Maui County Public Schools to Remain Closed on Friday

HP Baldwin High School. Photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

All public schools in Maui County and Hawaiʻi County will remain closed on Friday, Aug. 8, according to an update provided by the state Department of Education.

Department officials initially announced the closure of affected schools for Thursday, Aug. 7, due to potential severe weather impacts from Hurricane Iselle; but extended the closure into Friday after further assessment.

All inter-scholastic athletic events and student activities are canceled at those schools for the next two days.

Hurricane Iselle is expected to make landfall on Thursday, Aug. 7, on Hawaiʻi Island.

“We are making these decisions based our latest updates with the State Civil Defense,” said Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “We will keep you informed of the latest as it becomes available.”

Several public schools in Maui County have been designated as emergency shelters and will open to the public as a shelter on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. including the following locations: Baldwin High (Wailuku); Lokelani Intermediate (Kīhei); Kekaulike High (Upcountry); Hāna High & Elementary; Molokaʻi High; and Kilohana Elementary (Molokaʻi).

An additional shelter at Lahaina Civic Center is also expected to open on Thursday afternoon.

Other school closures include the following:

• UH Maui College and its Education Centers in Hāna and Lahaina and on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi will close at noon on Thursday, Aug. 7 and all day Friday, Aug. 8 due to anticipated severe weather. Weekend operations will also be suspended.
• Maui’s Catholic schools will close Thursday and Friday, including: St. Anthony Junior-Senior High School; St. Anthony Grade School and St. Anthony Preschool, all in Wailuku; Christ The King Child Development Center in Kahului; and Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina. The St. Joseph Preschool in Makawao operates a Catholic school program but has not yet opened for the new school year. A decision about classes on Monday, August 11, has not yet been made.

***A full list of closures and cancellations for Maui County is available at the following link.