Kauaʻi County public schools to remain closed to students through Friday following Hurricane Lowell

Hawaiʻi State Department of Education public schools in Kauaʻi County will remain closed to students through Friday, Sept. 11, as schools assess storm impacts and prepare campuses to resume operations following Hurricane Lowell.

The closure to students includes all public schools on Kauaʻi and Niʻihau High & Elementary School. The decision aligns with Gov. Josh Green and Mayor Derek Kawakami’s continued closure of state and county offices on Kauaʻi through Friday as recovery efforts continue across the island.

Along with the state Department of Accounting and General Services, HIDOE and school personnel will be assessing facilities, addressing storm-related impacts and preparing campuses for the return of students. Kaua‘i HIDOE employees — including teachers and educational assistants — will receive reporting instructions directly from their supervisors and schools based on their roles and local conditions.

Facility assessments are ongoing, with preliminary storm damage reported so far at Kauaʻi High School and Kekaha Elementary School. Widespread power outages have limited schools’ ability to complete formal damage reports, and access to some campuses is limited.

The Department is preparing for Kauaʻi County students to return to school Monday, Sept. 14, pending completion of campus assessments. Families will receive updates directly from their schools as recovery work continues.

All HIDOE public schools and offices on Oʻahu will reopen Wednesday, Sept. 9.

All HIDOE public schools and offices in Maui County and on Hawaiʻi Island will reopen Wednesday, Sept. 9, including the four West Maui schools that were closed Tuesday because of unsafe travel conditions.

The Department continues to coordinate with state and county emergency management officials and will provide updates through official communication channels.

Kauaʻi CC closed through Friday; Oʻahu campuses reopen following Hurricane Lowell

Kauaʻi Community College will remain closed through Friday, Sept. 11, due to damage and other impacts from Hurricane Lowell. In-person and online classes are canceled for the remainder of the week, and employees should not report to campus unless specifically directed to do so.

Campus officials are assessing damage and determining what work is needed before the campus can safely reopen. Students and employees are asked to stay away from campus while damage assessments and recovery work continue.

UH campuses and facilities on Oʻahu reopened Wednesday, Sept. 9, following Tuesday’s precautionary closure. The one possible exception is Leeward Community College’s Waiʻanae Moku Education Center. Power has been restored to the center, and a storm-related road obstruction is expected to be cleared. Leeward CC will provide students and employees with additional information on the center’s operational status.

UH leadership and emergency management teams continue to coordinate with state and county officials. Students and employees should monitor their hawaii.edu email, UH RAVE emergency alerts and official campus communication channels for the latest updates.