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Feb. 7
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.
Legislative Session Updates
With the 2024 legislative session in full swing, the Department is monitoring and providing testimony for hundreds of education-related bills. The Hawai‘i State Legislature operates under a biennial legislative session and we are currently in the second year. This means for the 2023 and 2024 legislative session, the Department – led by the Policy, Innovation, Planning and Evaluation Branch – is monitoring about 990 bills and providing testimony for about 410 bills, totaling 1,400 proposals. Bills of particular priority for the department revolve around three major themes: reducing the administrative burden for schools, protecting the health and safety of our students, and providing emergency appropriations for gaps in funding. We look forward to working with our legislative leaders to advocate for our students and school communities.
Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i
To honor and celebrate Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i, or Hawaiian Language Month, I wanted to highlight the partnership between the Department’s Office of Hawaiian Education and the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges, which offers free introductory Hawaiian language and culture classes for all HIDOE full-time salaried employees. There’s been significant growth in this second semester with nearly 300 employees taking Hawaiian 101 – which is almost double from the previous semester. Read this story from the perspective of one of our employees on why she enrolled.
2024 Hawai‘i LifeSmarts State Competition
I had the opportunity to watch teams from Waipahu High, Kalani High and Maryknoll School compete in the 2024 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts State Competition. LifeSmarts tests students on their knowledge of personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities. All topics are extremely relevant in helping to prepare students for life after high school in today’s complex and global market. Teams tested their skills through an assessment test, “speed smarts” activity and it was exciting to watch the game show-style buzzer rounds. Congratulations to Kalani High’s “Team Kalani 4.2” for their hard-earned and impressive win this year! Best of luck in representing Hawai‘i at the National LifeSmarts Competition in San Diego, Calif., later this April.
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 Pictured left to right: Team Waipahu Marauders, Team Kalani 4.2 and Team Kalani 4.2 with Team Kalani 5.0.
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#HIPublicSchoolsProud
Social media highlights of the most engaging posts of the week.
Use the #HIPublicSchoolsProud hashtag for a chance to be featured!
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Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i
Pepeluali (February) is Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, or Hawaiian Language Month. We’ll be sharing a new word or phrase each week in February on our social media platforms. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn to see more!
This week’s phrase is: aloha ‘auinalā. Click the link to watch a video on pronunciation and use of the phrase in conversation.
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West Maui Updates
We will be providing relevant information on Lāhainā schools in this space,
including updates on health and safety, construction and more.
Wipe tests
The Department continues to conduct bi-weekly wipe sampling in Lāhainā classrooms to test for any particles settling on surfaces. The last wipe test on Jan. 22 found no actionable levels of lead or arsenic, similar to previous samplings. All past wipe test results can be found here.
Free school meals
In light of the Maui wildfires and the impact on families, the state requested and was approved to use a waiver to allow an additional six Maui schools have been approved for our Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program for the remainder of this school year, meaning school meals will be offered at no cost to all students. CEP participation enables schools that predominantly serve low-income children to offer free school meals to all students through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, without collecting school meal applications and regardless of household income.
The schools are King Kamehameha III Elementary, Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary, Lāhainā Intermediate, Lāhaināluna High, Kīhei Elementary and Kula Elementary. Mahalo to the philanthropic partners who generously provided support to cover the cost of student meals up until this point, as well as school staff in need.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers update
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) provides a video update on the temporary school site in Lāhainā for King Kamehameha III Elementary. USACE anticipates that the temporary school will be handed over to the Hawai‘i State Department of Education for furnishing and installation of telecommunication equipment by the end of February.
Extended spring break for King Kamehameha III Elementary
King Kamehameha III Elementary Principal Ian Haskins informed families this week that there will be an extended spring break for King Kamehameha Ill students from March 18-29. The last day for classes at their temporary Princess Nāhi'ena'ena Elementary site will be March 13, and the first day for students at the new temporary school at Pulelehua will be April 1.
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Community Query
We asked the captains of Team Kalani 4.2, Team Kalani 5.0 and Team Waipahu Marauders to name one thing they learned that made them feel smarter in life by participating in the Hawai‘i LifeSmarts program.
“Different safety tips. Health and safety is one of the most important categories to keep me safe and maybe my future kids down the line.”
Team Kalani 4.2
Brandon Tran, Senior
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“The different relationships between agencies and credit unions.”
Team Kalani 5.0
Zhoulin Chen, Junior
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“Even though there are a lot of subjects to learn, it comes down to being confident and putting yourself out there otherwise even if you know it, it won’t really matter.”
Team Waipahu Marauders
Reagan Chinen, Senior |
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HIDOE Headlines
A roundup of announcements, resources and shoutouts.
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 » The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is seeking sponsor organizations on all islands to help provide children in low-income communities with free meals during the summer months. The SFSP provides nutritious meals that help children to learn, play, and grow during the summer break when many schools are not in session.
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 » Shely Chang of Kaimiloa Elementary School was recognized as the 2024 American School Counselor Association’s Hawai‘i School Counselor of the Year in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 1. She was instrumental in developing a School Attendance Review Team at Kaimiloa Elementary to combat chronic absenteeism.
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 » Farrington High School unveiled its “Drive with Aloha” mural as part of a project to bring awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through art. Farrington High’s mural is the second out of several to be unveiled across O‘ahu with four more murals to be completed later this year. In 2025, the mural project will expand statewide.
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HAWAI‘I STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Keith Hayashi
Superintendent
Heidi Armstrong
Deputy Superintendent
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Curt Otaguro
Deputy Superintendent
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Tammi Oyadomari-Chun
Deputy Superintendent
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ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS
Sean Bacon
Talent Management
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Brian Hallett
Fiscal Services
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Audrey Hidano
Facilities and Operations
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Elizabeth Higashi
Strategy, Innovation and Performance
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Annie Kalama
Student Support Services
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Michael Otsuji
Information Technology Services
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Teri Ushijima
Curriculum and Instructional Design
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Ho‘oha‘aheo
PUBLIC SCHOOL PROUD
Nanea Kalani
Executive Editor
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Chanel Honda
Managing Editor
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Sara Miyazono
Creative Director
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Derek Inoshita
Contributing Writer
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Krislyn Yano
Contributing Writer
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Kimberly Yuen
Contributing Writer
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