These days the school, with pupils from kindergarten through Grade 6, is the village's center of activity. Newcomers can be forgiven for thinking the school is a recent arrival rather than one of the older institutions of its kind in the state.

An all-new administration building and library were dedicated in 2001. Older buildings on the 10-acre campus — one or two dating back six decades — were totally renovated last year.

Alice Arase, school administrative services assistant, has been with the school nearly a quarter of a century and has seen practically as many changes as she has seen student faces.

"We had 200 kids when I started," she said. "It was really small. Now, it's more than 800. I've seen a lot of change."

One newcomer to the school is actually one of those who went away after the mill closed — Stanley Tamashiro, 49, who has been the school principal for a year and a half.

"See those royal palm trees over there?" said Tamashiro, pointing to four tall trees a quarter-mile west of the school. "That's where I used to live."

Tamashiro, who for 10 years was principal at Ka'imiloa Elementary School in 'Ewa Beach, graduated from 'Ewa School in 1967. His late father also was an 'Ewa School alumnus, graduating in 1934.

"I was in kindergarten over there in Building C, and I had fourth and fifth grade right there in the I Building," Tamashiro said.

Tamashiro said he took the principal's position when it became available as a way to return to his roots. He's not sorry he did it. But like the plantation before it, the school faces some challenges.

The facility is in "school improvement" status — meaning it must progress to a certain standard or face becoming a "corrective action" school under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

"When you move to a 'corrective action' school, there's a lot more requirements and a lot less flexibility and a lot less economy," Tamashiro said.

• What are you most proud of? "The dedication of our teachers and the academic achievement of our students," said Tamashiro. He's particularly proud of the fact that his school was a 2003 Distinguished School.

• Best-kept secret: "That we're here," he said with a laugh. "A lot of people ... get us mixed up with 'Ewa Beach Elementary School. We get their mail. Sometimes we get their supplies. If they're good, we keep them."

Tamashiro was kidding about the supplies. But vice principal Ron Miyata tells the story about the time 'Ewa Beach Elementary — several miles to the south — got a call from a school supply outfit wanting to know what color office chairs to deliver.

The answer was blue.

Days later, blue chairs were delivered to their rightful owner — 'Ewa Elementary School. They now grace Tamashiro's office, even though the school's colors are green and white.

• Everybody at our school knows: Abraham Lincoln. Honest Abe is easily the school's most visible presence on campus, because a famous 14-foot bronze statue of him stands proudly in front of the administration building — a gift of Katherine McIntosh Burke, school principal throughout the 1920s.

• Our biggest challenge: "Meeting the No Child Left Behind Adequate Yearly Progress levels. We met them last year. We hope to meet them again this year. ... We'll know in August."

• What we need: "I think the one thing we need most is more time — which no one can give us," said Tamashiro. "We need more time to work with our teachers so that we can get a consistent curriculum delivered. Students need more time to learn the strategies. We're not perfect. It requires practice. And practice requires more time."

• Special events: The big annual Lincoln Day Program. This year is extra special since it marks the 60th anniversary of the Lincoln statue. "It's a day in which we celebrate Abraham Lincoln's beliefs and values," said Tamashiro.

Reach Will Hoover at 525-8038 or whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.