A classroom at Mokapu Elementary School aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Jan. 6, 2025. Mokapu Elementary School marked a major milestone with the grand opening of its newly rebuilt campus, completing the first phase of a full reconstruction of the decades-old school on Marine Corps Base Hawaii. (Hawai’i Public Schools via Facebook)
(Tribune News Service) — Mokapu Elementary School marked a major milestone Tuesday with the grand opening of its newly rebuilt campus, completing the first phase of a full reconstruction of the decades-old school on Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Students welcomed lawmakers, military leaders and community members with a traditional blessing and dedication ceremony, student performances and guided tours of the new facilities, which replaced much of a campus first built in 1960.
“With support from our federal partners, the state of Hawaii, and the military community here at Mokapu, we were able to make long-term investments that will benefit students for many years to come, ” state Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. “What we’re celebrating today is a school that’s better equipped for how teaching and learning happen now—spaces that encourage collaboration, creativity and a sense of belonging, while also honoring the role this campus plays in the broader community.”
The first phase of the approximately $147 million project includes a two-story administration and library building and a two-and three-story classroom complex with 55 classrooms and support spaces. The new campus can accommodate nearly 1, 000 students and was built on an open section of the school’s 14.2-acre property that previously served as playfields, a running track and outdoor courts.
Construction began on Jan. 4, 2023, with the former campus remaining fully operational throughout the build. Students and staff began transitioning into the new buildings following winter break.
Principal Brett Matsukawa said the opening reflects years of collaboration across school staff, the Department of Education, federal agencies, the military and construction partners.
“This beautiful new building isn’t the whole story, ” Matsukawa said. “The real story is about the people—the people who went way beyond their job description, the people who volunteered their time, stayed late, and did whatever it took to make this transition seamless. They didn’t do it for the recognition. They did it for our students.”
For teachers, the change is already reshaping classroom experiences. First grade teacher Jenny Moore and special education teacher Hayley Nguyen, both new to Mokapu this school year, said the modern campus offers more flexible learning spaces that better support small-group instruction and collaboration.
“The old classrooms were smaller and outdated, ” Nguyen said. “Here, we have more room to work one-on-one with students and to collaborate.”
Moore said students have been visibly energized by the move.
“They’re very excited to be here, ” she said. “It’s very exciting for us too.”
The project was funded largely through federal support, with the Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation contributing about $116.5 million—roughly 80 % of the total cost—and the state covering the remaining 20 %.
Mokapu Elementary has long served military families and has evolved alongside the base itself. The installation was originally an Army site, later a Navy base, before becoming a Marine Corps installation. An early elementary school operated at the Naval Air Station during World War II but closed in 1949. The territorial Department of Public Instruction reopened the school in 1952 using existing facilities at the reactivated Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe.
Enrollment grew rapidly from about 100 students to more than 235 within a year, with projections exceeding 600 students by the mid-1950s. Funding was approved in 1959 for a permanent campus, which opened in 1960 and expanded over the decades with additional buildings and portables. In recent years, the aging campus housed more than 820 students and about 130 faculty and staff.
Today, Mokapu Elementary is the only public elementary school located on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, a U.S. Navy installation, and primarily serves military-dependent children from Marine families. The school currently enrolls more than 780 students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.
A second phase of construction will include demolition of the old campus and the addition of a new cafetorium, covered playcourts, a learning courtyard and additional parking. When completed, the rebuilt campus will be able to serve up to 975 students.
Matsukawa said the new campus gives students and educators a clearer, more tangible sense of what the school can offer and allows teaching and learning to happen in a more thoughtful and prepared way.
He contrasted the modern facilities with the former aging classrooms, which were cramped, poorly ventilated and often uncomfortable, limiting how students could move and learn. In the new buildings, he said, classrooms have been intentionally designed to support instruction, with ample space and full air conditioning throughout the campus—improvements he believes will significantly enhance students’ learning experiences.
Hayashi said the school was designed to support modern teaching and learning, with spaces that encourage collaboration, creativity and a sense of belonging, while still honoring the campus’ role in the surrounding community. He added that investing in the campus is ultimately an investment in the students it serves.
“This is your school, ” Hayashi said. “We hope these spaces will support your learning, your curiosity and your future.”
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