LAHAINA, Hawaii — In a homecoming to remember, about 400 Lahaina Intermediate School students returned to their home campus on Tuesday to the raucous cheers of awaiting faculty and staff.

What You Need To Know

  • The campus had been closed since the August wildfires that swept through Lahaina and West Maui

  • Students from Lahainaluna High School returned to their school on Monday following their fall break

  • On Wednesday, Princess Nahienaena Elementary will reopen to its own students plus students from King Kamehameha III Elementary, who will be accommodated in tents equipped with air conditioning and laminate floors until a temporary school campus at Pulelehua is completed

“My heart is overflowing seeing the faces of these kids coming in, them hugging each other, and the staff greeting them,” said principal Stacy Bookland in a news release issued Tuesday afternoon. “It has just been an overjoy for me. This is a long time coming, so we’re very happy to see everyone today.”

The campus had been closed since the August wildfires that swept through Lahaina and West Maui, killing 96 people, razing approximately 2,000 residences, businesses and other structures and displacing thousands of residents.

Students from Lahainaluna High School returned to their school on Monday following their fall break.

On Wednesday, Princess Nahienaena Elementary will reopen to its own students plus students from King Kamehameha III Elementary, who will be accommodated in tents equipped with air conditioning and laminate floors until a temporary school campus at Pulelehua is completed.

Returning Lahaina Intermediate, students received class schedules as they arrived on Tuesday and began their day with grade-level orientation assemblies. The rest of the day followed a rotating class schedule that allowed the students to meet each of their teachers.

According to the release, students said they were excited to be on campus with their teachers and peers and expressed hope for the school year ahead.

“It felt really refreshing,” said seventh grader Drew Briones. “I remember some old memories I had on this campus and it just felt really good. It was awesome.”

Seventh grader Mariah Kauvaka had her goals for the year clearly defined on her first day back on campus.

“This school year I’m looking forward to making new friends, definitely creating good and fun memories that will last, and keeping my grades up and doing good in school,” Kauvaka said.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.