Category: Balita
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Hawaiʻi public schools advancing farm-to-school efforts with new small farm partnerships
KĀNEʻOHE — To advance farm-to-school initiatives, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) is rolling out a new hyper-local purchasing process that encourages small farm purchases of locally grown produce for school meals across the state. Students at Kahaluʻu Elementary School enjoyed locally grown microgreens on their lunch plates today, harvested just across the street…
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Staff Spotlight: Jesse K. Souki (Deputy Superintendent of Operations)
Jesse K. Souki Title: Deputy Superintendent of OperationsJob site: HIDOE state officeYears in the HIDOE: < 1 yearYears in the position: < 1 year Jesse Souki was appointed in Aug. 2025 as deputy superintendent for operations, a senior leadership role that oversees major infrastructure, facilities and support services. Souki brings two decades of leadership experience…
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Operation Driver Excellence and Traffic Safety Fair offer students and parents practical tips for safe driving
UPDATE: Due to weather, the March 21 event is rescheduled to Saturday, April 4. HONOLULU — Over the past two years, traffic fatalities have increased in Hawaiʻi, with data from the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation showing an 18-year record high in deaths in 2025. These avoidable deaths were attributed primarily to speeding and distracted driving.…
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Alumni Spotlight: Lāiana Kanoa-Wong (Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Ānuenue)
Lāiana Kanoa-Wong Occupation: Hawaiian cultural consultantWhat school you grad? Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Ānuenue ‘02College: University of Hawaiʻi at MānoaLocation: Waimānalo, HI Lāiana Kanoa-Wong is a proud graduate of the Kula Kaiapuni Hawaiian immersion system, beginning at Pūnana Leo o Honolulu, continuing at Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Waiau and eventually Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Ānuenue,…
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Maui-grown mandarins debut in Hawaiʻi public school meals
KAHULUI AND WAHIAWĀ — Hawaiʻi public school cafeterias statewide had the opportunity to celebrate the Lunar New Year with a festive “good fortune” lunch honoring East and Southeast Asian cultures. The symbolic meal featured: The round fruit option created an opportunity for many schools to serve locally grown Maui mandarins from Mahi Pono. As part…
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Mural Moʻolelo: Lahaina Intermediate
When alumna Roxy Ortiz was asked to create a mural for Lahaina Intermediate for Spectra Fest Lahaina 2025, a celebration of art, culture and community, she heeded the call. As a co-founder of Wooden Wave with her husband Matthew, Honu Honua—or “Earth Turtle”—was the provocative art collaboration. “It felt really special to come back to…
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Staff Spotlight: Aulia Austin (Office of Hawaiian Education)
Aulia Austin Title: Kaiapuni Educational SpecialistJob site: Office of Hawaiian Education Years in the HIDOE: 28 years Years in the position: 4 years Aulia Austin’s passion for Hawaiian language and supporting Native Hawaiian children in education is the spark that inspires her work serving students in the Department’s Kaiapuni programs. As a 19-year veteran in…
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Kaʻala Elementary counselor named 2026 Hawaiʻi School Counselor of the Year
HONOLULU — Marisa Toyooka, school counselor at Ka‘ala Elementary School in Wahiawā, has been named the 2026 Hawai‘i School Counselor of the Year by the Hawaiʻi School Counselor Association, recognizing her leadership in strengthening student attendance and building community partnerships that support student success. Over the past four years, Toyooka has led a coordinated, data-driven…
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The sky’s the limit for students in new early-career aviation maintenance program
A cohort of ten students from Campbell, Kapolei, and Waipahu high schools is piloting the state’s first aviation maintenance technology program in collaboration with the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (PHAM). The program provides early-career training starting a student’s junior year. The goal is to prepare students for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification, enabling them to…
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Hawaiʻi Board of Education adopts statewide policy on student cell phone use in public schools
HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i State Board of Education has adopted a new statewide policy establishing consistent expectations for student cell phone use in public schools. The policy is intended to balance the benefits of technology integration with the need to minimize classroom disruption and promote a safe and respectful learning environment. Board members noted that…