HIDOE, DOH failed to plan for school reopening in a responsible way
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.
Distance learning for fall term is ‘legitimate concern,’ superintendent says
For every teacher the state dedicates to distance learning when students return to class in August, it would need to pull a teacher out of the classroom, state Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said Tuesday.
CDC issues new school COVID-19 guidance
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Friday released new guidelines about the safe delivery of in-person instruction at K-12 schools.
State plans to revise school reopening thresholds, skewing toward more stringent federal guidelines
After the Hawaii State Department of Health’s school reopening metrics came under intense criticism because, among other things, they were as much as 10 times less stringent than federal metrics, the state epidemiologist told state senators Friday that her department is “looking at coming up with a revised draft of the thresholds.”
HSTA disappointed BOE did not adopt stricter school reopening standards
The Hawaii State Board of Education Thursday took steps to strengthen school reopening standards, but did not require the state Department of Education to match federal metrics, which are much more stringent than the state Department of Health’s (DOH) standards.
Senators grill superintendent on teacher telework, PPE
During a Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 briefing Wednesday, state senators pressed Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto about why more teachers aren’t allowed to telework when students are learning from home, and why educators are spending their own money for protective gear.
After HSTA’s outcry, schools roll back in-person plans for Monday
Many principals and complex area superintendents have drastically changed their approach, opting for grab-and-go arrangements to keep the number of students on campuses much lower than originally planned.
HSTA has serious concerns about HIDOE’s three-phase reopening plan
HSTA was not consulted nor notified prior to Friday’s announcement, and learned of the developments alongside the public. HSTA has subsequently demanded impact bargaining with the employer as the changes would have ramifications on numerous parts of our current contract.
Unions submit joint testimony to BOE on school reopening options
On Thursday, July 30, at 1 p.m., the board will hold a special meeting to discuss school reopening options. The agenda includes three action items that link to background, recommendations, and implications as submitted by the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE). On Tuesday, July 28, we submitted joint testimony with HGEA and UPW on all three action items, which we are sharing below.
BOE sets July 30 special meeting to consider school reopening calendar changes
The Hawaii State Board of Education (BOE) has scheduled a special meeting Thursday to take action on a number of scenarios that would give educators more time to prepare before students return to class during the pandemic.