Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 10, 1 October 2009 — Groundbreaking for Kamehameha preschool [ARTICLE]

Groundbreaking for Kamehameha preschool

Kamehameha Schools broke ground for a new preschool in Kāne'ohe, O'ahu, on Aug. 31. The school, at 46-430 Kahuhipa St., will open in fall 2010 and serve more than 100 Native Hawaiian learners from Kāne'ohe and Kahalu'u. The morning ceremony, with a blessing by Kahu Kordell Kekoa, was attended by teachers, staff and Kamehameha leadership, including CEO Dee Jay Mailer and Diane Plotts, chair of the Board of Trustees. The 9,752 square-foot educational facility will consist of three modular buildings, whieh will house six classrooms and administrative offices. Plans eall for a variety of sustainable design elements, including open-air ventilation, low-flow water fixtures and the use of natural light whenever possible. The feasibility of using photovoltaic panels as a source of energy is also being studied. Kamehameha will be pursuing Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification. The new site will replace the temporary preschool at Windward Mall. Kamehameha Schools established its first preschool programin 1980. It now has 31 preschool sites statewide, whieh have provided more than 1 1,000 keiki with their first school experience.