application to the school?

A

La Pietra is committed to the education of the whole girl and as such we consider all portions of the application equally (teacher recommendations, report cards/grades/comments, SSAT scores, and interview). There is no “magic” number that automatically qualifies or disqualifies any student for admission.

Q

Where do La Pietra students come from?

A

La Pietra students come from private and public schools in the state of Hawaii and out of state. We also have a number of international students, and offer an International Diploma option for them.

Q

May we visit the campus during the admissions process?

A

Absolutely. We welcome families to visit La Pietra for a campus tour and especially encourage a School-in-Session visit, during which prospective students in grade 5-11 may come for a half-day visit.

Q

What does a School-in-Session visit entail?

A

During a School-in-Session (SIS) visit, your daughter will spend a half-day attending classes with our students here on campus. She has the chance to sit in and participate in four different classes and get a feel for the “day-in-the-life” experience of a La Pietra student.

Q

Do we have to submit a full application for our daughter before she can come in for a School-in-Session (SIS) visit?

A

SIS visits are completely independent of the admission process, so families are not required to submit an application to schedule a School-in-Session (SIS) visit for their daughters. We actually encourage families to set-up an SIS visit early in the admissions process to learn more about the school and make an informed decision about whether to apply.

Q

Will applying for tuition assistance jeopardize our chances for admission?

A

No, the financial aid process is completely independent of the admissions process. Our admissions decisions are need-blind, so financial circumstances do not enter into the admissions equation.

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Q

Does La Pietra have a religious affiliation?

A

No, La Pietra is Hawaii’s only all-girls' school for grades 6-12 that is not religiously affiliated.

Q

Does La Pietra require that girls wear a uniform?

A

Yes. Our girls wear a uniform Monday through Thursday. Fridays are “free-dress” days, during which students are not required to wear their uniform, but must dress within the free dress guidelines. Families may purchase uniforms at any time through our uniform vendor, Potpourri.

Q

What is the faculty to student ratio and average class size?

A

Each grade level averages approximately 35 students. Our faculty:student ratio is 1:10 and the average size of instructional classes in both our middle and upper school is 10 students.

Q

Does La Pietra offer Advanced Placement Courses?

A

La Pietra offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses on site as well as through the Online School for Girls. In addition, students in our level 5 Foreign Language programs (Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish) and those in Calculus are eligible to take their respective AP exams.

Q

How does La Pietra prepare my daughter for college?

A

The journey for college preparation begins in 8th grade with parent/family meetings and continues through high school. For more information about La Pietra’s college counseling program, visit the academics section above.

Q

What is the block schedule?

A

To promote greater depth of understanding and maximize student learning, La Pietra employs a block schedule consisting of four terms in the school year. Each term is equivalent to one semester in a traditional schedule. Each day consists of four, 80 minute blocks of instruction time, which provides more time for project-based activities and group work than traditional schedules.

Q

Do the Middle School & Upper School share the same campus?

A

Our entire school is on the same beautiful campus on the slopes of Diamond Head. Each grade level has its own designated area for lockers, and while some classrooms are designated for our middle school students, all students will have classes in different parts of our campus.

Q

Does La Pietra provide boarding for International Students?

A

La Pietra is not a boarding school. All of our international students manage their own living arrangements, usually by staying with relatives who already live on the island of Oahu.

Q

Does La Pietra provide a bus service?

A

La Piera does not provide a bus service; however, many of our parents have self-organized carpools and make arrangements with relatives.

Q

Does La Pietra offer school lunch?

A

Yes, we offer a catering service through Michi’s Cooking Fresh For You (http://cookingfreshforyou.com/schools/la-pietra). Students may preorder lunches in the morning, or may enjoy a salad bar that does not require preorder. In addition, there are snacks for sale daily on campus.