Beginning in early June, the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) program will serve meals at select schools Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays, to ensure that children continue to receive balanced nutrition during the summer break. The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) announced today that 82 public schools will serve meals free of charge over…

The Hawaii State Board of Education on Thursday voted 8-1 to hire Keith Hayashi to lead Hawaii’s public schools as superintendent for a term to begin July 1, 2022. Hayashi, who was tapped from his position as principal of Waipahu High School to serve as interim superintendent on Aug, 1, 2021, was one of three finalists for…

MILILANI — Mililani Middle School’s new three-story Building J was officially dedicated today by students, parents, staff and community leaders. The new structure houses 15 classrooms to serve Mililani Middle’s 1,660 students and provides the expanded capacity needed to allow the school to adopt a single-track calendar in the upcoming 2022-23 school year. “The new classroom facilities…

HONOLULU – Drinking water at 72 elementary schools across Hawaiʻi will be tested for lead in the second phase of a joint project between the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH). Testing will begin in late May of 2022 as part of a nationwide program established under…

Kalani High School math teacher Tristan Nguyen was honored with the 2022 Teacher of Promise award and a $2,000 cash prize. Kalani High School math teacher Tristan Nguyen was honored on Thursday with the 2022 state Teacher of Promise award. The Teacher of Promise award is granted annually by the Milken Educators of Hawai‘i — a select…

The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) this week announced Waikele Elementary’s Stacy Kawamura as a 2022 National Outstanding Assistant Principal. Each year NAESP recognizes a select cohort of assistant principals from across the country. This year 22 assistant principals nationwide were recognized — 17 from elementary schools and five from the middle school…

Public high school graduation ceremonies have been scheduled for the Class of 2022. Ceremony guidelines are being eased to reflect less restrictive COVID-19 health and safety requirements across the state, but certain restrictions will still apply to attendees. High school graduation ceremonies have been scheduled for the Class of 2022, with dates and locations listed…

HONOLULU – Michelle Le Iwasaki, an academic coach at Kalihi Kai Elementary School has become the latest recipient of the prestigious Milken Educator Award. Regarded as the “Oscar Award of Teaching,” the award honors outstanding excellence in education and comes with an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. Iwasaki is the only Milken Educator Award winner from…

HONOLULU — Proud Kalihi Waena Elementary students and staff held a special tree-planting ceremony to dedicate a new walkway that provides a safe path and a unique learning environment for students walking to and from the Kalihi Stream-side of campus.  Students planted 23 lemon trees along the new walkway named Alanui ‘Ohana ‘Ālani (Citrus Street)…

KAILUA — “There is no loss in choosing Kaiapuni,” exclaims Pahonu Coleman, a freshman at Kailua High School in Windward O‘ahu. “No loss, only opportunity.” This school year Kailua High joins 21 other public schools that host the Department’s Hawaiian Language Immersion Program, Ka Papahana Kaiapuni — or Kaiapuni for short. Students in Kaiapuni not only speak primarily in…