Set your alarm clocks and sharpen your pencils.

The first day of the 2008-09 school year takes place on Tuesday, August 26 with 1,843 students enrolled at 'Iolani.

Returning and new students will enjoy a host of campus improvements that took place this past summer. 

Most visible is the renovation of the Castle Building. Deteriorating exterior retaining walls were removed at the beginning of summer and the entrance way is now more open and inviting. A trellis design now provides some shade and modern architecture reminiscent of musical scales. The Castle Building houses music, band, chorus, and orchestra rooms as well as the performing arts department office. Also, seventh and eighth graders now have new lockers situated in a functional area of Castle's lanai.

Across from the Castle Building, a pedestal and courtyard to showcase a new statue of Sun Yat Sen is being developed. 

Other improvements include the installation of more efficient lights in the lower gym and bleachers in the upper gym. To be more energy efficient, 'Iolani is now using compact fluorescent lamps (cfls) and investigating the possible use of photovoltaic panels over the parking structure.

The campus did bid farewell to the beloved I'o Hawk sculpture that graced the courtyard of the I Building. The metal feathers had rusted beyond repair and become loose. One even fell in heavy winds last school year. To prevent any others from falling, and perhaps injuring a passerby, the hawk was removed. 

Senior Mark Rulona, however, received permission from Headmaster Dr. Iwashita to paint a new hawk design on the wall beneath the Ranzman Library and facing the senior benches. The mural depicts the hawk's head, a sunrise, and a beautiful sky.

All are good omens for 'Iolani's new year. Go Raiders!