April 16

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. Operation Hire Hawai‘i  We're participating in the state’s Operation Hire Hawai‘i initiative, launched by Gov. Green to support federal employees affected by recent workforce cuts. Since March, our Office of Talent Management has received over 4,900 applications — nearly 200 from individuals who identified as federally impacted. High-need roles include office assistants, secretaries, educational assistants, teachers, behavioral health specialists, speech language pathologists, school/clinical psychologists, engineers and accountants. This initiative helps us meet critical hiring needs while supporting workers through career transitions. See the “Work with us!” section at the bottom of this newsletter for more details. 21 HIDOE schools recognized for its student councils Congratulations to the following Hawaiʻi public schools that have been nationally honored by the National Association of Student Councils (NASC) for their outstanding student leadership, service, and commitment to school and community betterment. This year marked a historic milestone, with multiple schools receiving the prestigious National Council of Excellence award and the National Council of Excellence Gold award. I’d also like to give a special recognition to James Campbell High School and Kailua High School for earning the NCOE Gold level recognition for 10 consecutive years! National Council of Excellence Winners: Molokai High School Keaʻau High School Kealakehe Intermediate School  National Council of Excellence – Gold Level Winners: James Campbell High School H.P. Baldwin High School Henry J. Kaiser High School Highlands Intermediate School Hilo High School ʻAiea High School ʻĪao Intermediate School Kahuku High and Intermediate School Kailua High School Kalaheo High School Kauaʻi High School Maui High School Mililani High School Moanalua High School Pāhoa High and Intermediate School President Theodore Roosevelt High School Waiākea High School Waiʻanae High School Deadline extended for HIDOE student internships Eligible high school students are encouraged to apply for paid summer internships with schools and offices statewide. Our Workforce Development Branch coordinates these internships to provide in-person opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience, build employability and technical skills, and explore career pathways aligned with their interests. Internships are available in a range of fields, including business management, education, cybersecurity, construction, communications and more. The original deadline has been extended and the positions will be posted until they are filled. View a full list of HIDOE student internship opportunities.

Students interned with Waialua High & Intermediate High School’s robotics program last summer. Photo courtesy: HIDOE Workforce Development Branch

Ho‘oha‘aheo Photo of the Week

Kea‘au High School seniors in Ms. Kamelamela’s global issues class went on an excursion to the summit of Mauna Kea and visited the Gemini North telescope on April 10. Students learned about the stewardship of Mauna Kea, the importance of conservation for the native plants and animals in the area and were mesmerized by the overall vastness of the universe.

“We learned that there may be life out there, but it hasn't been found and they are still looking. We really got into the alien discussion!” said history teacher Johana Kamelamela.

Credit: Johana Kamelamela / Kea‘au High School

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!

Kalihi Elementary School

» Our amazing teachers are proudly supporting Autism Awareness Month—celebrating neurodiversity, promoting inclusion, and embracing every unique mind. Together, we’re building a community where everyone belongs! #AutismAwareness #InclusionMatters #NeurodiversityInEducation

Keone‘ula Elementary School

»#PawsUpWhatsUp Keone‘ula Cubs! Today is #PurpleUpDay2025 to celebrate the Military Child! Keone‘ula Elementary is proud to have over 300 cubs that are members of our Military families. We appreciate them and their parents for serving our country! Mahalo for your service! #purpleupformilitarykids #keoneulacubs #keoneulaelementaryschool #HI4PublicEd

Waipahu High School

» We were honored to host alumni from the Class of 1956 at the Marauder Cafe for lunch! They were thoroughly impressed with our students and staff. It's always a privilege to connect with our Marauder family and uphold the tradition of being a Marauder! Once a Marauder, Always a Marauder! Hail Waipahu! 💙💛💙💛

Important Dates & Upcoming Events

• April: Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month
  
  
• April: Poetry Month
  
  
• April: National Financial Literacy Month
  
  
• April: Autism Awareness Month
  
  
• April: Month of the Military Child
  
  
• April 18: Good Friday (schools and offices closed)
  
  
• April 22: Board of Education Community Meeting, City & County of Honolulu
  
  
• April 28: Board of Education Community Meeting, Hawai‘i County

April is Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawai‘i. Schools that lie in tsunami zones are required to conduct evacuation drills to train students and staff to quickly and safely get to a designated area away from the reach of tsunami waves. Which of the following schools lie in a tsunami zone?

1. Hanalei Elementary
2. Kahakai Elementary
3. Ala Wai Elementary
4. All of the above.

Find the answer at the end of this newsletter.

Family Focus

Parent Engagement Program

Workshops at your school or online for your families! In partnership with the Hawai‘i Family Engagement Center, Parents for Public Schools of Hawai‘i is conducting a series of free workshops that help families boost student happiness and success, gain confidence with school processes, reduce conflict and stress, and share successes and concerns. There are more than a dozen topics to choose from: Parent Engagement How You and Your Child Learn Learning Support at Home Digital Learning and Living Barriers to Learning Academic and Social Emotional Learning  Middle School: Untangling AdolescenceFuture Careers and College Special Needs Future Careers and College Homework - Parent Research Community Resources Parent Leadership and Advocacy Transition to Kindergarten

Transition to High School: Make It Amazing Together 

Our newest workshop supports middle schools and high schools to prepare families as they transition.

In high school, students face a larger school with new students with excitement and concern. Discover ways to help our students to minimize stress and maximize confidence. Plan, research and discuss opportunities and challenges in career technical education (CTE), college prep, academies, internships and project-based learning (PBL) approaches. 

Workshops run 45-90 minutes We provide childcare, refreshments and $20 stipends for each participant!

Virtual Family Engagement Series To accommodate busy schedules, we also offer a free online series of workshops that families can register for directly with us. Nine of our workshop topics will be presented online starting May 18.   Interested in having a workshop at your school or organization, or registering for one of our online sessions? Email us at events@ppshi.org or visit https://ppshi.org/pep/ to learn more.

Family Focus is a monthly column coordinated by Parents for Public Schools Hawai‘i, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization of parents, educators, community leaders, policy makers, and other stakeholders in Hawai‘i public education.

Student Voice: New to our school? We’ve got you covered.

By Erica Armstrong, Admiral Arthur W. Radford High School

The facilitators of the Radford High School’s Transition Center help to welcome new incoming students to campus with student-led presentations on campus life and Hawai‘i culture. Photo courtesy: Lisa Johnstone / Radford High School Transition Center Director

At Radford High School’s Student Transition Center, we welcome all new students to our school community and make sure that they feel safe and have the knowledge and resources they need to succeed here. 

With our school having a high number of military-connected students–and as a military kid myself–it was important for me to give all of our newest Rams a sense of belonging. As a freshman, I had the opportunity to attend the Transition Centers Best Practices Conference which inspired me to join the Radford Transition Center as a facilitator my sophomore year.

Of our 1,300 student body population, about 65% are military-connected. We have a high turnover rate. Kids are coming in and out every day at our school. My job as a facilitator is to make sure every single one of those kids feels like Radford High School is a place to call home, a place of aloha. Our center’s motto is “Mālama I Nā Haumana” which translates to, “take care of the students”. That’s our main goal–be there for others. Our principal, Mr. Sunday, always states that our Radford Transition Center solves about 99% of his problems with behavior within the incoming students. To us, that is a huge compliment and completely true.

Erica Armstrong is a junior at Admiral Arthur W. Radford High School and serves as a facilitator at the Radford Transition Center. She moved to Hawai‘i four years ago from Arizona. She is a part of the school’s drama club and joined the Hawaiian club, ​​Hui Hawai’i Pili Ma Ka Moana, to learn more about culture and apply it to her role as a facilitator for new students. After high school, she plans to join the U.S. Air Force and become an anesthesiologist. Both her mom and dad are military veterans.

HIDOE Headlines

A roundup of announcements, resources and shoutouts.

» The stories of Lahainaluna High School’s Native Hawaiian boarding students live on in an oral history project curated by The Center for Oral History at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. There will be a virtual public launch of the project on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

» For more than a decade, school traffic monitor Elsie Miyashiro has helped students at Kainalu Elementary get to school safely. The retired legal aid worker from Kailua says one of the highlights of the job is exchanging high fives with students when they cross the street and she’s not afraid to use her whistle on inattentive drivers.

» Hahaʻione Elementary kindergarten and Japanese teacher Kylie Nakano was honored with the 2025 Teacher of Promise award and $4,000 cash prize for professional development. She is one of three teachers in the HIDOE – all at Hahaʻione – who implements a dual-language instructional methodology, delivering full standard curriculum lessons in both English and Japanese.

Work With Us!

Federal workers or contractors impacted by the federal cuts are encouraged to explore employment opportunities with Hawai‘i public schools. Sign up for personalized notifications here.

State Office Teacher, Office of Student Support Services (Oʻahu)
Grade PreK-6 Music Teacher, ʻAikahi Elementary (Oʻahu)
Grade 7-8, CTE Home Economics Teacher, Samuel E. Kalama Intermediate (Maui)
Grade K-5 Kaiapuni Teacher, Lānaʻi High & Elementary (Lānaʻi)
Grade 9 Algebra Teacher, Pāhoa High & Intermediate (Hawai‘i Island)

To learn more about career opportunities in the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, please visit hawaiischooljobs.com or stop by our booth at our upcoming recruiting events:

Honolulu Star-Advertiser Career Expo
Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall
777 Ward Ave., Honolulu, HI 96814
Wednesday, April 30 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Public School Pop Quiz! Answer: 4. All of the above.

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

Share your story ideas, questions and feedback to newsletter@k12.hi.us