Ha‘aheo Elementary School reopens after 3-year, $25 million project to expand campus in North Hilo

On a hill overlooking Hilo Bay, one of Hawai‘i Island’s oldest elementary schools is reopening after three years of construction.

The 138-year-old Ha‘aheo Elementary School is welcoming students back to its renovated campus in North Hilo on Wednesday following a $25 million construction project that doubled the size of the campus facilities, with the addition of three new buildings.

Beginning in the summer of 2023, Ha‘aheo students and staff relocated to a portion of nearby Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Elementary School in Pāpaʻikou during the construction.

“Over the last three years, we have been fortunate to have a school nearby that had the space for the kids,” Hilo-Waiākea Complex Area Superintendent Kasie Kaleohano said. “But I think everyone— students, teachers, parents — are ready to see this project done and be back permanently.”

While the project is far enough along for students to return, crews are still working on the multipurpose building that will serve as the cafeteria and on the building that will house the future library and computer lab.

Work on this portion of the project is not expected to be complete until later this year, Ha‘aheo Principal Jennifer Sueoka said.

Construction on the new buildings will continue during the school day, but officials say the design of the classrooms will help dampen the noise.

“The requirement is that the classrooms would be complete for students to come back, and we finally got to that point,” Sueoka said. “I think the kids will be excited by the construction and the idea of what’s to come by the end of winter break. I’m excited to see their faces and reactions when they see these new classrooms.”

To create the best environment for students, Ha‘aheo only has one class per grade level, so teachers can better understand individual students’ needs. Teachers are expecting to have about 16 students per classroom.

“This new classroom is double the size of my original classroom when I left in 2023, which is going to be so nice for the kids,” first grade teacher Nanea Fukuda said. “The amount of space I have to fill does feel overwhelming, but at the same time, I know feeling crowded is not helpful when it comes to learning or teaching. I’m sure we will utilize this space well and I’m excited for them to see it for the first time.”

Along with the larger facilities, the entire school, which first opened in 1888, was also outfitted with new parking spaces and air conditioning. It also was made accessible with ramps and a small chair lift.

“One of our big pushes is that every kid needs to have the support they need, and now we have the space to accommodate,” Sueoka said. “These new facilities not only help individual students, teachers and families, the school will also better serve the growing population of Wainaku and North Hilo.”

Sueoka said she worked with the state Department of Education to ensure that the school’s culture was reflected and maintained throughout the project. Since the land was once a kalo field that fed King Kamehameha I’s warriors, kalo are depicted on decals of the building.

“I was told that King Kamehameha I blessed this land because the farmers kept the kalo abundant and it would feed his warriors when they returned to this side of the island,” Sueoka said. “To honor the history of this area, every year, our sixth graders plant kalo and harvest it nine months later. It has become a beloved tradition.”

When crews tore down the buildings, they had to tear down the kalo garden, too. However, they have set aside a space for a new garden and have already built a new shed.

Ha‘aheo expects approximately 130 students for the coming school year, an increase from enrollment over the previous few years, which Sueoka said dipped during the relocation. However, she hopes the renovated site will draw families in the community.

“Our area doesn’t necessarily get a lot of new families moving in, but we do have students who move into a household with their grandparents and great-grandparents who attended Ha‘aheo decades ago,” Sueoka said. “I think having multiple generations attached to the school is just the nature of being open for 138 years.”

The first day of school for students at Ha‘aheo will be Wednesday, but families will have an opportunity to get a sneak peek of the campus during the school supply drop-off on Tuesday.

“Giving the parents an opportunity to come on and walk and take their kids to a class that they’ve never been to before will be nice,” Sueoka said. “We’re excited.”

During the first week of school, Sueoka plans to walk through every classroom with the project manager to talk about safety and what impact the construction may have on a daily basis for students the next few months.

According to Kaleohano, the project has been a successful and collaborative effort due to a vision that was shared and driven by all individuals, agencies and departments involved in the process.

“So, I think because everyone, even those who are not Department of Education employees — even our contractors and all of our outside services, like transit and whoever has been here — we all have the same goal, and so I think it’s facilitated this process so much better,” Kaleohano said. “I think everyone’s intention is the same, and the goal is the same: to bring Ha‘aheo back to its home campus and have the best possible environment for the students who attend the school.”