Konawaena High School will be ready to reopen for the new school year following extensive flood damage repairs caused by the Kona low storms in March, the state Department of Education said Monday.

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Classrooms and facilities were inundated with several feet of flood water, mud and debris which ruined carpets, flooring, electrical wiring, furniture and equipment. Ceilings and walls were also impacted by leaking water which created conditions for mold growth.

Taking a page from the instructional playbook developed during the novel coronavirus pandemic, Konawaena diverted the majority of its student body to distance learning in the wake of the storm damage.

Crews have been working hard to ensure the campus is prepared for the safe return of students on Monday, Aug. 3.

Repair projects at the school were coordinated by the state Department of Accounting and General Services.

“They were able to redo most of the flooring in our impacted classrooms, as well as the painting because the waters had dripped down through the walls, a lot of that needed to be repaired as well,” Konawaena Principal Amy Akeo said in a statement. “And in most classrooms, there were missing tiles or things that needed to be replaced as well, so that was done. And then finally, our cork boards, all of our white boards, all of those things were ruined in the storm so they had to take them all down and replace those, all of that is continuously happening.

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“We have a safe healthy place that we get to welcome everybody back to, and we have a new place so it’s going to make new memories and hopefully our classrooms are filled with new items that can do some of the work that we weren’t able to do in the past. But our floors look beautiful, our walls look beautiful.”

Acting Lt. Gov. Keith Regan said the West Hawaii DAGS team “has done an amazing job” and went “above and beyond the call of duty” in its repairs to the heavily damaged Kealakekua school.

“When the Kona low storms came through and caused significant damage to various school facilities, they really stepped up and did everything possible to try to get those schools up and running again so that our kids can get back in there when school starts,” Regan said.

“It was everybody that really stepped up to be able to make it possible for students to return,” added Akeo. “These people really took heart to what happened and they wanted to support our students and I think that’s just something that you just don’t take lightly. You just know that it’s a community thing, that aloha for our school has been outstanding.

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“No other place I’d rather be than right here at Konawaena High School.”