Hawaii substitute teachers can collect unemployment this summer, state Labor Department says
Substitute teachers may collect unemployment insurance this summer after all, according to the state Labor Department. Read more
Susan Essoyan
Susan Essoyan has retired as an education reporter at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
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Latest Stories by Susan Essoyan
Most Hawaii parents want kids in school at least part time, survey shows
About 70% of families report that their children learned “much less” or “somewhat less” when public school campuses were closed last quarter to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, new survey results show. Read more
Hawaii Department of Education and teachers’ union agree on six feet of separation in classrooms
Hawaii’s public schools and the teachers’ union have agreed that students desks will be spaced six feet apart in classrooms in the new academic year, with anything less requiring a special exception. Read more
College students coming to Hawaii may qualify for modified quarantine
College students will have a chance to take part in university activities as part of a modified quarantine as long as they test negative for the virus and meet other health requirements. Read more
Most Hawaii public schools will blend in-person and distance learning when classes resume
Most public schools in Hawaii will offer a combination of on-campus and online education starting next month, but some plan to resume daily in-person instruction for all their students. Read more
Hawaii school board members hear thousands ‘speak with one voice’
More than 2,000 people flooded the Board of Education with written testimony Thursday, most pleading to keep students 6 feet apart and require they wear masks when they return to school next month. Read more
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Hawaii debates how close is too close for kids in classrooms
When Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said childrens’ desks could be as close as three feet if facing forward, it set off howls of protest. Read more
Substitute teachers’ unemployment benefits in limbo in Hawaii
When public schools shut down in Hawaii in March, substitute teachers were able to file for unemployment insurance, but that money stopped flowing in June. Read more
University of Hawaii at Manoa to boost study of life sciences with new facility
The Life Sciences Building just completed at the University of Hawaii at Manoa will unite researchers, professors and students across disciplines in a thriving field where Hawaii has a natural edge, administrators say. Read more
Hawaii public school principals examine models of instruction for this fall
The Department of Education will release detailed plans July 2 for how schools will operate in the next academic year, with each school’s leaders able to choose the instructional approach that best suits their community. Read more
St. John the Baptist School in Kalihi to shut down but St. Joseph School gets a reprieve
St. John the Baptist School in Kalihi is closing after 60 years, with projected enrollment plummeting after parents lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, worsening the Catholic school’s already-shaky finances. Read more
Waianae Elementary principal Ray Pikelny lands $25,000 Tokioka award
Principal Ray Pikelny, who has turned Waianae Elementary into a thriving hub of learning and caring in just three years, has won the $25,000 Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership award. Read more
Hawaii teachers union endorses Hanabusa plus Council candidates
The Hawaii State Teachers Association is backing former Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa for mayor, its first endorsement ever in a county-level election. Read more
Colleges in Hawaii will offer some in-person classes late this summer
Local universities, which already planned to resume in-person instruction this fall, are now ready to pilot such classes late this summer after getting the green light from the governor. Read more
Parents, teachers weigh in on reopening Hawaii’s public schools
School officials are seeking input from parents, teachers and staff as they make plans to reopen schools for the fall semester, but it’s clear that whatever path they choose will face resistance. Read more
New sponsors sought as free meals for Hawaii kids drop for summer
Only 51 public schools statewide will offer free Grab-and-Go meals over the summer to children, far fewer than during the spring semester that was cut short by the COVID-19 crisis. Read more
Legendary teacher-leader Candy Suiso retires from Waianae High
When Candy Suiso and a fellow teacher decided to launch a video production program for students at Waianae High School in 1993, there were plenty of naysayers. Read more
Kapiolani Community College offers free jump-start into health care jobs
Kapiolani Community College has launched a Rapid Health Education Program to help people jump-start new careers in seven health care positions, from medical assistants to pharmacy technicians. Read more
New, flexible Hawaii scholarship fund aims to ‘give these kids hope’
Seniors graduating from Hawaii’s public schools this month can get a boost toward their careers through a $2 million scholarship fund to be announced today that will offer flexible aid tailored to each student’s needs. Read more
St. Joseph School in Hilo could close without $500,000 cash infusion
St. Joseph School in Hilo, the only Catholic school on Hawaii island, will close after 151 years in operation unless it can quickly raise $500,000 for the next academic year. Read more
Hawaii schools superintendent rated effective despite some criticism
The Board of Education gave schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto an overall evaluation of “effective” Thursday but criticized her for not keeping the board in the loop on decisions or providing adequate data. Read more
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