Seagull Schools has been proudly serving Hawai'i as a private, non-profit corporation since 1971.
Since then, Seagull Schools has thrived on growth and response to community needs for early education. Today, Seagull Schools has an enrollment of over 900 children at centers located in Kailua, Kapolei, Ko Olina, Ocean Pointe, and Downtown Honolulu on the island of Oahu.
The Seagull School at Kapolei also provides adult day services for frail older adults or persons with disabilities. By mixing the care for 240 young children and 50 older adults, a curriculum has been developed where children and seniors come together for their mutual benefit.
Seagull Schools has long had a strong community presence. We established Hawaii's first center-based infant/toddler daycare program and have a history of providing services to families of all income levels. We have been a model collaborator with businesses and other nonprofits and are nationally recognized as pioneers in the development of intergenerational programs where children and seniors come together for their mutual benefit.
Today, all five of Seagull Schools' sites are in well-designed, beautifully landscaped facilities.
The schools have depended on community support to help reach each stage of growth. Since its beginning, over $12,000,000 has been raised for tuition assistance and capital projects. The Seagull Schools' staff has grown to 180 full-time and 40 part-time employees. The executive director, Chuck Larson, was listed as one of "North America's 50 Most Experienced Center Directors" in the December 1996 edition of "Child Care Information Exchange" magazine. He has overseen the school's growth and development since its' beginning in 1971.
Megan McCorriston is the Chief Executive Officer of Seagull Schools and began working here in July 2018. She holds a Masters and Doctorate in Education from the University of Oxford in England. Her career began as a school teacher, however she later went on to education administration and leadership in Hawai’i and other international locations. She is a published researcher in the field of comparative and international education, and experienced consultant to non-profits such as the British Refugee Council and United Nations agencies. She is an active member of the National Association of the Education of Young Children and Child Care Business Coalition in Hawai’i. She has been a tireless advocate of education as a means for social justice for over 20 years.
In her position as Chief Executive Officer, she has oversight of Seagull Schools’ five Early Education Centers and Adult Day Center. She is committed to developing and innovating Seagull’s high quality early education and intergenerational programs to meet the needs of young students in an ever-changing world.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family at the beach and traveling to new destinations. Her greatest joy is raising her daughter in the same place where she has fond memories growing up herself and making lifelong friendships. It is her privilege to give back to the community by continuing the legacy of Seagull Schools, and to educate this next generation of learners and leaders in Hawai’i.
Chuck Larson co-founded Seagull Schools in 1971 and served as its Executive Director for 47 years. Chuck is a pioneer of early education in Hawai'i during which time he founded Seagull's first early education school on the Windward side in Waimanalo. He quickly expanded Seagull's program to five early education centers in Kailua, Downtown (The Early Education Center), Kapolei, Ocean Pointe (Ewa Beach) and Ko Olina. Under his leadership, the non-profit quickly grew from 38 students in two classrooms to over 1,000 students statewide. He was also visionary in bringing one of Hawaii's first intergenerational programs to our Kapolei School location.
Chuck earned many prestigious awards during his time at Seagull Schools including the KOA (Kapolei Outstanding Achievement) award for Entrepreneur of the Year in 2007 for his development of the Seagull Schools facilities at Kapolei, Ocean Pointe (Ewa Beach) and Ko Olina. He also served as a longtime member of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. He currently serves as President of the Hawaii Intergenerational Network where he has already earned accolades for his home-sharing program for Hawaii's seniors and he continues to play an important role in the Seagull community.