Spring break for Hawaii’s public schools and charter schools will be extended through March 27 due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, the state Department of Education announced today.
Gov. David Ige said this afternoon that the number of virus cases has grown to seven. The three new cases announced today include one person on Maui and two on Oahu. None of the seven cases are on the Big Island.
The DOE “will use the additional time from March 23-27 to plan for implementation of social distancing within the school setting, arrange for professional development to support modified operations, and thoroughly clean schools,” it said in a statement.
Normal school operations for all schools are expected to resume Monday, March 30.
Spring break was originally scheduled to run from March 16-20 for most DOE schools, and Thursday, March 26, is Prince Kuhio Day, which is a state holiday.
“We understand the impact this will have on our families. This was not an easy decision to make but we take seriously our responsibility to safeguard the health and safety of our students, staff and the broader community while carrying out our educational mission,” Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto said. “Public schools serve as hubs of care in our communities, from access to health care to providing free and reduced price meals. We intend to restart school immediately once it is deemed safe to do so to reduce disruption to our school communities and provide consistency for our children.”
All planned school and department-coordinated events of more than 100 attendees are being canceled, effective Monday, until updated guidance is provided by health officials.
Graduation ceremonies, which are normally held in mid-to-late May, have not yet been modified; scheduling announcements will be made at a future date, the DOE said.
State Senate Vice President and Education Chair Michelle Kidani said, “Extending spring break is a precaution that we need to take. We know many parents who are working parents will be facing childcare issues. We hope that employers in Hawaii will consider making alternate work arrangements for parents such as teleworking so they can stay home with their children if possible.”