Plans to renovate and expand Schofield Barracks’ 53-year-old Hale Kula Elementary School are kicking off this morning with a groundbreaking ceremony being attended by Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Sen. Mazie Hirono, Schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi and others.

In March, the federal and state governments awarded more than $33 million to the school to add several buildings to Hale Kula, including an administration building and a student activities center. The U.S. Department of Defense provided most of the funding through a $26.6 million grant. 

It’s all part of a $250 million initiative to upgrade schools on military bases across the country. Hale Kula ranked highly on the list of the 160 schools that were deemed in need of a facelift. 

The vast majority of Hale Kula’s military population — 98 percent — are military dependents. 

Photo courtesy of Jan Iwase.

— Alia Wong