Kohala High School will soon be following in the footsteps of Waimea Middle School in the creation of a new science, technology, engineering and math complex.
Work could start next fall on the $7.5 million modernization project, following the release of a draft environmental assessment this week that found no significant impacts from the construction.
The four single-story buildings will include a physical science lab, biochemistry lab building, natural resources building, and a general classroom building. Built in a vacant area at the intersection of Honomakau Road and Paro Drive on former plantation land, the structures will add 13,000 square feet of educational space to the campus, and will include 1,700 square feet of outdoor lanai.
Like Waimea’s situation, the current science building is undersized and lacks modern teaching equipment. The new buildings will replace facilities that are deemed aged, inadequate and lacking in proper equipment according to modern Department of Education standards. The project must still obtain numerous permits from the Hawaii County planning and water supply departments and the state Department of Health.
Kohala High School had a 2013-14 enrollment of 276 students.
The modernization also includes a $250,000 renovation of an existing science classroom for faculty use. That building will contain a work and meeting room, lounge and storage rooms. This in turn will relieve a cramped faculty area now located in the administration building.
The progress marks a continued boost for North Hawaii educational facilities. In September, Waimea Middle broke ground on a 25,000-square-foot STEM building that will replace a makeshift lab and Band-Aided technology in its science classroom. The $16 million project took two decades to come to fruition, and marked the first significant capital improvement investment at the school in 25 years.
Work at the Waimea site began Sept. 14. Crews have begun building the foundation layout and installing drywells and drain lines. Workers have also relocated trees because of the site’s proximity to the school garden, WMS community liaison Patti Cook said. Place-based learning will integrate the organic learning garden with the science and technology building, she said.