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Pahoa Elementary School officially began
on July 1, 1993, as a result of a legislative bill which separated
Pahoa High and Intermediate from Pahoa Elementary. Prior to this
date, the school was part of a K - 12 setting known as Pahoa
High and Elementary School which dates back to 1914.
Over the years, the student population
fluctuated due to the economic changes in the Pahoa area. Within
the last ten years, Pahoa has experienced a rapid growth. Pahoa
Elementary School shares campus facilities such as the cafeteria,
gymnasium and library with Pahoa High & Intermediate School
and the community.
Pahoa Elementary School presently services
many rural communities including, but not limited to: Nanawale,
Leilani Estates, Kalapana, Kapoho, Orchidland, Hawaiian Paradise
Park, Ainaloa, and Hawaiian Beaches/Hawaiian Shores. School bus
transportation is provided daily to nearly 85% of the student
population.
The community of Pahoa is located in the
Puna District on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is approximately
20 miles southeast of the city of Hilo, the county seat. Puna
land still remains relatively affordable and development of the
subdivisions continues.
Diversified agriculture and construction
are the primary industries in the area. The population is somewhat
young and mostly in the lower socio-economic rung. Approximately
85% of the students receive free or reduced priced meals based
on assistance figures. In recent times, the school has had an
influx of students from Oahu and the other neighbor islands.
Additionally, immigrant families from the Philippines and other
southeast Asian countries continue to move into the Pahoa community.
The Filipino and Asian ethnic populations are steadily increasing.
Mindful of the quickly changing society surrounding the school,
Pahoa Elementary School continues to strive to provide quality
educational opportunities for all of its students. The teachers
and staff take pride in being on the "cutting edge"
of curriculum and instruction. The school is striving to provide
standards-based instruction and assessment that coincide with
Superintendent LeMahieu's direction for the State. The leadership
will continue to move Pahoa Elementary School forward in this
changing and challenging society.