Le Jardin Academy
| Le Jardin Academy | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
|
917 Kalanianaole Hwy Kailua, Hawaiʻi 96734 United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Nonaffiliated |
| Established | 1961 |
| Head of School | D.J. Condon |
| Grades | PK–12 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Enrollment | 845 (2015/2016 school year) |
| Campus size | 24 acres |
| Campus type | Rural |
| Color(s) | Blue and White |
| Slogan | A Challenged Mind...a Sound Character |
| Athletics conference | ILH |
| Team name | Bulldogs |
| Accreditation |
WASC[1] IBO[2] |
| Website |
www |
Le Jardin Academy is located on the Windward Side of Oʻahu in Kailua, Hawaiʻi. It offers private education from Pre-K to grade 12.
History
Madame Henriette D. Neal founded a preschool in 1961 at St John's Lutheran Church in Kailua. It was known as Le Jardin d'Enfants Madame Neal taught her students the French language. French is still taught at the school today and the fleur-de-lis appears in Le Jardin's logo. Chinese, Japanese and Spanish language are offered to students.[3]
After 1961 and for the next eight years, a new grade was added nearly every year. By 1975, the school's enrollment was more than 100 students, all in sixth grade or lower. In 2006, Le Jardin Academy celebrated its first high school graduating class.
The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation donated the land on which Le Jardin Academy's main campus is situated. It had been operated as a Kailua drive-in. On August 30, 1999, the school opened its new campus. In 2001, Le Jardin added a high school in the same manner it had expanded in the 1960s, by adding a new grade each year. In 2009, a new high school building and gym was added to the main campus.
D.J. Condon joined Le Jardin Academy as Head of School in July 2015. Condon had a 32-year career in education starting as a middle school and high school English teacher. He has held management positions with increasing responsibilities including IB and AP coordinator, Director of Curriculum and Professional Development, K-12 Principal, Secondary School Principal, Associate Head of School and Head of School. Prior to joining Le Jardin Academy, Condon served as Headmaster at Canadian Academy in Kobe, Japan and Hong Kong International School. He earned a BA, summa cum laude, in English from the University of Minnesota and an MA in English Education from the University of South Florida.
Today
Le Jardin Academy is an International Baccalaureate World School providing students with a global education. The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. The International Baccalaureate is a globally recognized leader in the field of 21st century education. It is highly respected for the emphasis it places on critical thinking, active learning, and creative problem solving. It is also renowned for preparing students for admission to the best colleges and universities in their own countries and abroad. Le Jardin Academy is the first school in Hawaii to be authorized as a PK-12 IB World School. Le Jardin Academy is part of an exclusive worldwide network of schools that all share the educational objective of connecting, collaborating and communicating in order to create a more sustainable, peaceful world. Its high school graduates have attended such prestigious universities as Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley and Georgetown University as well as a number of the military academies.
References
- ↑ "HAIS Family Guide to Private Schools" (PDF). Hawaii Association of Independent Schools. 2008.
- ↑ "IB — Profile: Le Jardin Academy". ibo.org.
- ↑ "History". lejardinacademy.org.