Aloha ULS Alumni and Supporters!

September 2026

Dear ULS Community,

As we begin another exciting year at University Laboratory School, I am pleased to share several important developments that reflect the strength, stability, and continued growth of our school. This year marks a significant milestone in ULS’s history as we move forward with a new Facilities Use and Occupancy Agreement with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the affirmation of our historic partnership with the University and its College of Education, and our renewed WASC accreditation status. 

These accomplishments are the result of the dedication and commitment of our students, families, faculty, staff, and University partners. They also reflect our longstanding commitment to our guiding principles of Kūlia i ka Nuʻu—Striving for the Highest—and Holomua—Moving Forward.

A New Facilities Agreement with the University of Hawai‘i

This summer, we finalized a new Facilities Use and Occupancy Agreement with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, effective July 1, 2026. This agreement provides essential stability, establishing an initial three-year term through June 30, 2029, with a mutual option to extend through June 30, 2034.

We are very pleased to have this agreement in place. This allows us to focus our energy where it belongs—on our students, our teachers, our families, and the educational mission of the University Laboratory School.

At the same time, our work and our conversations about the future do not end with the signing of this agreement. As plans for the ʻEwa Parcel (where the ULS campus is located) and the University’s long-term facilities and land-use needs continue to evolve, we will continue to engage with University leadership and other stakeholders to help ensure that the interests, needs, and unique educational mission of the University Laboratory School are understood and represented.

Our goal must always be focused on how we can continue to provide a strong, stable, and innovative educational environment for current and future generations of ULS students.

Continuing Our Partnership with the UH College of Education

Our affiliation with the UH College of Education also continues. With the new facilities agreement now in place, we will be working with the College of Education to update and further develop our affiliation agreement. This provides an opportunity to continue strengthening the unique relationship between ULS and the University, particularly in the areas of teacher preparation, educational research, professional learning, and innovation.

WASC Accreditation Reaffirmed Through 2029

I am very happy to share that the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), has reaffirmed University Laboratory School’s accreditation through June 30, 2029. ACS WASC recognized the progress ULS has made and expressed confidence in our continued success and improvement.

We are proud of this reaffirmation and grateful to our faculty, staff, students, families, and University partners who contribute every day to the quality of education and learning environment at ULS.

Looking Ahead and Seeking Your Input

As we begin thinking more intentionally about the future of ULS, your voice as an alumnus, community member, and supporter is important.

Please take a few minutes to complete our new ULS Future Planning Survey. The purpose of the survey is to gather information and perspectives that will help us better understand the priorities, needs, hopes, and concerns of our ULS community as we consider the future of ULS.

Our responsibility is to care for the ULS that exists today while also being good stewards of the ULS that we will leave for future generations. We hope that you will take the opportunity to contribute to this effort by filling out the survey and providing us with much needed input that will be useful in future planning and development needs for ULS. Mahalo in advance for your support.

Celebrating Our Year in Review 

Coming soon! We are excited to announce the release of the 2025-2026 ULS Year in Review in late September 2026.  This publication will highlight the many ways ULS students, faculty, and staff contribute not only to our school but also to the broader educational community and to the University of Hawaiʻi.

Among the areas of interest:

• ULS and UH Mānoa research activities and projects;
• The continued growth of our Research and Development (RAD) Program;
• The partnership between ULS and the UH College of Education; and
• The many accomplishments and contributions of our students, faculty, and staff.

These efforts are an important part of what makes the University Laboratory School distinctive. Since its founding in 1895, ULS has sought to model innovative approaches to education while maintaining a strong commitment to academic excellence, equity, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We look forward to sharing the Year in Review with our ULS community! 

To see last year’s version you can visit this link: ULS Year in Review 2024-2025.

Looking Ahead
Mahalo nui loa for your continued support of the University Laboratory School. If you are able, we invite you to contribute to our “Building Our Rainbow” fundraiser, which directly supports the future of our school and campus. https://www.ulsfoundation.org/give.

As we start the new school year, we do so with a great deal of pride in where ULS is today and tremendous optimism about where we are headed.

Kūlia i ka Nuʻu. Holomua.

With gratitude and aloha,

A. Keoni Jeremiah ‘89
Principal, University Laboratory School

ULS Future Vision Survey 

As we look toward the future of University Laboratory School, we are seeking input from our school community about what we value most about ULS today and what we hope ULS will become for future generations of students.

ULS is at an important point in its history. In July 2026, ULS and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa completed a new Facilities Use and Occupancy Agreement (FUOA) that provides an initial three-year term through June 30, 2029, with a mutual option to extend for an additional five years through June 30, 2034. This agreement provides greater stability and certainty for ULS as we continue our work on the UH Mānoa campus.

At the same time, conversations continue regarding the future of the ʻEwa Parcel (location of ULS campus) and the University of Hawaiʻi’s long-term development and land-use plans. As these discussions evolve, ULS will continue to participate in conversations with University leadership and other stakeholders to ensure that the needs and unique educational mission of ULS are understood and represented.

This is an opportunity for us to think beyond our immediate circumstances and consider what ULS should look like five, ten, and twenty years from now.

Your personal information will remain confidential, and all responses will be aggregated to help us better understand the priorities, hopes, concerns, and aspirations of the ULS community. The information gathered through this survey will serve as one source of input to help inform ULS’s future planning and its participation in discussions regarding the school’s long-term future.

The survey can be found at this link: 

https://forms.gle/w5HpsSNtTBqcSyfEA

The survey will remain open until November 1, 2026.

ULS Mission: The school serves two interlocking missions: to design and deliver the best possible education to its students, and to serve as a seedbed for educational research and development.

Our Vision: The vision of the University Laboratory School is that all students graduate ready for college, work and responsible citizenship.

As a public charter laboratory school, ULS strives to model, study, and advance innovative approaches to teaching and learning. 

To learn more, visit the ULS Website: universitylaboratoryschool.org

For more ways to support ULS, 

visit the ULS Foundation!