Here is the E-mail that I got back from the DoDEA about our beloved Kubasaki High School, Okinawa, Japan....This is the 411 on the new school. If someone will tell me how to add the drawing file from my e-mail I will post that too...: Hello, Thank you for your patience. You are correct that current planning calls for Kubasaki High School to be replaced by a new school. The project has been in the works for a few years now. As you may know, Kubasaki HS was originally the only high school on island. It was originally built for an enrollment of 1400 but I understand enrollment topped more than 2000 in the early ‘70s! Since then however, enrollment has dropped significantly to 645. From what we know today, that figure is more likely to go down than up. Although the origin of KBHS dates back to the fall of 1946, the campus you attended was completed around 1964 after several moves around the island—including being temporarily housed in converted barracks at Naha Port. There are several reasons why the school is being replaced. The school buildings only have an expected service life of 50 years and the current KBHS campus has reached that milestone. What happens with aging facilities is they become increasingly more expensive to maintain. The halls and walls may look presentable, but the sub-systems such as plumbing, wiring, lighting, heating and cooling, etc. are too costly to continue fixing or upgrading. It’s also very costly to maintain an aging school complex with half the student population it was designed to serve. In this case, replacement is the responsible choice to protect the interests of taxpayers and meet the needs of military-connected families serving overseas today. Not surprisingly, future KBHS students will need the same modern, high-quality learning facilities you enjoyed while attending high school there in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. A few years ago, Congress approved replacement of the school. These are complex, multi-year projects and based on current projections, the two-year construction of the new school would begin in the next four years or so with a possible opening for school year 2020-21. Although the final site is still being discussed, current plans call for the new school to be constructed on Camp Foster—not all that far from where it is today. The current campus would likely be torn down after the new school opens but we do not have a specific date at this time. As part of the design process, engineers and planners gathered input from current administrators, faculty members, and students. They also consulted with local military leaders and DoDEA headquarters in Alexandria, Va. A concept sketch is attached and more detailed renderings will become available as we move into more advanced phases of project. I hope this answers your questions. If you happen to be in the area in the next few years, please let us know and we’ll be happy to arrange a tour of the campus
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 12:08:34 +0000
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