Konawaena High campus ready to welcome students back for new school year

Konawaena High School will be ready to reopen for the new school year.

The West Hawai‘i school’s facilities received extensive flood damage from the kona low storms in March. Repairs — coordinated by Hawai‘i Department of Accounting and General Services — are complete because of hard work by state crews and others who helped make sure the campus was restored for a safe return of students Aug. 3.

Classrooms and facilities were inundated with several feet of flood water, mud and debris during the storms, ruining carpets, flooring, electrical wiring, furniture and equipment.

Ceilings and walls also were impacted by leaking water that created conditions for mold growth.

“They were able to redo most of the flooring in our impacted classrooms, as well as the painting because the waters had dripped down through the walls, a lot of that needed to be repaired as well,” said Konawaena High School Principal Ami Akeo. “And in most classrooms, there were missing tiles or things that needed to be replaced as well, so that was done. And then finally, our cork boards, all of our white boards, all of those things were ruined in the storm, so they had to take them all down and replace those, all of that is continuously happening.”

Damage was so significant that Konawaena High diverted a majority of its students to distance learning following the storms.

Finished classroom repairs include new flooring, furniture, equipment and electrical repairs to replace items damaged by flood waters.

“We have a safe, healthy place that we get to welcome everybody back to, and we have a new place, so it’s going to make new memories and hopefully our classrooms are filled with new items that can do some of the work that we weren’t able to do in the past, but our floors look beautiful, our walls look beautiful,” Akeo said.

The principal added that everybody really stepped up to make it possible for students to return on time next week. Crews and others who helped took to heart what happened and wanted to support the students.

“I think that’s just something that you just don’t take lightly,” Akeo said. “You just know that it’s a community thing, that aloha for our school has been outstanding. No other place I’d rather be than right here at Konawaena High School.”

Acting Hawai‘i Lt. Gov. and state Comptroller Keith Regan said the West Hawai‘i team from the state Department of Accounting and General Services did an amazing job.

“When the kona low storms came through and caused significant damage to various school facilities, they really stepped up and did everything possible to try to get those schools up and running again so that our kids can get back in there when school starts,” said Regan. “I just want to congratulate them for doing an amazing job and really going above and beyond the call of duty.”