Princess Ruth Ke‘elikolani Middle School
About
Our School
Located in the heart of downtown Honolulu, CMS sits on a property filled with rich Hawaiian history and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Once the site of Keoua Hale, the palace of Princess Ruth Luka Ke’elikolani, CMS was established in 1928 and serves students in grades 6 – 8 from Kakaako, lower Makiki, lower Nu’uanu, downtown Honolulu, Liliha, and Palama. While many of these areas have luxury apartments and homes, the majority of our students currently reside in government and affordable housing complexes or transitional and homeless shelters, and others live with relatives or in multi-generation homes. CMS students proudly come from diverse backgrounds, with multi-languages spoken at home.
We believe the key to high academic achievement is through the implementation of evidence-based instructional practices in the classroom with fidelity, strong relationships between and amongst all of our stakeholders, rigor and relevance in our curriculum and instruction, and a plethora of learning opportunities to prepare students for high school, college, career, and life. In addition, we have placed our limited resources toward professional development activities that focus on using formative assessments to drive instruction and making informed decisions, implementing research-based instructional strategies, and using Data Teams professional learning communities (PLCs) to analyze student work and achievement data regularly through the PDCA/Data Team process. Furthermore, to support student achievement, an array of computer managed instructional programs are used to supplement instruction and enhance student learning. CMS also offers extended learning opportunities beyond the regular school hours to all interested students through the various afterschool programs, such as After School All Stars (ASAS), UPLINK, Supplementary Education Services (SES), Planet Central (PC), and Intersession Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO). Through these programs, students receive academic supports and engage in enrichment and exploratory activities.
School History
Central Middle School is located on the historic site of Keoua Hale, Princess Ruth Luka Keanolani Kauanahoahoa Ke'elikōlani palace in Honolulu. Princess Ruth Luka Ke'elikōlani was the great grand daughter of King Kamehameha I. The house was completed in 1883; Keoua Hale was a Victorian-style mansion, and the most expansive residence of the time, even larger then Iolani Palace. Princess Ruth Luka Ke'elikōlani never lived in the palace. She became ill immediately after the house warming and birthday luau of 1883, and she passed away May 24 of that same year. The palace was inherited by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who passed away in the house a year later. In 1908, the building was converted to Central Grammar School. The present buildings were opened in 1926. The school became a junior high school in 1928, an intermediate school in 1932, and a middle school in 1997. In October of 1994 the buildings of Central Intermediate were placed on the Hawaii Register of Historic Places. The school continues to honor Princess Ruth's generosity in providing a location for our school by celebrating her birthday February 9 of each year.
Na Ali‘i
Princess Ruth and Central Middle School
Na Ali‘i shares the stories of a number of Hawai‘i DOE Schools and their relationship to the Hawaiian Ali‘i they are named for or associated with.
