Changes in HIDOE COVID-19 protocols likely; still under review for now

2022-03-04T13:33:05-10:00March 4, 2022|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Quarantine, sick leave benefits explained

2022-07-29T10:45:32-10:00January 26, 2022|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

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.

HSTA contract updated with gender-neutral language

2022-01-13T15:25:25-10:00January 13, 2022|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , , |

The 2021–23 Hawaii State Teachers Association Collective Bargaining Agreement, or contract, has been updated with gender-neutral language. Previous contracts utilized masculine pronouns in reference to gender types.

Schools scrambling without direction from HIDOE as omicron cases surge

2022-01-11T16:14:45-10:00January 11, 2022|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Unfortunately, with omicron cases soaring, the HIDOE still appears woefully unprepared to manage staffing and COVID-19 response with entire classes moved to cafeterias, gyms, or auditoriums given teacher absences and substitute shortage.

HIDOE, DOH failed to plan for school reopening in a responsible way

2021-12-29T17:22:39-10:00December 29, 2021|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Hawaii State Department of Education and the Hawaii Department of Health had time to make better plans for situations such as this and failed to act in a responsible way.

At HSTA’s request, HIDOE shares COVID-19 response update with Omicron data ‘yet to come’

2021-12-16T18:12:55-10:00December 16, 2021|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

The Hawaii Board of Education placed the update on its Dec. 16 general meeting agenda at the request of the Hawaii State Teachers Association. HSTA firmly believes regular updates to the board and the public help to improve concerns about transparency and accountability.

Severe weather closes HIDOE schools on Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi

2021-12-05T20:22:32-10:00December 5, 2021|Categories: News|Tags: , , , , , |

If you have not been notified, Hawaiʻi State Department of Education schools on Maui, Lānaʻi, and Molokaʻi are closed tomorrow (Monday, Dec. 6) due to severe weather. Bargaining Unit 05 employees should not report to campus per our contract.

Evaluation paused this school year for effective teachers

2021-10-22T13:58:15-10:00October 22, 2021|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

The Hawaii State Department of Education will carry over the previous rating of educators who already have an effective or higher rating this school year, unless they are on a probationary status. This change and more were outlined in a memo released by the HIDOE Friday.

Substitute shortage reported in urban and rural schools across the state

2021-10-20T20:35:34-10:00October 20, 2021|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , |

Educators across Hawaii report the substitute shortage caused by the pandemic has made it more difficult for teachers to teach and students to learn in large and small schools in communities of all sizes, according to a survey the Hawaii State Teachers Association conducted of its members in October. More than 100 substitute positions go unfilled every day around the state, according to reports from schools.

HIDOE takes no action on pandemic grievances, citing suspension of collective bargaining law

2021-10-01T14:13:56-10:00October 1, 2021|Categories: COVID-19, News|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

The Hawaii State Department of Education has notified the Hawaii State Teachers Association that it will “take no further action” on two class grievances over unsafe working conditions and the state’s mandate that unvaccinated education employees be tested for COVID-19 weekly, citing the suspension of parts of Hawaii’s collective bargaining law because of the pandemic.

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