Aloha, HIDOE Community – 

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

Honolulu Police Department school programs
As the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) works to address patrol officer vacancies, we appreciate its commitment to continuing several programs that support our students and schools. HPD has confirmed that the Police Activities League (PAL) and Junior Police Officer (JPO) programs will continue, along with its Police Services Officer, Law Enforcement Explorers and School Resource Officer programs. 

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, however, will be temporarily paused after its current session concludes. We recognize the important role these programs play in connecting students with positive role models and supporting school communities. Mahalo to HPD for its continued partnership. We'll remain in close communication as HPD works through these changes and evaluate any potential impacts on our schools.

Unity Day: Be Kind, Share Aloha
Today we’re joining schools across Hawaiʻi in celebrating Unity Day as part of National Bullying Prevention Month. This year's Hawaiʻi motto, “Be Kind, Share Aloha,” reminds us that even small acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference in how students feel at school. I encourage everyone to wear orange in support of Unity Day and help create school communities where every student feels safe, welcomed and valued. Learn more about HIDOE’s bullying prevention resources. 

‘Ele‘ele Elementary School:  🐝💛 BEE FRIENDLY! 💛🐝 Congratulations to our September “BEE FRIENDLY” Award recipients! 🎉 Throughout September, our students focused on what it means to be a good friend…showing kindness, including others, using encouraging words, lending a helping hand, and treating everyone with respect! Our award winners were exceptional at showing these skills! To celebrate, they earned a GLOW-IN-THE-DARK DANCE PARTY on Friday! 🪩🕺💃 And boyyyyy, did these Mustangs bust out some MEAN moves!!!

Molokai High School Football: 2026 Maui Interscholastic League Champions🏆💚 Proud of these young men for their commitment, resilience, and the hard work they put in throughout the season. Mahalo to all of our supporters!

Hawai‘i School for the Deaf and the Blind: After waiting since 2019, navigating the challenges of COVID, and working through construction, we are thrilled to announce that our school’s new dormitory is officially OPEN! 🎉 This milestone has been a long time coming, and we couldn’t be more excited to see our vision come to life! As part of the opening ceremony, our alumnus Kekai Ka‘aumoana Cummings blessed the dormitory as we celebrated this exciting new chapter.

The Hawaiʻi School Facilities Authority, which is leading the project to rebuild Lahaina’s King Kamehameha III Elementary School, released new renderings of what the permanent replacement campus could look like. The school was destroyed in the Aug. 2023 wildfires and is currently operating a temporary campus in Pulelehua. The school will be rebuilt on a 14-acre parcel of Kuʻia land provided by Kamehameha Schools in Lahaina.

This school year marks the start of Hawaiʻi’s new statewide cellphone policy. Elementary and middle school students are not allowed to use cell phones during the school day while high school students are permitted to use them during non-instructional time. Hawai‘i Public Radio’s Homeroom Hawaiʻi hears from students, staff and administrators on how the new policy is playing out.

Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School’s JROTC program celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. Established in 1946, less than a year after the end of World War II, the Governor’s Guard Battalion now has the largest JROTC enrollment in the state, with more than 200 cadets in its ranks, led by Farrington High alumnus Sgt. Maj. Luke Granadosin.

Red Ribbon Week runs from Oct. 23-31 this year. Organized by the National Family Partnership, it is the nation’s largest and longest-running drug prevention campaign. This year’s theme is “Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.”

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a national survey conducted every two years by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides a snapshot of the health behaviors of students in grade 9 through 12. The following are some findings on students’ drug use in Hawai‘i from the 2023 survey.   

Ways to participate in Red Ribbon Week and promote a drug-free lifestyle:

• Wear red clothing or red ribbons to show your support for a drug-free community.
• Display red ribbons around trees or doorways.
• Share social media messages using the official hashtag #LiveDrugFree.
• Enter the 2026 National Red Ribbon Photo Contest.
• Have family discussions about peer pressure.
• Limit family access to prescription drugs and dispose of unused or expired medications.
• The Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General encourages the public to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 24.  Click here for collection site locations on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i. Maui, Lānaʻi, Molokai and Hawaiʻi Island residents can take their medications to designated police stations equipped with green prescription drug take-back boxes.

Courtney Suma

Title: Career Academy & CTE Coordinator
Job site: Kapolei High School
Years in the HIDOE: 16
Years in the position: 5

Kapolei High School counselor Courtney Suma was named as the 2026 Campbell-Kapolei Complex Area Teacher of the Year and the 2025 Hawai‘i Chamber of Commerce's Educator of the Year.

Q: What are your primary duties?
A: My primary role is to support our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and Career Academy initiatives. Right now, a major focus of my work is expanding our work-based learning opportunities, including both on-campus and off-campus student internships and other career-connected experiences. I also work directly with our academy students as they prepare for and participate in community events, especially those involving our feeder schools. That student-facing work is one of the highlights of my job because I get to see our students step into leadership roles, share what they’ve learned, and represent their academy in the community.

Q: How did you get into this field?
A: While working in medical research, I participated in a mentoring program that supported high school students with STEM projects. Through that experience, I discovered how much I enjoyed helping students understand science, especially when I could take something complicated and help make it click for them. I found myself really connecting with the students and enjoying the mentoring side of the experience. That was one of the first times I realized that working with students might be something I wanted to pursue as a career, and it ultimately helped lead me into education.

Q: Fun fact about yourself?
A: Those who know me at school know that I love a good cruise! I try to take a cruise (or two!) every year and have become the unofficial “cruise consultant” among my friends and colleagues. Need help picking a ship, choosing a cabin, or figuring out when to book? Ask me—I probably have an opinion!