Progress on a new elementary school that will serve the Kapolei and ʻEwa communities in a few years is officially underway.
The state Department of Education broke ground and blessed the site of the future Oʻahu school, which is set to serve roughly 750 students from kindergarten through 5th grade.
The 12-acre campus along Iwikuamoo and Honouliuli streets will be the first public elementary school in the Hoʻopili area.
Denise Della-Sabas, a Hoʻopili resident and mom of two young keiki, said many parents in her neighborhood are commuting out of Kapolei every morning to take their kids to school.
“One thing I’m really excited (about) as a parent and a mom of a two-year-old, is to have my daughter go to school with our neighborhood kids,” Della-Sabas said. “Having a school in our neighborhood means less commute time, and more time with our kids. We can build community, we can actually be involved with the school, and just volunteer our time.”
The campus will house younger grades on the first floor and older grades on the second in “flexible and collaborative” learning spaces. It will also have a covered play court, outdoor playfield, library and media center, and multipurpose cafetorium with a full-service kitchen.
School officials said the school will also incorporate sustainability and energy-efficient features to maximize natural daylight and reduce energy use.
State DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi acknowledged the declining attendance and enrollment rates across the department, but stated that developments like these can help support growing communities.
“While some communities are seeing fewer students, others, like East Kapolei, are experiencing growth as more families are moving into newly developed neighborhoods,” Hayashi said. “This is why it’s so important that we plan ahead and make thoughtful investments where they’re needed most.”
The school hasn’t been officially named yet, but is currently being referred to as “East Kapolei Elementary School.”
Construction is set to start in March and the campus is expected to start serving students during the 2029 to 2030 school year.
