(BIVN) – A draft environmental assessment for the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences’ new campus has been published in the May 23 issue of The Environmental Notice.
The new campus will be located on Old Volcano Road between Nahelelani Street and Aliʻi Anela Street, and will evenutally house Pre-K and 6th–12th grade, “supporting 342 full-time students, 100 blended learning students, and 155 staff,” the document states.
The new campus plans to include Middle School, High School, and Pre-K pod spaces. There will be a central piko courtyard, an administrative building, cafeteria, labs, shops, assembly and performance amphitheater, commercial kitchen and outdoor courts.
According to a summary of the 257 page document:
Since its inception in 2001, VSAS has grown to its current enrollment of 358 students in grades Pre-K through 12 with 223 students on the waitlist in the 2025-2026-year and 369 new student applications for the 2026-2027 school year. In addition to its main campus program, VSAS offers a blended program with 55 total students in grades 3-8.
In order to adapt to increasing enrollment demand, VSAS aims to develop a new campus location in partnership with W. H. Shipman, Ltd. (WHSL) along Old Volcano Road between Nahelelani Street and Aliʻi Anela Street (TMK (3) 1-1-004:010).
The current VSAS campus has two locations in Volcano: 99-128 Old Volcano Road, which is subject to an expiring lease and will close at the end of the 2027-2028 school year, and 19-4024 Haunani Road in Volcano, Hawai‘i, a 3.15-acre property with a maximum capacity of 250 students and 40 staff.
The proposed new campus would be built on a 14.9-acre section of the property. Upon completion of Phase I of the new campus, the Haunani Road campus would continue to operate, and the 99-128 Old Volcano Road campus will close, as it is subject to an expiring lease agreement.
The draft EA reports total project construction costs are estimated at $43.8 million.
From the draft EA:
During the initial phase of construction, portable transition facilities for Middle and High School will be built to meet enrollment demand. VSAS expects to complete Phase I in 2027. Phase II will include the Cafeteria/Administration building, Assembly Amphitheater, and labs and shops for Middle and High School. This phase is expected to be completed in 2029. Phase III will include PreK, which is estimated for completion in 2030. Phase IV will include the permanent Middle School and High School Pods estimated for completion in 2032.
The statutory 30-day public review and comment period starts is underway. Comments are due by June 22, 2026. Comments to can be sent to Pipan Consulting LLC at john@pipanconsulting.com.
