Community News

DOE Sets Boundaries for New School in Ocean Pointe

The Principal is picked, staff is being hired, and plans are being made for students who will attend the new elementary school in Ocean Pointe to begin classes in July 2006. Haseko donated the 12 acre site for the school to the state.

Registration is now underway. The DOE-drawn attendance boundaries include all existing Ocean Pointe homes and residents of Kealohi Kai, Fairway's Edge and Area IV.

Students whose families move into future neighborhoods closer to the marina will attend Ewa Beach Elementary School.

The school bell won't be ringing on the new campus until January 2007. For the first five months of next school year, the students will be housed as a "school within a school" at Ewa Beach Elementary.

Construction of the new campus is expected to be completed this fall, and the remaining months of the year will be used to move in and set up all the furniture and equipment needed for classes to be held there.

The 2004 National Elementary School Principal of the Year Eileen Hirota will take the helm at the new elementary school, and veteran educator Sherry Kobayashi has moved up from Vice Principal to the top job at Ewa Beach Elementary School.

Kobayashi says she is very committed to continuing the best practices concept of the America's Choice curriculum that has helped Ewa Beach Elementary meet the tough Adequate Yearly Progress required under President Bush' No Child Left Behind Act for the past several years.

The new school also intends to use some of the best practices taught under America's Choice for its curriculum, making the transition for students coming to the new school from Ewa Beach Elementary much easier.

In addition to Ocean Pointe keiki, students from Ewa by Gentry who currently attend Ewa Beach Elementary will also be districted to attend the new school.

Principal Hirota expects to announce the official name of the new school in the coming weeks. The campus is currently referred to as "Ocean Pointe Elementary School" because of its geographic location.