A main thoroughfare on the Leeward Coast will serve as the boundary line for two public middle schools.

Fort Weaver Road was selected as the dividing line to determine which students will attend Ewa Makai Middle School, scheduled to open in January, and Ilima Intermediate School. Students who live on the west side of the road will attend Ewa Makai.

Vernon Young, former Campbell-Kapolei complex-area superintendent, made the decision last month after receiving input from an advisory committee comprised of community members. The east-west option was selected instead of the north-south option because of factors that included safety concerns and the projected residential growth at Ocean Pointe, said Young, now principal of Kaleiopuu Elementary School in Waipahu.

Geographic exception options for both schools made the east-west option acceptable to the community. The north-south option apparently would not have allowed for geographic exceptions as the new school would have reached its capacity.

Ewa Makai Principal-designate Ed Oshiro said the new school will have room for 200 students granted geographical exceptions.

So far, Oshiro has received 60 applications. Parents who want their children to attend Ewa Makai but live outside the boundary line are urged to turn in their applications as soon as possible.

At Ilima Intermediate about 30 geographical exception applications have been submitted so far. Principal Jon Kitabayashi could not be reached to provide information on how much room the school will have.

Ewa Makai, the state's first public school to have an enclosed design, will relieve cramped conditions at Ilima Intermediate. The 41-year-old middle school has been forced to stagger lunch breaks to accommodate 1,350 students. Its cafeteria has the capacity of 750 students.

Ewa Makai, which is being built under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, will be able to accommodate 700 students. The Department of Education is awaiting word from the state Legislature on its request of $16.4 million to construct a covered play court and a third wing that could house an additional 350 students.

Meanwhile, a 7 p.m. meeting will be held at Campbell High School's cafeteria on April 26 to get the community's input on a new name for Ewa Makai. Some of the suggestions include Obama Middle School, Inouye Middle, Akaka Middle, Puna'Ike Middle and Ewa Middle.