{"id":10236,"date":"2022-10-17T14:11:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T00:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/?p=10236"},"modified":"2025-03-25T14:13:39","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T00:13:39","slug":"2022-kalani-highs-michael-ida-named-2023-hawai%ca%bbi-state-teacher-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/2022-kalani-highs-michael-ida-named-2023-hawai%ca%bbi-state-teacher-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Kalani High\u2019s Michael Ida named 2023 Hawai\u02bbi State Teacher of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

HONOLULU \u2013 Veteran Kalani High School math and computer science teacher Michael Ida was named the 2023 Hawai\u02bbi State Teacher of the Year in recognition of his dedication to improving student learning and uplifting the teaching profession through advocacy and collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ida received the state\u2019s top teaching award from Gov. David Ige and Superintendent Keith Hayashi in a ceremony held at Washington Place. \u200bThe honor is presented annually to a teacher selected from more than 12,500 educators within the Hawai\u02bbi State Department of Education. Ida was selected from among the 16 Teachers of the Year representing 15 complex areas and public charter schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMike has been a pillar of Kalani High\u2019s math department for nearly three decades and his passion for teaching has not only guided thousands of students toward success, but he continually strives to lift his fellow teachers in their important work and support them as future leaders,\u201d Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. \u201cHis service and his dedication to helping everyone around him achieve higher levels of excellence is truly inspiring and we salute his outstanding leadership and achievements.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ida is a National Board Certified Teacher and holds a master\u2019s degree and doctorate in applied mathematics from Northwestern University, a master\u2019s degree in secondary education from Boston College, and an undergraduate degree in applied mathematics from the California Institute of Technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is described by peers as a lifelong learner who is committed to serving the needs and interests of students. For example, after observing robotics team students struggling with writing the code to power their machines, Ida helped launch the computer science program at Kalani to provide project-based learning with real-world applications for students. The program started with two introductory sections and has since expanded to include two Advanced Placement offerings and an affiliated computer science club, and has maintained strong interest and enrollment each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMike exhibits so many qualities of a leader: he is an effective communicator and problem-solver who is knowledgeable and takes initiative to help others,\u201d one colleague said of Ida, adding that he\u2019s held in such high regard by his school community \u201cnot only because of his expertise in his content area and in teaching, but also because everyone knows he puts the good of all first, and he works humbly and dtirelessly on behalf of our students, teachers, and the education community statewide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of his commitment to uplifting the teaching profession, Ida works to support fellow teachers as leaders and agents of change. He is in the HIDOE’s Hawai\u02bbi Teacher Leader Academy, a leadership program designed to support highly qualified and effective teachers who are actively engaged in school\/system-wide improvement efforts that enhance professional practice and organizational change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is also an alumnus of the Hawai\u02bbi State Teacher Fellows program, which values advocacy, collaboration and sharing expertise to improve teacher practice to benefit all students.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ida provides tech-related professional development sessions for his school faculty and serves as advisor for Computer Science Club and coach for student math competitions. He also serves on the leadership teams of the Hawai\u02bbi Cdouncil of Teachers of Mathematics and the Hawai\u02bbi Chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ida will represent Hawai\u02bbi in the National Teacher of the Year program. A national winner will be named in the spring. Today’s Teacher of the Year ceremony included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n