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Jan. 17
Editorial Mission: As the Department's primary publication, we aim to live up to the meaning of ha‘aheo – to cherish with pride – by bolstering and sustaining pride in public education and touting the successes happening across our system.
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Aloha, HIDOE Community –
Welcome to this week’s edition of the Ho‘oha‘aheo Newsletter.
Legislative session
The new legislative session opens today and I look forward to the Department working together with our legislators on our priorities that include improving or expanding student supports, school safety, teacher and staff retention, and mental health resources along with our other budget requests.
Shoots Summit
This weekend I had the privilege of attending the second annual Shoots Summit. I’m always so impressed with our talented creative media students from across the state. Leading up to the national Student Television Network competition in March in Long Beach, Calif., the summit brought together students, teachers and industry professionals to share in their passion for digital media, creativity and storytelling through workshops and competitions that focus on photography, graphic design, film and broadcast media. Congratulations to all the schools that participated in this weekend-long event and a big mahalo to Moanalua High School for hosting!
Pledge to Our Keiki
The Department and the Hawai‘i State Student Council are excited to continue our partnership with Kanu Hawai‘i for the Pledge to our Keiki initiative, which aligns with our vision of preparing all students to be globally competitive and locally committed. The pledge – drafted by students during the Mālama Honua Voyage of Hōkūle‘a – is a commitment to respect and care for the island places that we call home so that future generations continue to enjoy all that Hawai‘i has to offer. Please join me, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Matthew McConaughey and over 6,600 other individuals who have signed this pledge to give back to Hawai‘i's keiki.
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#HIPublicSchoolsProud
Social media highlights of the most engaging posts of the week.
Use the #HIPublicSchoolsProud hashtag for a chance to be featured!
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National Mentoring Month
Celebrate International Mentoring Day and learn more about the only statewide comprehensive teacher induction program in the nation through a Q&A with Kristen Brummel and Keri Shimomoto, educational specialists with HIDOE’s Hawai‘i Teacher Induction Center.
Our next #IGTakeover features Kaua‘i Complex Area induction program coordinator and full release mentor Shannon Burkman! Stay tuned for an inside look at her work day on our Instagram tomorrow.
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West Maui Updates
We will be providing relevant information on Lāhainā schools in this space,
including updates on health and safety, construction and more.
Wipe tests
The Department has hired a contractor to conduct bi-weekly wipe sampling in Lāhainā classrooms to test for any particles settling on surfaces. The last wipe test on Jan. 8 found no actionable levels of lead or arsenic, similar to previous samplings. Stay tuned for results from the next round of samples.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers update
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ contractors will place 337 modular units to form ten large and 20 small classrooms. Besides the classrooms, the campus will include three restrooms, one administration building, one learning center, and one combination dining and food service center. As of Jan. 8, 2024, 300 units are on site and ready for placement.
Still time to fulfill a wish for a staff member
Help meet the needs of staff members affected by the Maui wildfires. View their wish lists and help out a HIDOE ‘ohana member here.
Orders and shipment will be fulfilled through Purposity. Purposity is a crowd-source platform dedicated to connected communities and real-time giving opportunities.
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Important Dates & Upcoming Events
- Jan. 17 - International Mentoring Day
- Jan. 17 - 2024 Hawai‘i State Legislative Session Opening Day
- Jan. 22 - Lunar New Year
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Community Query
We asked school leaders to complete the prompt below and will be featuring more in the coming weeks.
“What is your professional New Year’s resolution?”
We’re going through WASC at this time and so we’re taking a really deep dive into what we’re doing as a school, how we can improve as a school, and how we can work together to make the best learning environment for our students.
Daniel Espaniola,
Principal,
Kaunakakai Elementary
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I want to learn how we can better help the kids utilize AI technology. We want to make sure the kids know how to use these tools ethically and as a tool to enhance their learning.
Mitchell Otani,
Principal,
Kalani High
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HIDOE Headlines
A roundup of announcements, resources and shoutouts.
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HAWAI‘I STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Keith Hayashi
Superintendent
Heidi Armstrong
Deputy Superintendent
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Curt Otaguro
Deputy Superintendent
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Tammi Oyadomari-Chun
Deputy Superintendent
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ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS
Sean Bacon
Talent Management
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Brian Hallett
Fiscal Services
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Audrey Hidano
Facilities and Operations
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Elizabeth Higashi
Strategy, Innovation and Performance
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Annie Kalama
Student Support Services
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Michael Otsuji
Information Technology Services
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Teri Ushijima
Curriculum and Instructional Design
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Ho‘oha‘aheo
PUBLIC SCHOOL PROUD
Nanea Kalani
Executive Editor
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Chanel Honda
Managing Editor
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Sara Miyazono
Creative Director
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Derek Inoshita
Contributing Writer
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Krislyn Yano
Contributing Writer
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Kimberly Yuen
Contributing Writer
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