Ho’okele Elementary School is getting ready to kick off its inaugural year at the end of July 2015 along with its first-class of 450 Kindergarten through 5th Grade students. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Principal, Laureen Dunn, to discuss the construction of the school and what’s to come.
Ho’okele Elementary School: Ho’okele means “navigator”
Amenities
The 78,404 square foot campus is a Hawaii State Department of Education public school which meets U.S. Green Building standards. It’s made up of 7 buildings, a courtyard, indoor and outdoor stages, covered and open play spaces.
Some of the many features and amenities include:
- air-conditioned classrooms
- learning garden
- learning lanai
- library
- media center
- dedicated arts and science building
- 1:1 technology (iPads for grades K-2 and Chromebooks for grades 3-5)
The common areas and classrooms are intended to be flexible and portable in use with wireless connectivity throughout the buildings. Within the learning garden, students will have access to raised, irrigated planters which will be filled per the individual teachers lesson plans. Ho’okele is an inclusion school, implementing the TRIBE Learning Community process.
Hawaii State Department of Education’s Flicker photo tour of the school
Additional Community Projects
Principal Dunn expressed interest in:
- hosting a Ho’okele Fun Run
- collaborating with Oleo Community Media to bring elementary student broadcasting opportunities via the on-campus media center
- inviting Kapolei High School students to assist with a “genius bar” (of sorts) in the library
- potentially working with incoming residents at the new ‘Ilima at Leihano senior living community (located across the street)
Stay Up-To-Date
For additional news and announcements about Ho’okele Elementary School, visit their website or follow them on twitter @hookele808.
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