Facilities

Kosasa Grades 2 – 5 Community

The comprehensive redesign of Punahou’s Junior School that began with Case Middle School and continued with the Omidyar K – 1 Neighborhood will be completed by creating new facilities for our students in grades 2 – 5, a multifaceted landscape of learning that taps into children’s natural sense of curiosity, discovery and play while grounding them in an intimate and nurturing community. The first half of the Sidney and Minnie Kosasa Community for Grades 2 – 5 opened in August 2016.
This community is a physical representation of Punahou’s educational philosophy for the 21st-century. It is teacher-inspired, student-centered and research-driven, and built to the highest levels of green building and design, and funded entirely through philanthropy, without drawing on tuition dollars or incurring long-term debt. The Sidney and Minnie Kosasa Community was named by lead donors Dr. Thomas ’63 and Mi Kosasa, and his siblings Paul Kosasa ’11, Susan Kosasa and Gloria Kosasa '68 Gainsley in honor of their parents.

  • Like Case Middle School and the Omidyar K – 1 Neighborhood, this project is inspired by the latest research in the neurology of learning and childhood development, which underscores how space and physical environments affect a child’s ability to learn and grow.
  • Flexibility and fluidity in our indoor and outdoor spaces will allow teachers to engage with a greater variety of learning profiles while broadening opportunities to mix instructional techniques and age groups. Two-story classroom studios will reduce the overall building footprint, increasing the green and open spaces in this part of campus.
  • From a native forest to edible gardens that recycle the waters of Ka Punahou, an outdoor landscape inspired by the Hawaiian ahupua‘a will support a curriculum grounded in our unique island culture and history. The diversity of outdoor spaces – from quiet nooks to active play areas – embraces learning that is experiential and fueled by children’s innate curiosity.
  • Adhering to the highest levels of green design introduces the opportunity to include sustainability education in both indoor and outdoor spaces. Building on the successes of Case Middle School (LEED Gold) and the Omidyar K – 1 Neighborhood (LEED Platinum), we will take Punahou’s commitment to sustainability beyond building design and make it a learning experience for students.
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