The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to select a contractor to rapidly build a temporary elementary school in Lāhainā.
King Kamehameha III Elementary burned down during the Aug. 8 wildfire fires. Students and teachers have been sharing a campus with Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary.
The temporary school will be located near the Kapalua Airport. The Corps said construction will take about three months.
“All are committed to reducing that timeline as much as can possibly be done," said Col. Jesse Curry, the commander of the Recovery Field Office for the Maui wildfire response. "The goal is to absolutely do it within 95 days, if not sooner."
The Corps is currently reviewing bids for the contract. Curry said the contract currently requires the temporary school to be operational for at least five years.
He said there have been discussions about the state Department of Education's use of the facility after that period.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Oct. 30, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
