Ho‘oha‘aheo Newsletter, May 15

Hawai'i State Department of Education sent this bulletin at 05/15/2024 12:30 PM HST

May 15

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.

In the Loop with SuperIntendant Keith T. Hayashi

Aloha, HIDOE Community –

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Ho‘oha‘aheo Newsletter.

U.S. Presidential Scholars

Congratulations to Ahryanna McGuirk from Kalāheo High School and Maile-Lei Ji of Kealakehe High School on being named U.S. Presidential Scholars! This is the first year that two students from HIDOE schools have received the national distinction in the same graduating class. It’s also the second time in two years that a Kealakehe High School senior received the award.

Ahryanna and Maile-Lei are among 161 high school seniors selected from across the country for the prestigious national honor. The award is based on a student’s academic success or excellence in the arts and in technical education, through essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as a demonstrated commitment to community service and leadership.

Mindset Mathematics Summer Academy

As the Department prioritizes mathematics innovation under the 2023-29 Strategic Plan, select schools will be offering free summer math enrichment programs for students in key transition grades at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

The academies will use a summer math camp curriculum, Youcubed, developed by Jo Boaler and Cathy Williams at Stanford University. It is organized around three themes: algebraic problem solving, the visualization of mathematics, and making connections between representations and ideas. Woven throughout the curriculum and teaching are the actions and messages that help students to experience and develop important growth mindsets for learning mathematics. Registration information for schools still accepting sign-ups can be found here.

#HIPublicSchoolsProud

Social media highlights of the most engaging posts of the week.
Use the #HIPublicSchoolsProud hashtag for a chance to be featured!

Kalihi Waena Elementary

» SBA ✅ Mahalo to 1st graders for the goodie bags and words of encouragement. 3rd graders finished their first SBA. 🥳

Hawai‘i Keiki 808

» Mahalo to @govjoshgreen for recognizing May 8, 2024 as National School Nurse Day in the State of Hawaiʻi!

Highland Intermediate Student Council

» Intramural “May Madness” Basketball was filled with so many all-stars this year 🏀🔥🤩 Huge thanks to all the coaches, players and fans for coming out this past week for our biggest and final intramural of the year!

Family Focus

Family Focus is a monthly column by Parents for Public Schools Hawai‘i.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month -- How are your keiki feeling?

Turbulent world events, effects of the pandemic, learning loss, peer pressures, and social media are just some of the things that can take a toll on a child’s mental well-being. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that 1 in 5 U.S. children ages 3–17 have a mental, emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder.

Students with mental health issues are not alone!
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health highlights the following from the 2021 Hawaiʻi Youth Risk Behavior Survey:

More than half of public school students (54% of middle school and 56% of high school students) never or rarely got the help they needed (among students who reported having felt sad, empty, hopeless, angry or anxious).
Of public middle school students, 34% have felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row, so that they stopped doing some usual activities and 27% have seriously thought about killing themselves.
Of public high school students, in the past 12 months, 35% felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row so that they stopped doing some usual activities and 17% have seriously considered attempting suicide.

With the school year closing, would your child benefit from some additional support?

The HIDOE has arranged for your student to get teletherapy at no cost to your family. Teletherapy sessions with Hazel Health are a safe space and are private and confidential. Click here for info or call (808) 784-7363.

It is part of the HIDOE’s initiative called “Here to HELP,” a multi-year plan to train and coach staff to support student well-being and to provide equitable access to mental and physical health services through a continuum of school-level supports and community partnerships.

If you are interested in learning more about school-based well-being and mental health support and services, reach out to your school’s main office or contact the Hawai‘i Keiki Hotline at (844) 436-3888 (toll-free) to access assistance.

Parents for Public Schools Hawai‘i is a nonprofit organization contributing to keiki and public school success through family and community engagement. Visit www.ppshi.org.

Important Dates

May 18 - Graduation ceremonies begin
May 27 - Memorial Day
May 30 - Last day for students, second semester ends
May 31 - Last day for teachers

Community Query

71% of participants on Instagram answered this question correctly. Hint: “Summer slide” is the learning loss that occurs over summer.

Apply for a free Mindset Mathematics Summer Academy at participating HIDOE schools. Registration is open now! Go to: https://go.hidoe.us/math

Class of 2024 Graduation Schedule

High school graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2024 begin this week! See here for date, time and location information.

HIDOE Headlines

A roundup of announcements, resources and shoutouts.

» As part of the Department’s effort to increase more local food offerings in cafeterias, three dozen public schools on Hawai‘i Island, Maui, Kaua‘i, and Moloka‘i are featuring fresh poi from Hanalei Poi Company on their lunch menus this month.

» Students from Kohala High School’s alternative learning program, Na‘au Oiwi, defended their winning title in the second annual Kalo Challenge. The challenge is the finale of a yearlong project where at-promise students learn about cultivating kalo and turning their harvest into an innovative culinary dish.

» “In 20 years I’ve never had one failing student,” said a resource teacher in the Pearl City-Waipahu complex who created over 200 rap songs as a tool to teach middle-schoolers about grammar.