夏威夷州教育部

Ka 'Oihana Ho'ona'auao o ke Aupuni 夏威夷

HIDOE recognizes complex area and charter school teachers of the year

  • The finalists are (top row, left to right), David Adler, Josette (Kaleo) Akim Hanohano, Jessica Canyon, Susan Chew. (Second row, left to right) Claire Ann (Kalaunuola) Domingo, Steve Hanks, Judith (Elise) Hannigan, Christopher Justo. (Third row, left to right) Jodi Kadoyama, Emily Mendoza, Kristel Pigao, Dawn Spurrell-Robinson. (Bottom row, left to right) Courtney Suma, Kris Tajima, Kathleen Trifonovitch, Natsumi Yamasato.

HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) today named 15 complex area teachers of the year and one charter school teacher of the year as part of the 2026 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year recognition. 

“This year’s Teachers of the Year exemplify the profound impact our dedicated educators have in preparing our students to become globally competitive and locally committed,” Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. “Their commitment to fostering not just academic excellence, but also creativity, resilience, curiosity and critical thinking, is truly inspiring. We are honored to celebrate these individuals who are actively building a foundation for success for our students, our schools, and our state.”

The teachers of the year, in alphabetical order, are:

老師
綜合區
學校
科目或年級
David Adler
納納庫利-瓦伊阿納
納納庫利小學
6th grade math and science
Josette (Kaleo) Akim Hanohano
卡胡庫城堡
卡胡庫高中級
Modern History of Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian Language
Jessica Canyon
法靈頓-凱撒-卡拉尼
弗恩小學
五年級
Susan Chew
哈納 - 拉海納魯納 - 拉奈 - 莫洛凱島
Lanai High and Elementary
幼稚園
Claire Ann (Kalaunuola) Domingo
公立特許學校
Ke Kula oʻ Samuel M. Kamakau Laboratory Public Charter School
Kindergarten (Hawaiian immersion)
Steve Hanks
霍諾卡阿-凱拉凱希-科哈拉-科納瓦埃納 
Honoka‘a High & Intermediate
11th and 12th grade math
Judith (Elise) Hannigan
卡烏-基奧-帕霍亞
基亞烏高中
英語
Christopher Justo
雷萊華-米利拉尼-瓦阿盧阿
米利拉尼中學
Agriculture
Jodi Kadoyama
珍珠城-懷帕胡
馬納納小學
Curriculum Coordinator
Emily Mendoza
艾亞-莫阿納魯亞-拉德福
艾亞高中
烹飪藝術
Kristel Pigao
鮑德溫-凱考里克-庫拉尼哈科伊-毛伊
Waihe'e 小學
五年級
Dawn Spurrell-Robinson
希洛-懷阿凱亞
希洛-懷阿基亞綜合區
PreK-6
Courtney Suma
坎貝爾-卡波利
卡波雷高中
Career Academy Coordinator
Kris Tajima
凱穆基-麥金利-羅斯福
考魯韋拉小學
English Learner Coordinator
Kathleen Trifonovitch
凱路亞-卡拉赫奧
莫納威利小學
四年級
Natsumi Yamasato
卡帕亞-可愛島-威美亞
Wilcox Elementary

In September, one teacher will be announced as the 2026 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year and will go on to represent Hawaiʻi in the 全國年度教師計劃. The honor is presented annually to a teacher selected from more than 13,000 HIDOE educators.