Educators should use 15 minutes for HSTA updates, reminders after faculty meetings

Under HSTA’s contract, the following is stipulated regarding faculty meetings:

The Association shall be granted no less than fifteen (15) minutes immediately after the conclusion of a faculty meeting to present such items as determined by the Association faculty representative. This time may or may not be within the teachers’ workday.

At the beginning of each month, HSTA leaders will provide you with a few (but not all) of the topics that should be discussed during those 15-minute meetings following faculty meetings.

For April and May, here are some recommended topics to discuss:

April-May

Tentative master schedule and notification of assignments (Art VII, B)
- Posted by the last day of the school year
- Shall be in writing via Form 5
- Changes after the last day shall be made “for the good of the educational program” and “upon consultation with the teacher(s) affected”
Teacher Performance Evaluation System (EES) (Art VIII)
- A final rating of less than effective shall be provided no later than the third Friday in May (May 15, 2026)
- Notify your HSTA UniServ Director right away if receiving a less than effective rating
Report cards (Art VI, R)
- “Fourth quarter grades shall be completed by the end of the teachers’ last work day.”
- Annual closing of school year memo since 2023: “Elementary school teachers who print and send home report cards shall be allowed to print said report cards at least two (2) days prior to the student’s last day.”
Moving of classrooms (non-professional duties) (Art VI, Z)
- “When given reasonable advance notice by the teacher, the Employer shall, within operational limitations, provide appropriate assistance in the moving and arranging of classroom furniture, equipment and boxes of supplies.”
Sabbatical leave (Art XII, H)

Notification of approved sabbatical leaves are forthcoming
A teacher not granted sabbatical leave shall be given, if requested, a written explanation.

Start of school year 2026-27
- Calendars for Hawaiʻi Department of Education schools are located at this website
- HIDOE teachers are to report on July 28, 2026; charter schools may differ
- Reclassification courses need to be completed before July 28, 2026 (or before July 1, 2026 for 12-month teachers) and documentation submitted before the end of October 2026 to apply for salary adjustments for Fall 2026
Submit your worksite’s #TealTuesday photos!
Discussion of topics brought up at the most recent chapter representative assembly shared with school-level leaders

February-March

Updated sabbatical leave deadlines (Art XII, H)
- Feb. 6, 2026 submit request form and supporting documents to administrator/superviso
- Feb. 13, 2026 forms returned
- Feb. 27, 2026 deadline to turn in completed application
- April 9, 2026 notification of sabbatical application status
- April 24, 2026 contract deadline to accept
- More information available here
Assignments and transfers (Art VII)
- Feb. 18 – March 3, 2026 posting 1
- April 10-16, 2026 posting 2
- Tentative teaching lines should have been shared at least two weeks before posting 1 (by Feb. 4)
- More information available here
HSTA elections
- Be sure to vote once your credentials arrive via mail and/or email
- Voting is online from Feb. 6-27
Institute Day (Art XVI, B)
- Feb. 9, 2026 (Oʻahu)
- Feb. 13, 2026 (neighbor islands)
Submit your worksite’s #TealTuesday photos!
Discussion of topics brought up at the most recent chapter representative assembly shared with school-level leaders

December

- - Planning for 2026–27
    - Academic and Financial Plans (Art. XIX)
      - As school-level budgeting shall be open, democratic, and collaborative, ask when documents whose deadlines are spelled out will be shared (Sep 5, 2025 Memo)
        
        Comprehensive Needs Assessment completion – Dec 19, 2025
        
        Salaried Financial Plan CAS approval – Dec 30, 2025
  - Waivers/Exceptions to the contract timeline (App III)
    - Due Jan 16, 2026 to CAS
    - See October–November listing below for more details
  - Assignments and transfers (Art VII)
    - The tentative teaching lines shall be posted no later than two weeks prior to the first spring semester posting (anticipated early February)
    - Staff reduction guidelines; transfers
  - Sabbatical leave (Art XII, H)
    - No less than fifty teachers
    - Full pay for one semester or half pay for a full year
    - Memo mid-December; application by Jan 31
    - Seven years of Hawaiʻi public school service required
  - Teaching (bell) schedules (Art. VI, DD)
    - Development through a collaborative process involving all bargaining unit members
    - Consensus reached when everyone feels heard and can live with the decision
    - If no consensus, the principal puts the schedule to a vote; adopted with 66 2/3% approval
  - Second quarter grading deadline (Art. VI, R)
    - “No earlier than the end of the workday on the fourth student day following the end of each quarter” → Jan 9, 2026
  - HSTA Pono and Friend of Youth Award nominations
    - Due Jan 4, 2026
  - HSTA elections
    - Chapter level positions (see bulletin board or chapter website for deadlines)
    - State level NEA representative assembly delegates (form due Jan 23, 2026)
  - HSTA 2026 State Convention
    - Nominate yourself to be a convention delegate
    - April 18, 2026 on Oʻahu
  - Institute Day (Art XVI, B)
    - Feb 9, 2026 (Oʻahu)
    - Feb 13, 2026 (neighbor islands)
  - Submit your worksite’s #TealTuesday photos!
  - Discussion of topics brought up at the most recent chapter representative assembly shared with school-level leaders

October-November

- - Waivers/Exceptions to the contract timeline (App III)
    - School Community Council process (2026-27 Memo) (Process and Procedures Attachment G)
    - Common waiver types (Attachment F)
    - HSTA Process/Checklist (Attachment E)
- - Reclassification guidelines (Art XX, M)
    - Usual deadline is end of October to submit to be retroactive to beginning of year
    - Credits need to be completed before the start of the semester
    - 2025-26 memo (guidelines) deadline for fall reclassification Oct. 30
- - School faculty handbook (Art IV, I)
    - Review and revise school handbook (including, but not limited to calling out procedures and T-SEAS/SmartFind Express)
    - Copy shall be given to the UniServ Director
- - Discussion of topics brought up at the most recent chapter representative assembly shared with school-level leaders

September

- - Academic and Financial Plans (Art. XIX)
    - Budgeting process timeline to be shared no later than September 15
    - Should be an open, democratic, and collaborative process, including how much money there is, what the plans to spend the money are, and how funds were spent
    - The Association Policy Committee shall support teacher participation in the process, which includes all faculty members, and shall be done in the spirit of cooperation regarding budgetary decision-making
  - Development of school emergency plan (Art. X, B, (4))
    - By the end of the second month, administration and faculty should have met to discuss the development of an emergency plan, and due consideration to faculty suggestions should be given by the principal in the plan’s development
  - Student medication (Art VI, T)
    - CBA: “Teachers shall not administer student medication.” (Know Your Rights)
    - Discuss emergency action plans should a student require medication (including on field trips)
  - Grading deadlines (Art VI, R)
    - Submittal of grades shall be no earlier than the end of the workday on the fourth student day following the end of the quarter
  - Discussion of topics brought up at the most recent chapter representative assembly shared with school-level leaders

August

- Pay increases (Art. XX, F), supplementary pay (App. VI), and reclassification (Art. XX, M)
  - Review Form 5’s and reconcile with Aug. 20 paycheck, Class VIII requirements
- 27 hours of training and professional development (Art. XVI, B (3))
  - When and how should they be used at your school?
- Planning and collaboration (PC) days (Art. XVI, B (6))
  - How the days will be used and when they will be scheduled
- School-based budgeting process and timeline (Art. XIX)
  - Teacher participation in democratic and collaborative AcFin process; sharing of timeline by Sept. 15; official enrollment count
- Work time distribution (Art. VI, CC), workload (Art. VI, DD), restrictions at the secondary level (Art. VI, F)
  - Ensure compliance with the contract
- Student discipline (Art. XI)
  - Guidelines, which include faculty input, should be shared before Sept. 1
- School-related activities (Art. VI, AA)
  - Listing of activities, dates and criteria for teacher participation
- Association Policy Committee (Art VI, J)
  - Topics to be brought up (which do not have to be contractual), like “excursion procedures, student rules, activity policies, monitors, extracurricular policies, intraschool communications, school forms, fundraising projects”
  - Still have School Level Leader slots to fill? Work with your HSTA UniServ Director and get those slots filled!