March 5

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.

Aloha, HIDOE Community –  Welcome to this week’s edition of the Ho‘oha‘aheo Newsletter. 25 Hawai‘i educators recognized as National Board Certified Teachers Over the weekend I had the privilege of celebrating the 25 Hawai‘i educators who completed the National Board Certified Teacher certification program. Mahalo to Gov. Josh Green, M.D., and First Lady Jamie Kanani Green for hosting our honorees at Washington Place. To earn or retain this national certification, educators must be up-to-date with the latest strategies and best practices in education. It is a rigorous process that can take anywhere from one to three years and involves applicants submitting a comprehensive portfolio. Achieving this certification is a testament to a teacher’s dedication to professional excellence and lifelong learning. We are incredibly proud of these educators who have gone above and beyond to elevate their practice, deepen their impact on students, and strengthen our public school system. Their commitment reflects our shared mission to empower every student with a high-quality education and opportunities for success.

From classroom to marketplace: Students turn ideas into businesses

One of the best parts of this job is seeing our students bring their creativity and hard work to life in ways that make a real impact. Last year I had the chance to visit the Kapi‘olani Community College Farmers Market and support some of our talented young entrepreneurs firsthand — it was inspiring to see their passion and innovation up close.

Thanks to the Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation’s Young Entrepreneurs Program, students from 20 of our public schools are turning locally sourced ingredients — like taro, pineapple, macadamia nuts and liliko‘i — into market-ready products. They’re not just learning about business; they’re running real ventures, from crafting business plans to managing budgets and fulfilling orders.

Now through March 31, you can support these student-run businesses by purchasing their products online. Pick-up will be available at the KCC Farmers Market on April 12, with some school pick-up options also available. Visit www.hafyepmarketplace.com to check out their creations, including ‘ulu chips, starfruit and pineapple marmalade, and more.

Ho‘oha‘aheo Photo of the Week

Celebrate the inaugural Fine Arts in Our Schools Month this March! A cast of 75 from Leilehua High’s creative dance, drama arts and advanced ‘ukulele classes performed “Circus of Emotions,” an original script written by the drama students. According to performing arts teacher NJ Nakapuahi Chang, “It has been an honor to perform for the community for our events. We are truly blessed and look forward to our growth.”

Credit: NJ Nakapuahi Chang, Leilehua High School Performing Arts

Submit your public school-related image from this school year for a chance to be featured as next week’s Ho‘oha‘aheo Photo of the Week!

#HIPublicSchoolsProud

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

Waiākeawaena Elementary

» Our students had the BEST time at Waiākea High School's Makahiki celebration! 🎉 Mahalo WHS for inviting us and bringing all the Waiākea schools together!

Kalāheo High

» Congratulations to the Kalāheo High School Gold Key recipients at the 2025 Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony.

‘Aiea High

» ‘Aiea High School Cyber Security Team Shines! On Monday, 3/3/25, our cyber security team took 1st place in the annual Cyber Forensics Five-O All Service Division competition with a perfect score of 1000! 🏅✨We’re beyond proud of our team’s amazing achievement!

Important Dates & Upcoming Events

• March: National Reading Month
• March 3-7: National School Breakfast Week
• March 13: Board of Education Finance and Infrastructure Committee and General Business Meeting
• March 17-21: Spring Break
• March 26: Prince Kūhiō Day

This week marks National School Breakfast Week, a time to celebrate the important role school meals play in fueling student success. Each day, HIDOE serves approximately 26,000 breakfasts – or 4.6 million per school year – to ensure students start their day with the nutrition they need to focus, learn and thrive.

Which school breakfast item is the most popular across Hawai‘i public schools?

1. Egg & Cheese Burrito
2. Cinnamon Bread Pudding
3. Green Eggs and Ham Fried Rice
4. Breakfast Pizza Bagel

Find the answer at the end of this newsletter.

Fine Arts in Our Schools Month

March is the inaugural Fine Arts in Our Schools Month!

Sounding out our tribute on March 1 at Windward Mall featuring musical groups from various middle and high schools. On March 7 at Capitol Modern from 9:30-11:30 a.m., talented elementary students will perform music, songs and dance.

Throughout March, the Hawaiʻi State Library is showcasing artwork by K-12 public school students from around the state. View the winning artwork from the Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards at Capitol Modern.

HIDOE Headlines

A roundup of announcements, resources and shoutouts.

» Kealakehe High School had the only team in the state that was chosen to participate in this year’s NASA TechRise Student Challenge, a nationwide contest to engage students in technology, science and space exploration.

» Jewel Guillermo and Bailee Chang, McKinley High seniors, remind the public of Hawaiʻi’s vulnerabilities during a crisis and encourage the public to prepare for disasters.

» Niu Valley Middle School music teacher Zachary Morita talks about the award-winning percussion ensemble and Music Olympics on Classical Pacific on HPR-1.

Staff Spotlight

Andrew Winchester Title: Head Custodian  Job site: Kapaʻa High School Years in the HIDOE: 10 Years in the position: 10 Q: Briefly describe your career path. A: I worked all in construction before this. I originally applied for this position for the benefits.  Q: What are your primary duties? A: Mostly just keeping the school running. I help oversee construction projects when they take place at the school. I mostly try to make school better, and make the campus pretty and more up to date. I help to get through the red tape to get things done at the school. We work closely with DAGS (the Department of Accounting and General Services) on Kauaʻi and are lucky to have a good relationship with them.  Q: Favorite part about the job? A: My favorite part of the job is just trying to make the whole school look nice. It’s an older school — a 70-year-old school — so there’s a lot of work to be done.  Q: Most challenging part about your position? A: Probably just the state processes of getting projects completed. Also getting funds for things and preventive maintenance on campus.  Q: What advice do you have for people considering this position? A: I come from a background of how to fix things so that was helpful for this position. But I had to learn how to make a team work and build team relationships. It’s important to know how to motivate a team so that you can work together to meet your goal or vision.  Q: How does your role support student success? A: Being from a construction background, the shop teachers sometimes pick my brain for projects they are working on with students. Right now, for example, they are working on tiny home projects so I’ve helped with that. Also, Kauaʻi is small so we all know each other’s families and are just always looking out for students and their best interest.

Are you a Hawai‘i State Department of Education employee and want to share about how your role supports student success? Please fill out this form for a chance to be featured as a future staff spotlight.

Work With Us!

School Baker, Pūʻōhala Elementary (Oʻahu)
Library Assistant II, Highlands Intermediate (Oʻahu)
School Custodian II, Kapaʻa High (Kauaʻi)
School Administrative Services Assistant I, II, III, Pōmaikaʻi Elementary (Maui)
School Health Assistant II, Waiākea Intermediate (Hawai‘i Island)

For more career opportunities in the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, please visit hawaiischooljobs.com.

HAWAI‘I STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Keith Hayashi

Superintendent

ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS

Ho‘oha‘aheo

PUBLIC SCHOOL PROUD

Contributors

1390 Miller St. Honolulu, HI 96813 | Phone: 808-784-6200 Fax: 808-586-3234

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