GOVERNOR LINGLE RELEASES $4,765,000 FOR NEW WAIPAHU HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM BUILDING

For Immediate Release:  January 24, 2004

HONOLULU – Emphasizing her Administration’s commitment to providing Hawai`i students with the best possible learning environment, Governor Linda Lingle has released $4,765,000 to design and construct an eight-classroom building and make other related site improvements on the Waipahu High School campus.  The Governor previously released $300,000 to hire a design consultant for the new building.  Total cost for the project is $5,065,000.

The new building will include a self-contained special education classroom, two resource classrooms, three general classrooms, a chemistry classroom and a biology classroom.  In addition, the building will house a faculty room, a room for a student services coordinator/educational assistant, a custodial service center and other supporting rooms and spaces.  The new building will replace two portable classrooms.

“It’s critical that we provide our students and teachers with an environment that is conducive to learning, and that includes ensuring the classrooms and school facilities are in top shape,” said Governor Lingle.  “Our Administration is committed to tackling the backlog of school maintenance and repairs, upgrading structures to comply with modern safety and building codes, and building new facilities, such as the Waipahu High School classroom building, to keep up with today’s education needs.”

Design consultant Mitsunaga and Associates began the design phase in May 2003.  Upon completion of the design, bidding for the project is expected to start in June 2004 and construction is scheduled to start in January 2005. 

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For more information, contact:
Russ Saito  
Comptroller, DAGS  
Phone:  586-0400

Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: 586-7705 

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: 586-0043