HIGH SCHOOL
HIGH SCHOOL
'Ulu: The ʻulu represents the vital intersection of physical nourishment and the concept of ulu, meaning to grow or inspire. This cafetorium is designed as a space where haumāna are fed both literally and metaphorically, fostering a communal environment for students to expand their potential through shared meals and creative performances.
Food Service and Cafeteria spaces serve as essential environments that nourish students physically, emotionally, and culturally. Their primary function is to meet students’ nutritional needs, offering USDA-compliant breakfast and lunch.
Beyond nutrition, Cafetoriums provide dynamic gathering spaces that promote social interaction, inclusion, and community. Flexible furniture arrangements allow these spaces to adapt for large group activities, enhancing their role as multifunctional hubs for student activities and for the broader school community.
By state law, public buildings with assembly occupancies of 300 or more need to be designed as “Enhanced Hurricane Protection Areas.” The HIDOE supports the use of school Cafetoriums for this use, although the actual sheltering is run by the Red Cross and County Emergency Management Agency.
Farm-to-School Initiatives promote local sourcing, connecting students to the land and supporting sustainable agriculture. These efforts deepen students’ understanding of where their food comes from and reinforce the importance of caring for the land. In essence, school Food Programs and Cafeteria spaces do more than feed students—they cultivate community, celebrate culture, and empower learners to thrive.
Note:
Diagrams are not drawn to scale and should not be read as floor plan layouts.
11.01 Multipurpose Student Dining Room
Primarily used as a student dining area, this space is also used for assemblies, student performances, and large group gatherings. It is often rented to outside groups through HIDOE's “Use of Facilities” process
When the space has an occupancy above 300, the building is required to meet the state building code’s “Enhanced Hurricane Protection Area” requirements
Variety of different types of tables and seating provided; all should be lightweight and easily movable or reconfigured for non-dining uses, including PE classes, science experiments, and after-school clubs
Toilets and hand-washing sinks located nearby
Acoustics to be designed to minimize reverberation and noise escalation during the lunch periods
Configuration should enhance natural ventilation
Design should also maximize sightlines to the stage
Space should accommodate dropdown screen and projector, with connection to sound system
Clear circulation paths for meal queuing and after meal disposal must be coordinated with School Food Services Branch
11.02 AV Closet (Amplifier Room)
Locate with a view facing the stage. When door is open 180 degrees, a person should be able to control the stage lighting and audio from within the room
Large enough for equipment, microphones, etc.
Provide secure storage closets within the space (for times when Cafetorium may be used by outside groups)
11.03 Stage
Used for performances and presentations to a large audience. Dressing rooms, chair storage, and single user toilets either provided or located nearby for use during events
Stage is elevated (18” to 24”) and must be ADA accessible from the audience, therefore a ramp from the audience to the stage is required
Acoustics should be designed to enhance voice recognition during performances and presentations
Visibility from the entire Multipurpose Student Dining Room should be prioritized to reduce blind spots for performances
Stage lighting
Stage curtains provided both at proscenium and back wall
11.04 Dressing Rooms
Dressing Room should be accessible from the sides or back of the stage
Open perimeter counters provided with wall-mounted lights and mirrors to serve as dressing tables (make up and hair)
Open floor space needed for movable costume racks used during performances
11.05 Toilet, Single (Backstage)
See Typical Spaces, Toilet
11.06 Chair / Table Storage
Open area room to roll in long chair storage carts
Temporary storage of tables for large open events in cafetorium
11.07 General Storage
Shall serve a double purpose and as storage room for Red Cross shelter supplies when the building is designated as an Enhanced Hurricane Protection Area
11.08 Custodial Closet, Dining
Custodial Closet should be co-located with the group toilets because the “Enhanced Hurricane Protection Area” requirements include directly accessible restrooms
Open floor space may be required for large floor cleaning equipment, trash bins or other large items
11.09 Student Activities Room
Supports, plans, or hosts student leadership programs and training, student clubs, activities, after-school programs, and Student Activities Store
Activities include meetings, group work, and student government activities
Desk for Student Activities Coordinator (SAC), tables and chairs for group work and instructional area (i.e. whiteboard)
Located in or adjacent to Student Support Services, near high traffic areas such as cafeteria or main student exterior pathways
11.09A Office, Student Activities Coordinator
Typical Spaces, Office
11.09B Student Activities Store
Sales of school related items and storage of merchandise
Visible and easily accessible to high traffic student pedestrian pathways
Engaging display of sale items and counter for conducting purchases
Connected to Student Activities Room
11.10 Staff Dining Room
Used for variety of activities or classes when needed and not in use for staff dining
Consider pass through window or half door to serving area for staff lunch distribution and payment
Provide sink with counter and space for refrigerator
Verify need for infrastructure for a school-purchased ice machine during design
11.11 Serving Area
This area is where students (and staff) select and receive their meals. Sequentially, users would grab a food tray, then move to the hot items, cold items, and drink case
Number of serving counters will depend on the number of students served, as well as staffing availability for servers and cashiers. Design should accommodate quick retrieval of meals and not cause long, extended lines
Provide stainless steel serving counters with sneeze guards as required by the Health Department. Standard pans are used for serving hot items. Continuous tray slides on customer side are recommended
Cold items are to be in a refrigerated counter, and milk/drinks are to be in a refrigerated cart
A cashier point-of-sale (POS) for payment/check-in shall be at the end of the food selection line
11.12 Kitchen / Food Preparation
Space for the total processing of foods. In a conventional kitchen and preparation kitchen, this will include baking, boiling, mixing, steaming, reheating, and raw food prep
Requires materials that are easily cleanable, including walls, ceilings, countertops, floors, equipment, etc.
Two compartment sinks are required for food prep per Health Code. These are to be separate from individual hand sinks, which are also required by Health Code
Area will differ greatly depending on type of kitchen designed for this community
Conventional kitchen prepares and serves food to only its school
Preparation kitchen prepares and serves food for its school, as well as prepares food for other nearby school(s). A preparation kitchen will need to have a transport cart storage area
Serving kitchen receives prepared food from a preparation kitchen (or regional kitchen) and may warm it up to serve to its school. Equipment will include ovens and steamers for warming, and stainless steel tables and cabinets, but may not require full cooking equipment such as large mixers, slicers, dough dividers or ranges
Note that a regional kitchen is one that does not have a serving area and is not part of a school facility, therefore is not included in these Ed Specs. Its intent is to prepare food to transport to multiple serving kitchens. Truck loading and circulation will be a critical design component for regional kitchens
Locate reach-in refrigerators and freezers in the kitchen itself, as well as storage space below the work counters and pan racks/hooks above
11.12A Dishwashing Area (Pot & Pan Washing Area)
Area for washing pots and pans, sheet pans, etc. A four-compartment sink is required, with the first sink being a “soak” sink. Provide a dishwasher
Locate within the kitchen and adjacent to the Multipurpose Student Dining Room
Connect by a stainless-steel coiling counter door, in case the school moves toward using reusable trays and/or dishes in the future. This would then double as a dish-return area
11.12B Waste Collection / Recycling (Interior)
Provide an efficient path to exterior kitchen double doors
Paper and disposable plastic trays and flatware may be used
Compactors may be used for disposable ware
Schools using disposable ware shall have a tray return area arranged to accommodate food and paper waste receptacles, with or without a landing table
Schools using reusable serving ware will incorporate tray return area into the Dishwashing area
11.12C Laundry / Utility / Staff Locker Area
Area includes an office, laundry, and lockers. Per Health Code, individual restrooms are required to be nearby for kitchen staff use
Laundry is used for washing rags, aprons and towels used by the kitchen staff. Provide exhaust for the dryer
Lockers are used by staff to store personal belongings and often a change of clothes. These should be located close to the individual restrooms
11.13 Dry Storage
Room is for storage of consumable food (cans, boxes, etc.) and non-consumable products, trays, utensils, and cooking supplies. Food may be stored on palettes, as well as on steel wire shelving. This room shall not have plumbing running through this space, and should have HVAC for controlled temperature and humidity settings
Locate close to the loading area and exterior door and with direct access to Food Preparation Area
11.14 Walk-in Refrigerator
For chilled foods and drinks
Locate close to the loading area and exterior door and with direct access to Food Preparation Area
11.15 Walk-in Freezer
For frozen foods
Locate close to the loading area and exterior door and with direct access to Food Preparation Area
11.16 Office
Kitchen Manager Office is used for menu planning, ordering and administration. It should be a quiet and clean space to allow for deskwork and phone calls
See Typical Spaces, Office
11.17 Custodial Closet, Kitchen
For cleaning supplies, as they cannot be stored with food products and need their own area
11.18 Toilet, Single
Locate near Staff Locker area, as it serves the kitchen staff only
See Typical Spaces, Toilet