Oahu schools will temporarily move to online classes only when the school year starts — and the neighbor islands could follow suit.
Gov. David Ige announced Friday that, in light of an ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases centered on Oahu — as well as a series of new restrictions on Oahu to combat that surge — the state Department of Education has determined that from the start of the school year on Aug. 17, Oahu schools will only hold distance-learning classes for the first four weeks of the school year.
For now, this decision does not apply to the neighbor islands, said state Superintendent Christina Kishimoto.
However, Kishimoto added that she will have further discussions with neighbor island superintendents and principals next week to determine whether they will adopt the same policy or continue with their planned “blended learning” policy.
Kishimoto said the policy on Oahu will include some limited in-person services to accommodate students with disabilities, as well as those who do not have reliable internet access at home.
Ige urged employers to be lenient with employees as they juggle their work and caring for children at home.
Kishimoto reassured parents that the quality of online lessons will be significantly improved from the spring semester, when the online program was implemented quickly without much, if any, training.
This time, she said, teachers have undergone nine days of training for effectively conducting online lessons, and many have taken further lessons over the summer.
Kishimoto also could not corroborate reports by the Hawaii State Teachers Association that some teachers are retiring or taking leave this semester rather than return to crowded schools. She claimed that the number of teacher retirements this year are about on par with last year.
“I have heard a great deal of concern from parents and teachers regarding the start of the school year,” Ige said at a press conference Friday. “… I know that parents, teachers and students are worried. I also realize that keeping students at home is going to be an additional burden on working parents, but because of the recent surge on Oahu, I agree that this is the right approach.
“I know you’re frustrated with all of these measures. Everyone wants our lives to return to normal. But we still need to be vigilant, and taking personal responsibility is still the best way to fight COVID-19.”
The announcement came mere hours after the HSTA — which represents more than 13,000 teachers — urged the state to switch all classes statewide to online-only for the entire first quarter.
Kishimoto said the Department of Education is having continual discussions with the HSTA and other unions about its policies, but did not say whether the proposed policies have been made with the unions’ approval.
However, Ige said he and other state officials will make a determination whether to resume face-to-face learning on Oahu after the four-week period, or extend it through the first quarter.
Ige said he is working with several state departments to determine what metrics will be used to determine whether reopening is appropriate, as well as when closing a classroom, a building or a school might be necessary.
The announcement also came on the same day as the largest daily count of COVID-19 cases in Hawaii to date. The Department of Health reported 201 cases Friday, with one case on Maui and the remainder on Oahu.
Two Oahu men also were reported to have died of COVID-19 Friday, bringing the state fatality rate to 31.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.