The latest estimate of quake damage to Big Island schools is about $43 million and includes everything from cracks in concrete walls to buildings that shifted off their foundations, according to preliminary information from the state Department of Education.

Structural engineers were on the island yesterday surveying about a dozen schools for damage, and a more accurate estimate will be available once they are finished this week, said Greg Knudsen, DOE spokesman. State officials conducted a preliminary assessment of the schools Monday and found broken windows, falling ceiling tiles, cracks, and furniture that had been thrown around rooms during Sunday's two earthquakes.

"Actual structural engineers are on-island to go over and take a closer look and really make the judgment about whether or not a particular building is safe to occupy. For the time being, if there is doubt, (the schools) are not using them," Knudsen said.

Several schools that had been closed the past two days are expected to reopen today, he said. Students will be moved to other areas of campus if certain buildings cannot be used, he said.

Kristine Kosa-Correia, principal of Waikoloa Elementary, said damage at her school has been estimated at more than $2 million.

"There is not a single office or classroom on campus that wasn't affected," Kosa-Correia said.

The most extensive damage occurred in eight classrooms spread out between two two-story concrete buildings. Ceiling tiles fell, light fixtures either fell or are hanging, ceiling fans fell, and desk and chairs were thrown around, she said.

"Engineers were here for about about three hours going through the school. They said there is nothing major structurally wrong," she said. "Most of the damage is interior. When you look at the buildings from the outside, everything is normal."

LONGER VACATION

Kosa-Correia said it is unlikely that students at her school will be asked to return this week, since it could take a while for contractors to make repairs.

"I'd like to see the contractor be here as early as (today) and work through the weekend to get it all done," she said.

At Kohala Elementary, Principal Eleanor Laszlo said a two-story classroom building that suffered major damage would not need to be torn down as it was feared Monday. It had been estimated that it could cost $15 million to tear down and rebuild the five-classroom building.

"We were told (by engineers) that with some repairs the building will be just fine," Laszlo said.

Cracks had formed near the tops of beams that hold up the building, and the elevator shaft had shifted, she said. She said that some light fixtures had fallen and classrooms were in disarray. She did not have a damage estimate for her campus.

"Our faculty came in (Monday) to put things back everywhere except that building. We wanted the structural engineers to tell us it was OK before people went back," she said.

Laszlo said the three kindergarten classes, one fifth-grade class and the special-education class that were in the building will have to move temporarily to other buildings.

LITTLE DAMAGE

Down the street at Kohala Middle School, a 10-classroom building constructed in 1934 suffered minimal damage, said Principal Barbara Volhein.

"I imagined much worse considering the age of the building," she said. "We're seeing really minor stuff considering the really serious jolt here."

The wood building, which is on stilts, shifted about an inch from its foundation, Volhein said. She said the school will rely on structural engineers, who were expected to visit late yesterday, to tell her if the building would need to be reset. She did not have a damage estimate.

"I anticipated the worst because of the age (of the building), but the actual damage is very minor. It's unbelievable," she said.

Katherine Tolentino, principal of Honoka'a Elementary School, said her school had not received a structural assessment as of yesterday evening. She was hoping that engineers would be at her school today.

"We have open-beam rafters that extend out on to the lanai, and there is a great deal of damage to those," she said.

Tolentino said there are also cracks in hollow-cement blocks, which make up the walls of the building.

"We have been closed for the past two days, and we're waiting for structural assessment," she said. "We know, of course, that opening the school is paramount."

Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.