Hawai‘i Public Schools Reopen for In-Person Learning This Fall

Hawaiʻi public schools will reopen for in-person learning, including all athletics, co-curricular and extracurricular activities this fall. 

Department of Education Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto sent a letter to parents on Monday announcing that all HI-DOE schools will fully open daily when the 2021-2022 school year begins on Aug. 3, 2021.

She said that “despite more than 800 cases reported by schools and offices since June of 2020, consistent adherence to safety protocols has meant that–to date–no transmission of the virus has occurred at a Hawaiʻi State Department of Education facility.” 

The protocols include staying home when sick, consistent mask wearing and proper hand hygiene.  

“We also now have an added layer of protection with COVID vaccinations more widely available and the recent approval of the vaccine for adolescents ages 12 and older. All of our high schools have been paired with health care providers to offer vaccinations to interested students and families, and we are now focusing on our middle school campuses,” said Dr. Kishimoto.

Additionally, she said, the department is finalizing plans for weekly COVID-19 testing at select pilot schools to further contain spread in school communities.

She said the return to in-person learning includes the resumption of co-curricular and extracurricular activities such as clubs, band and athletics.