KILAUEA — The Kilauea School bell rang at 8 a.m. Wednesday signaling the end of summer for about 335 students attending school here, pulling students in from backyards, beaches, vacation trips and other areas back into the classrooms. The North
KILAUEA — The Kilauea School bell rang at 8 a.m. Wednesday signaling the end of summer for about 335 students attending school here, pulling students in from backyards, beaches, vacation trips and other areas back into the classrooms.
The North Shore school is the first to open this new school year.
Principal Fred Rose welcomed students, and was excited about opening the school’s doors to the students.
Due to a schedule change, parents, teachers and students noticed a summer vacation a week shorter than in previous years, and some of them were not happy with having to return to school so soon after what they see as a short summer break.
One of the first things students noticed was the new playground structure in the back yard, the new piece of playground equipment still cordoned off by yellow “caution” tape as school inspectors did their final check for the structure’s safety features.
Rose said there were supposed to be two structures, but shipping problems delayed the arrival of the second one.
But students should hopefully be enjoying that piece by the end of August.
Another pleasant aspect of school opening, Rose said, was the fact that Kilauea School’s population did the unexpected and grew.
Rose said they were projected to have a student-population decline, but instead, they gained 20 new students, some coming from Hanalei School.
Sadly, though, Rose pointed out, they also lost some students as families moved off island due to the high and rising costs of living here.
The student increase in population gained the school a new teacher in the first grade, where Kilauea School was a beneficiary of the state Act 51 Education Reform Bill that changes the way teachers are allocated at the lower-grade levels.
Also in the future plans for Kilauea School, Rose pointed out that they will be getting a Pre-Plus Program (preschool) building that will be located just back of the new playground structure.
Rose said the Pre-Plus Program location will probably be the only one on the island, and will be the community’s preschool as opposed to being the school’s.
It will be located on school grounds, Rose said, but the school will be run by an outside agency chosen via a competitive-bid system.
As the clock ticked closer to lunchtime, Rose said he is hopeful Gov. Linda Lingle will release funds for a sorely needed new cafeteria.
Funds for the design phase were allocated two years ago, and funds for the building were allocated last year, but to date none of the funds have been released, Rose said.
Optimistic about the governor’s announcements of release of funds on a recent swing through the Neighbor Islands, Rose is hopeful the governor will pay them a visit to see how badly a new cafeteria is needed.
Kilauea School serves Kilauea-area children from pre-kindergarten through grade six.
Students return to classrooms at Kapa‘a Elementary, Middle (grade six only) and High (grade nine only) schools today, Thursday, July 22.
The Kapa‘a schools and Kilauea are on the modified calendar.
The other public schools are back in session in late August.
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
