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Nov. 26, 2025
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.
Thanksgiving message
As the Thanksgiving holiday draws near, I want to express my deepest mahalo to the incredible Hawai‘i public schools community. We recognize that this year has presented unique challenges and stresses due to the federal government shutdown, but the resilience of our students, staff and families reflects the true strength of our community. I am thankful for the support we share and the bright future we are building together for our students. On behalf of the Hawai‘i State Department of Education, wishing you and your loved ones a safe, joyful and peaceful Thanksgiving.
Ocean safety pilot program
In this season of thanks, we're grateful to have partnered with Nā Kama Kai to pilot a culturally grounded, ocean safety program at all six public elementary schools located in Nānākuli and Waiʻanae. With water safety at the forefront, the new ocean swim model addressed water safety concerns for coastal communities. We are thrilled that an initial cohort of 450 fourth grade students learned necessary ocean and water safety, practical swimming skills, and respectful engagement with Hawaiʻi’s coastal environment. What a gift to the students and the community.
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 Leihōkū Elementary fourth graders practice ocean safety in the sand with Nā Kama Kai instructors before heading into the ocean at Pōkaʻī Bay for their swim lesson. Photo Credit: Krislyn Yano Moore / HIDOE
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 Mauka Lani Elementary School's Choose Love Ambassadors welcomed families to school on Tuesday morning with sign waving. The student created posters promoting choosing love, gratitude and belonging for our Mountain Lions!
Credit: Jessica Kam / Mauka Lani Elementary
Send us 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!
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One of the NFL's three Thanksgiving Day games this year includes Kansas City vs. Dallas. Which of our schools' mascots match these specific teams?
a. Maui Waena Intermediate & Kilohana Elementary
b. Lanakila Elementary & Kohala High
c. Kapaʻa Elementary & Kahului Elementary
d. All of the above
Find the answer at the end of this newsletter.
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Nānāikapono Elementary School: ✨🐾 Mahalo to Officer Ray Bolton and the K-9 Unit for an unforgettable visit! 🐾✨It was extra special knowing that Officer Ray is a parent of one of our very own students. Our haumāna were amazed watching the K-9s in action and learning about the incredible work these teams do every day. #K9Unit #NponoProud
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Kamiloʻiki Cougar Cubs: 🐾 COUGAR CUB PRIDE DAY 🐾From matching numbers 9️⃣7️⃣ and outfits 👚 to matching shakas 🤙🏽 and wacky faces 🤪, the enthusiasm was electric ⚡️The coolest part was seeing our students match each other’s incredible level of Kamiloʻiki spirit 💙
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Use the #HIPublicSchoolsProud hashtag for a chance to be featured!
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The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) is a state leader and an early adopter in the use of AI technology in schools. See how HIDOE’s Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design trains teachers on utilizing AI to save time and personalize instruction and how HIDOE teachers leverage the transformational power of AI to increase student engagement and success in this coverage by Hawaiʻi Business Magazine.
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School Food Services Managers Alden Kaleohano-Fernandez from Farrington High School and Carmen Matsumoto from Kalihi Waena Elementary School stopped by KHON2 to highlight the new salad options that HIDOE students and families can expect to see on their lunch menus this school year. The salads proudly feature local cucumber, tomatoes, cabbage as well as local lettuce and ground beef when available.
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Through the “Drive with Aloha” program, Honokaʻa High and Intermediate School students conceptualized and painted the newest mural on their campus which features a dragon, the school’s mascot, and the words “respect, consideration and leadership.” The mural promotes safe and sober driving.
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This month Hawai‘i public school cafeterias added a special Thanksgiving treat to their traditional turkey lunch — a slice of freshly baked pumpkin pie served alongside roast turkey with gravy, whipped potatoes, fresh fruits and vegetables and a whole wheat roll.
 On the Windward side of Oʻahu, King Intermediate and ʻĀhuimanu Elementary students were especially thankful for the festive, homemade pie.
“My favorite part of today's lunch was the pumpkin pie,” said ʻĀhuimanu Elementary third-grader Emily Tamanaha. “It really was good, so I ate it really fast. And the pumpkin was really savory, and the crust was a little bit crispy.”
Eighth-grader, Nixon Crawford at King Intermediate agreed. “My favorite part of the lunch was probably the pumpkin pie because we never usually have it,” he said. “It was sweet, crunchy at the bottom, and the pumpkin, it actually tastes like a pumpkin pie, not like store-bought.”
Try the recipe out for yourself at home!
Pastry dough ingredients:
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 cup of flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of ice-cold water
Pumpkin pie filling ingredients:
15 oz. canned pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of flour
4 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
12 oz. 1% low fat milk
Instructions:
- Combine flour and salt. Mix in cold butter until well combined to the size of the peas.
- Add 1 cup of ice-cold water and mix until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Chill dough overnight or at least 2-4 hours for best results.
- Coat a 13 x 9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Roll out pastry dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface just enough to line the bottom of the pan with dough.
- Use a dough docker or fork to poke holes in the dough for even cooking.
- Bake at 325ºF for 10 minutes and turn pan around in oven and bake for another 10-20 minutes until crust turns a light brown color.
- Let crust cool for at least 15 minutes before adding in the pie filling.
- Add pumpkin pie filling ingredients to a bowl except for the milk. Whisk or mix on low in a mixer until smooth.
- Slowly add milk to the filling mixture and mix until well combined.
- Let filling mixture rest for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Pour pie filling onto crust.
- Bake at 350ºF for about 30 minutes until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Once cooled, cut pan 3 x 8 to make 24 pieces.
 Photos credit: Krislyn Yano / HIDOE Communications Branch
Mahalo to King Intermediate School’s school food services manager, Alivia (Noe) Fredericks (not pictured) and cafeteria staff: Shelby Yadao, Mahealani Phillips, Hilinaʻi Kaahu, Kayli Phillips, and Kymberli Santose (pictured left to right) for inviting us into their kitchen, and to King Intermediate and ʻĀhuimanu students and staff for welcoming us into their cafeterias.
“What’s For School Lunch?” is a monthly column coordinated by the School Food Services Branch that features new and exciting school meal initiatives.
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Rochelle Ballard
Occupation: Former professional surfer and business owner
What school you grad? Waimea High School ‘89
Location: ʻŌmaʻo, Kaua‘i
Throughout her 17-year career as a professional surfer, Kaua‘i’s Rochelle Ballard earned numerous honors, including a runner-up finish for the 2004 Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Title, winning the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Master’s Championship in 2012, the ISA World Grand Masters Championship in 2024 and still holding the women’s world record for scoring two perfect 10’s in a single heat with back-to-back barrels at the Billabong Pro in 1997.
Most known for her fearless barrel riding skills, she took on the legendary Pipeline and Backdoor and pushed the boundaries of what female surfers could achieve. Committed to advancing equity, she co-founded International Women Surfers in 1999, helping boost minimum prize money and elevate women’s surfing in mainstream media. She also worked in several films and TV shows, including serving as Kate Bosworth’s lead stunt double in Blue Crush and appearing in Step Into Liquid and Beyond the Break.
Earlier this month, Ballard was inducted into the 2025 Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame, an honor that recognizes ocean athletes whose legacies have shaped Hawaiian water sports. She attended Waimea Elementary, Kahili Mountain Adventist Middle School. Although she completed most of her high school years at Waimea High, she took classes during her final semester at Kaua‘i High after becoming involved with the Kaua‘i Performing Arts Center.
Q: What are you up to these days?
A: After I retired from the World Championship Tour in 2007, I started a surf, yoga and wellness retreat business called Surf Into Yoga. Two years ago, I started the Rochelle Ballard Surf Experiences (a surf school) for our family surf shop, Nukumoi Surf Co. I also manage the shop with my mom, Christine French, and brother, Kainoa French. I coach the youth from time-to-time and still surf as much as I can.
Q: Name of a teacher or mentor you’d like to thank?
A: Mr. Walter Souza, he was the best teacher!
Q: What advice do you have for students?
A: Believe in your dreams, have goals, take them one step at a time, failure leads to knowing how to succeed and just when you think you are at the end of the rope and ready to give up, push a little more. Usually that is where your success reveals itself: grit, perseverance and being positive.
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 Former professional surfer Rochelle Ballard, most known for her barrel riding skills, rides a barrel in Fiji. Photo courtesy: Rochelle Ballard
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- November: National Youth Homelessness Awareness Month
- Nov. 27 - Thanksgiving (Schools and offices closed)
- Nov. 28 - Day after Thanksgiving (No school for students and teachers)
- Dec. 22 to Jan. 2 - Winter Break
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Public School Pop Quiz! Answer: b. Lanakila Elementary & Kohala High. Lanakila Elementary's Chiefs mascot was chosen in honor of Kamehameha the Great's victory at the battle of Nuʻuanu. Kohala High's Cowboys mascot is based in the history of Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo, who were trained in cattle handling by skilled Spanish-Mexican vaqueros in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
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This newsletter was produced by the Hawai'i State Department of Education's Communications Branch.
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Nanea Ching
Executive Editor
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Kimberly Yuen
Managing Editor
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Share your story ideas, events, questions and feedback to newsletter@k12.hi.us
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1390 Miller St. Honolulu, HI 96813 Phone: 808-784-6200
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