Parents are celebrating victory after petitioning the Department of Education over re-districting that would have cut them off from their brand new elementary school.

A proposed attendance boundary line had come as a shock to parents who bought their homes just for the new school next door. The D.O.E. listened to their outcry against the change and came up with a good fix.

To many parents, Keoneula Elementary is the reason to live in Ewa Beach.

"The school was it. It was the selling point for us,” said Vida Bergonia, “It was a convincing point -- the big decision factor, really."
They bought in Haseko's Ocean Pointe development so their kids could go to the new campus. But the school was already over capacity on day 1.

The D.O.E. sought to balance things out by redrawing the boundary line so that kids who lived right across the street from the new school couldn't go to it. Instead they'd be assigned to the older and underenrolled Ewa Beach Elementary.

"The issue, foremost, was the safety of the children," said Ewa Beach resident Sharla Tadeo. “We felt that why should end up having our kids walk or bike farther?"

Parents launched a petition drive and spoke out vehemently at community meetings.

"I am not going to wait for someone to tell me one day, sorry Mrs. Bergonia, but we are out of space," Bergonia said.

Their protest worked.

The attendance boundaries now accommodate existing Ocean Pointe homes and others nearby. Parents are thankful. "…For listening to all of us in our community, considering some of the things in our petition and coming down to a fair decision," Tadeo said.

But what to do with all those kids? The D.O.E. will move with record speed to expand Keoneula Elementary. By the upcoming school year this fall, three new portable buildings will be ready for the crowd. Parents say that's a lifesaver.

"If we cannot send our child to Keoneula, then we would opt to go to private school," Bergonia said. “To me education is not something that you cannot just take for granted. That is the only thing that you can give to your children."

There will be a public meeting on May 6th at 7 p.m. for the community to learn more about the plan.