Terri Inefuku2022-03-04T13:33:05-10:00March 4, 2022|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: coronavirus, COVID-19, Governor David Ige, Hawaii Department of Health, Hawaii State Department of Education, health and safety, mandate, masking, mitigation, pandemic, requirement, restrictions, vaccination|
The Hawaii State Teachers Association has reached out to the HIDOE and confirmed that all COVID-19 mitigation and health and safety policies remain in place for now. The HIDOE is awaiting guidance from the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) before announcing any changes.
Terri Inefuku2022-02-18T09:49:43-10:00February 18, 2022|Categories: News|Tags: coronavirus, COVID-19, distance learning, Hawaiian language immersion, kaiapuni, virtual school|
BOE Chair Catherine Payne raised several concerns “that we’re trying to rush to get this going but we are not really fully prepared with the curriculum in place and the teachers trained and the real understanding of how we’ll have some hybrid opportunities in addition to the full-on digital learning for some students.”
Jill Meinecke2022-02-02T11:00:32-10:00February 2, 2022|Categories: News|Tags: 2022 Legislative session, COVID-19, ERS, Hawaii DOE, House Committee on Pandemic and Disaster preparedness, Jr., Keith Hayashi, legislature, Osa Tui, Retirees, substitute teachers, teacher shortage|
Licensed teachers who have retired would be allowed to temporarily work as teachers by the Hawaii State Department of Education during a state of emergency within a year of their retirement, under a bill that received initial approval by a state House committee Tuesday.
Jill Meinecke2022-02-15T13:47:02-10:00January 27, 2022|Categories: News|Tags: bargaining unit members, budget, collective bargaining agreement, Council on Revenues, COVID-19, gov. david ige, Hawaii educators, hawaii state legislature, HIDOE, pandemic, salary compression|
State lawmakers are considering proposals that would assure that teachers in Hawaii, like their counterparts around the United States, are paid based on their years of experience. Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about a problem affecting thousands of educators in the islands: compression.
Terri Inefuku2022-07-29T10:45:32-10:00January 26, 2022|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: Bargaining Unit 05, coronavirus, COVID-19, Hawaii State Department of Education, HIDOE, quarantine, quarantine leave, school code, sick leave|
With COVID-19 cases in our community continuing to rise and notification letters about cases in a number of our schools already being sent to staff and families, questions about sick leave and quarantine leave have come up from Bargaining Unit 05 members as we start the 2021–22 school year.
Jill Meinecke2022-01-21T16:46:13-10:00January 21, 2022|Categories: News|Tags: board members, BOE, CDC, complex area superintendents, contingency plans, coronavirus, COVID-19, distance learning, DOH, HIDOE, interim superintendent, Keith Hayashi, safety|
The Hawaii Board of Education (BOE) Thursday called for the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) to share specific guidance and parameters with Hawaii public school staff and school communities as to when schools will need to move to distance learning because of high COVID-19 case counts on campus. The board said missing guidelines from the department has led to confusion, frustration and anger amongst educators, students and their families.
Terri Inefuku2022-01-17T11:54:21-10:00January 16, 2022|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: Board of Education, coronavirus, COVID-19, general business meeting, Human Resources Committee, meeting, Red Hill, teacher retention, testimony, vaccination, Water contamination|
This Thursday, Jan. 20, the Hawaii Board of Education will hold a series of meetings. Agenda items include teacher retention and shortage differentials, the superintendent search, Red Hill water contamination, and COVID-19 update for the 2021–22 school year. If you are affected by any of these topics, please submit written and, if possible, oral testimony. Your voice is necessary to ensure that board members are fully aware of the realities within our schools.
Jill Meinecke2022-01-14T17:53:43-10:00January 14, 2022|Categories: News|Tags: board of directors, COVID-19, Department of Health, Hawaii Board of Water Supply, Hawaii Department of Health, Hawaii Youth Climate Coalition, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Jr., Navy, Osa Tui, Red Hill, Sierra Club, Water contamination|
The Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) Board of Directors unanimously approved a proposal calling on the U.S. Navy to close its Red Hill fuel tanks which have contaminated drinking water. HSTA’s board approved the proposal Friday, which calls for an immediate emptying of fuel and a full closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
Jill Meinecke2022-01-14T10:58:54-10:00January 13, 2022|Categories: News|Tags: COVID-19, COVID-19 test, Department of Health, FDA, Hawaii Department of Education, interim superintendent, Keith Hayashi, NEA, President Joe Biden|
Beginning Jan. 15, group health plans (self-insured plans) and health insurance issuers (such as insurance companies) must cover the cost of at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 tests approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, regardless of whether tests are ordered by a healthcare provider. Coverage must be provided without cost-sharing, prior authorization, or other medical-management requirements.
Terri Inefuku2022-01-13T15:48:42-10:00January 13, 2022|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: absent, coronavirus, COVID-19, leave, lesson plans, personal leave, shortage, substitute|
Despite the Hawaii State Department of Education’s repeated claims that there are plenty of substitute teachers in the pool (they say 3,200), we know otherwise. Many substitutes in that pool are not accepting jobs during COVID-19. Some of them tell us they’re getting a half dozen or more calls a day and turning them down.
