Maui School Health Aides Graduate From New Certificate Program

Pictured left to right: Kuulei Akahi, Stella Souki, Shanamie Morondos, Marlene Waikiki, Marjorie Laborte. Not pictured: Cassie Ale. Courtesy photo.

The first group of School Health Aides from local Maui schools has completed a new School Health Aide Certificate of Competence Level One training at UH Maui College.

A graduation ceremony was held on the UHMC campus on Dec. 5, 2015 to celebrate the graduation of six SHAs from Baldwin, Lahainaluna, ʻĪao Intermediate, Pōmaikaʻi Elementary, Waiheʻe Elementary, and Wailuku Elementary.

A partnership with Kapiʻolani and the Department of Education brought the popular course to Maui for the first time, with a full tuition waiver for DOE employees.

Instruction was provided by experienced public health nurses from the Department of Health with training developed by Kapiʻolani Community College’s nursing faculty in consultation with public health nurses and practicing school health aides. The training focused on best practices to keep keiki healthy, safe, and ready to learn.

“I am so glad that I was able to take this course,” said graduate Kuulei Akahi.  “I feel more confident in doing my job right…I feel proud to have the SHA Certificate and I am grateful for all that made this happen for all of us,” said Akahi.

Leila Hayashida, Complex Area Superintendent from the DOE also commented saying, “As the ‘go to’ people on every campus, this is a valuable opportunity for our dedicated health aides. We hope that all of our Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi health aides can benefit from the Level One training, and that Kapi‘olani’s Level Two training will soon be offered here in Maui.”

The Level One course will be offered again in the spring or summer of 2016, and is open to current DOE employees who work or plan to work in the health rooms. Program representatives say distance learning options for aides on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi, and in Hāna are planned for this next offering, with student travel support for lab classes provided through the Hawai‘i/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center.

The project is also supported by a US Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grant awarded on Oct. 1, 2014, which is designed to meet Maui County’s need for a skilled health and social services workforce.

UH Maui College hopes to train all of the remaining 26 School Health Aides in Maui County, as well as the pool of substitute SHAs, before grant funding runs out.

To learn more about the next offering, visit maui.hawaii.edu/sha, or contact Selene LeGare, Health Program Specialist, at 984-3274.