A power outage on Monday morning left Sacred Hearts Academy, along with much of Kaimuki and Waikiki, without electricity for several hours, prompting teachers to quickly adjust their lessons and administrators to determine the best course of action.
According to Hawaiian Electric, about 2,200 customers were affected after an underground power cable was damaged. The company provided updates throughout the morning, but the estimated restoration time was repeatedly pushed back as crews continued repairs.
The outage began shortly after 9 a.m., cutting off air conditioning and internet across campus. Power was restored around 12:15 p.m., prompting cheers from classrooms and hallways.
Upper School Principal Elizabeth Loehr said the school communicated updates to families and faculty throughout the morning, even as the loss of electricity made it difficult to receive or return calls.
“Many parents wanted to check in or pick up their children, so most communication happened directly between students and their families,” Loehr said.
Junior Aleia-Reese Nakoa recalled how she and her friends reacted to the outage.
“I was irritated because it was hot, and I wanted to go home,” she said. “Six of my friends went home early.”
Loehr reminded students that classes remained in session during the outage.
“Just because the power’s out doesn’t mean that school is automatically over or that you can leave campus at any time,” she said. “You still have to attend classes unless you are notified that you may leave.”
Decisions about school closures depend on school administration and are based on several factors, including safety, facility conditions and whether meals can be served. In this case, the Academy’s cafeteria operated using a generator, allowing meal service to continue without interruption.
A letter was emailed to faculty, staff, and families confirming that food service was not affected and therefore, the campus would remain open during the outage.
Despite the challenges, teachers adapted to the situation in creative ways. Because classrooms no longer had air conditioning, several teachers, including theology teacher Leilani Asuncion, moved their lessons outside. Asuncion’s students took their religion tests outside of their third-floor classroom.
Japanese teacher Nami Grafia also relocated her Japanese 1 class to the outdoor tables near the Student Center.
“This class has 25 students, and without air conditioning, it quickly became hot,” Grafia said. “It was difficult to focus or continue learning, so we decided to move outdoors for a more comfortable and productive environment.”
Grafia adjusted her lesson plan on the spot, replacing a planned Quizlet Live activity with a bingo game.
“Students created their own bingo sheets using Hiragana characters, then wrote the target sentences on the back to prepare for the next part of the lesson,” she said.
Women’s Studies teacher Whitney Grohowski gathered books from the Upper School library so her sophomore class could continue learning despite the lack of internet access.
“We were in the middle of a discussion-based lesson that relied on online sources,” Grohowski said. “When the Wi-Fi went down, we quickly pivoted to printed materials from the library so we could stay on track with our unit.”
To maintain safety and comfort on campus, the Academy installed portable lights in restrooms and hallways.
Once power was restored, the school’s tech staff spent the afternoon rebooting phone and internet systems, while the maintenance crew reset air conditioning fans and timers for outdoor lighting.
