A newly renovated preschool classroom in Waimea is ahead of schedule and under budget as part of the Ready Keiki initiative led by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke.
The classroom is located at Waimea Elementary School and was expected to cost roughly $1 million for renovations, new chairs and other adjustments required for 3- and 4-year-old students.
“Thanks to the Department of Education, and because of principals willing to open up their classrooms and make them available, we were able to reduce the cost of the renovation to $550,000,” Luke said during a tour of the space on Thursday. “So, it’s half the cost (and) a year ahead of schedule.”
Instead of opening in August 2024, the classroom will welcome 20 new students in August of this year, according to Principal Tammie Picklesimer.
“I expect we’ll be full,” Picklesimer said of enrollment, adding that nine applications already have been completed and will head to the Executive Office of Early Learning for approval.
“We had the option to accept out of our geographical area, but the need is so great here that I suspect it will all be in Waimea.”
The preschool is a part of the Ready Keiki initiative, a $200 million effort led by Luke to offer free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-old students in Hawaii by 2032. The initiative anticipates adding 465 new preschool classrooms throughout the state to fill the need.
“Last year, when I was at the Legislature, we appropriated $200 million to build public preschools, and the more preschools we can get out of that $200 million, the better it is,” Luke said, noting roughly $90.5 million already has been committed, with another $109.5 million still available to spend. “Any cost savings we have along the way, it’s going to end up with more preschools.”
The Waimea classroom is the first for the Big Island, but during the second phase rollout, the DOE estimates Hawaii Island will have 12 additional classrooms spread out over nine campuses, including eight charter school classrooms and four more under consideration.
Renovations of existing classrooms are being prioritized because of the lower initial cost, but each school is being looked at individually for the best options available to them.
“On other campuses, like in Kohala, they have the space but no rooms, so they’re looking at portables,” said West Hawaii Complex Area Superintendent Janette Snelling.
“We’re very flexible and are bending to the needs of the community.”
But as the initiative moves forward, staffing remains a concern.
“The challenge in the out years for now is the workforce and making sure we have enough people interested in becoming teachers,” Luke said.
“We’re working with the University of Hawaii to have a dedicated preschool degree as opposed to an Early Education Elementary degree, which has been somewhat rigorous for some of the students, so we’re working on that pathway, as well.”
Helping increase the workforce throughout the state also is a key reason behind building the preschools.
“You have to have child care if you’re going to have the workforce, and this is a workforce community,” said Sen. Tim Richards of Waimea, whose children currently attend Waimea Elementary. “This is a step in the right direction. Housing is huge, but child care is huge, as well.”
Applications are currently open for the Waimea preschool, and more information can be found by contacting the school directly at (808) 887-7636, or by visiting the Ready Keiki website at www.readykeiki.org
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.