IN ONE MONTH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE BACK IN SESSION.

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS MANDATED THAT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS REPORT TO CAMPUS.

BUT THAT DECISION HAS RECEIVED PUSHBACK FROM FOLKS WHO WANT THE DOE TO OFFER SOME FORM OF DISTANCE LEARNING.

WE’LL DISCUSS IF THERE ARE ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS, NEXT ON INSIGHTS.

NEXT MONTH, ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN HAWAII WILL RETURN TO IN PERSON INSTRUCTION FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS.

THIS COMES AFTER STUDENTS SPENT THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR DOING SOME FORM OF DISTANCE LEARNING.

TEACHERS WERE ONE OF THE FIRST GROUPS TO BE VACCINATED AND SHOTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR KIDS 12 AND OLDER.

SO, WHAT WILL CLASSROOMS LOOK LIKE IN AUGUST?

WILL THERE STILL BE SOCIAL DISTANCING?

AND WHAT ABOUT MASK WEARING?

TONIGHT’S LIVE BROADCAST AND LIVESTREAM OF INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI’I START NOW.

¶¶ ¶¶ ALOHA AND WELCOME TO INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII...I'M YUNJI DE NIES.

BACK IN MAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNOUNCED THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD RESUME A FULL, IN PERSON LEARNING SCHEDULE, THAT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES LIKE ATHLETICS, CLUBS AND BAND.

OUTGOING DOE SUPERINTENDENT CHRISTINA KISHIMOTO, WHO DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE TONIGHT, SAYS THE DECISION WAS MADE IN PART TO VACCINES BEING AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS 12 AND UP AND ON GOING SAFETY PROTOCOLS.

BUT SOME PARENTS AND EDUCATION ADVOCATES HAVE EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION THAT DISTANCE LEARNING OR A HYBRID SCHEDULE ARE NOT BEING OFFERED BY THE DOE, FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WHO MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE BEING BACK ON CAMPUS.

TONIGHT, OUR PANEL WILL DISCUSS WHAT OPTIONS, IF ANY, ARE AVAILABLE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TONIGHT'S SHOW.

YOU CAN EMAIL, CALL OR TWEET YOUR QUESTIONS.

AND YOU’LL FIND A LIVE STREAM OF THIS PROGRAM AT PBSHAWAII.ORG AND THE PBS HAWAII FACEBOOK PAGE.

NOW, TO OUR GUESTS.

CATHERINE PAYNE IS THE CHAIR OF THE HAWAII BOARD OF EDUCATION.

SHE IS A RETIRED EDUCATOR WHOSE CAREER SPANNED MORE THAN 35 YEARS.

PRIOR TO RETIRING SHE WAS THE PRINCIPAL AT FARRINGTON HIGH SCHOOL.

OSA TUI, JR. IS THE INCOMING PRESIDENT OF THE HAWAII STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.

HE’S A FORMER MATHEMATICS TEACHER AT HIS ALMA MATER CASTLE HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL WHERE HE WAS ALSO THE REGISTRAR.

HSTA REPRESENTS MORE THAN 13 THOUSAND PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS STATEWIDE.

ALISA BENDER IS THE PRINCIPAL AT AIEA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.

SHE SERVED AS INTERIM ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT LAST YEAR AND BEFORE THAT WAS THE PRINCIPAL OF HICKAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

DURING HER TENURE, HICKAM ELEMENTARY WAS RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL.

AND DAVID MIYASHIRO IS THE FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NON PROFIT, HAWAII KIDS CAN.

HE HOLDS A MASTER’S DEGREE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND IS A FORMER TEACHER AT WAHIAWA MIDDLE SCHOOL.

HAWAII KIDS CAN WORKS TO PARTNER WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY IN HAWAII.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE PROTOCOLS FOR FIRST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL.

A LOT OF PARENTS NOT USED TO HAVING KIDS IN CLASSROOM.

SPENT A YEAR DOING DISTANCE LEARNING.

WHAT ARE THE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE WHEN IT COMES TO MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, WHAT IS SCHOOL GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

>> FOR US, LOOKING WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO WORK WITH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ON WHAT IS CONSIDERED SAFE AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR OR SCHOOL AND STUDENTS.

WE'VE BEEN HAVING THIS ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT REALLY WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE SOCIAL DISTANCING.

AND WE ALSO FEEL THAT RIGHT NOW, UNTIL WE GET MORE INFORMATION OR THE VACCINES ARE MORE EFFECTIVELY SENT OUT THROUGHOUT OUR POPULATION, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO CONTINUE USING THE MASKS.

>>Yunji: MASKS WILL BE IN PLACE >> ON THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING QUESTION, I KNOW THAT IT WILL PROBABLY VARY SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.

TALK OF 6 FEET, THEN 3 FEET.

ARE THERE GUIDELINES OR MANDATES OR IS IT JUST SORT OF WHATEVER IS POSSIBLE?

>> WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE SAFE.

LOOKING AT IT FROM WHAT HAS BEEN SHARED WITH US IS THAT IT CAN BE UP TO 3 FEET IF WE ARE DOING THINGS WITH OUR MASKS ON.

AND THEN CONSIDERATIONS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WHEN WE HAVE WITHOUT OUR MASKS.

I ALSO THINK THAT COMING WITH VACCINATION, WE JUST HAD A VACCINATION CLINIC AT OUR SCHOOL.

12 AND UP.

THAT REALLY HELPED WITH US MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE THERE'S SAFETY AND THERE IS OTHER SAFETY MITIGATION EFFORTS IN PLACE.

>>Yunji: ARE YOU FROM A TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR MEMBERS?

HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT GOING BACK TO FULL IN PERSON LEARNING?

>> OUR TEACHERS HAVE WANTED TO BE WITH OUR STUDENTS, EVER SINCE LAST YEAR.

IT'S REALLY BEEN DIFFICULT TEACHING DURING THIS.

VIRTUAL PERIOD.

WE WANT TO ALSO BE SAFE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE STUDENTS ARE SAY.

OUR STUDENTS SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR TEACHERS ARE SUPPORTED AND HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR STUDENTS CAN BE SAFE.

MASKS, PPP, ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC IS STILL HERE.

IT'S NOT OVER.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE AND ADMINISTRATORS AND LEADERSHIP SUPPORT WHAT THEY NEED TO TO KEEP THEIR STUDENTS SAFE.

>>Yunji: HAVE YOU HEARD FROM MEMBERS WHO SAY THEY DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM AND ARE THERE OPTIONS FOR THEM IF THEY DON'T WANT GO BACK?

>> SO THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS WHO DO NOT WANT TO GO.

THEY MAYBE MEDICALLY FRAGILE FAMILY MEMBERS THEY LIVE W DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE A TELEWORK PROGRAM AND I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.

IT'S HARD TO SAY.

KIND OF LIKE A LOTTERY.

>>Yunji: WHAT BOARD'S TAKE ON OPTIONS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING.

WHAT ABOUT FAMILIES WILL HAVE THIS CONCERN >> MEETING IN YUEN, BOARD DISCUSSED RESOLUTION THAT INCLUDED NUMBER OF THINGS FOR THE OPENING OF SCHOOL INCLUDING DISTANCE LEARNING.

WE WILL BE DISCUSSING IT FURTHER AT OR MEETING ON THE 15TH OF JULY AND VOTING ON IT AT THAT TIME.

WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF TESTIMONY AND LETTERS TO THE BOARD FROM FAMILIES AND PARENTS WHO REALLY ARE CAN GO FOR US TO HAVE SOME KIND OF OPTION IN OUR SYSTEM.

WHAT THE WILL BE VOTING ON, SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT WE DECIDED YET.

BUT PERSONALLY, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS ABOUT THE NEED TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF OPTIONS FOR PARENTS, NOT AT EVERY SCHOOL.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES IN SOME SCHOOL WAS STAFFING.

HOWEVER.

CERTAINLY WITHIN COMPLEXIONS, THERE SHOULD BE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR SPECIFIC SITUATIONS.

WE STILL HAVE FOUR OUT OF TEN PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED >> WE HAVE ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY CHILDREN HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED.

AND WE DON'T HAVE DATA ON OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS.

SO THERE'S A RISK THERE.

MY CONCERN IS THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE SOME SORT OF OPTION AND WE AREN'T PREPARED TO GO PROVIDE OPTIONS, THEN WE COULD BE IN THE SAME SITUATION OF NOT BEING READY FOR WHATEVER COMES UP.

WE JUST NEED TO LOOK AROUND THE WORLD AND SEE THAT THINGS ARE NOT GOING REALLY WELL WITH THIS PANDEMIC AND WE NEED TO BE PREPARED.

CERTAINLY, THE BEST PLACE FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN IS IN THE CLASSROOM.

WE WANT AS MANY WHO CAN BE THERE AS POSSIBLE.

BUT I BELIEVE THE BOARD WILL BE TALKED, I KNOW THE BOARD WILL BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT OPTIONS WE CAN EXPECT FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND IT'S SOME SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY GOING INTO HYBRID MODELS.

ASKED TO DO THIS AS PART OF THEIR DESIGN.

SOME SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY PLANNING FOR DISTANCE LEARNING.

I THINK WE NEED TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT OPTION IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS WHO REALLY REALLY NEED IT.

AND THAT WE DON'T JUST HAVE A DEFAULT OF GO TO HOME SCHOOLING.

IF YOU CAN'T BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT IN OUR SCHOOL.

THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR PARENTS.

I DON'T EXPECT A LOT, BUT SOME.

WE'LL NEED IT.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO STICK WITH YOU FOR JUST A SECOND AND ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY DO FROM THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE.

COULD THE BOARD MANDATE THAT THAT KIND OF OPTION BE PUT IN PLACE?

WHAT KIND OF A RESOLUTION ARE YOU LOOK AT?

>> IT IS ACTUALLY A WITHIN THE BOARD'S POLICY DIVISION.

RESOLUTION IS SORT OF INTERIM POLICY.

SO WE CAN DO THAT, YES.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

I WANT TO GET TO YOU.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, FIRST OF ALL, THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH.

HAWAII KIDS CAN, DOES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND TALK A LITTLE BIT LEARNING ALSO AND WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING AS KATHRYN NOTED, WE ALL WANT KIDS TO BE BACK IN PERSON IF POSSIBLE.

WHAT THE EFFECT HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR.

>> ACTUALLY STARTED THIS ORGANIZATION AFTER BEING A TEACHER AND REALIZING THAT SO MANY OF OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR STUDENTS HAVE GREAT IDEAS AND A LOT OF TIMES, DON'T FEEL INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS.

SO ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH A CAREER POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT, SO I CAN LEARN HOW THESE SYSTEMS WORK AND SO WITH OUR ORGANIZATION, WE REALLY TRY TO MERGE AND BRIDGE THAT GAP THAT I SAW EVERY DAY AS A TEACHER.

SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT OF EXPERTS, STUDENTS, PARENT, FAMILY, TEACHERS, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO FIRST START FROM A PLACE OF EMPATHY.

TALKED EXPERT WORKS IN THE AREA OF TRAUMA.

HE SAID, IT'S NOT JUST A SIMPLE AS A LIGHT SWITCH THAT YOU FLICK.

EVERYBODY IS BACK IN PERSON.

IT'S A PROCESS.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SCARED AND TRAUMATIZED.

KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE OVER THE LAST YEAR.

SO WE NEED TO REALLY RECOGNIZE THAT AND WORK WITH FOLKS AND HAVE PATIENCE AS WE GET BACK TO SOME SENSE OF NORMAL.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR KIDS HAVE BEEN THROUGH, FOR A LOT OF KIDS BEEN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

LATEST NUMBERS TO THE DEPARTMENT BOARD OF EDUCATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT SHOW THAT 30% OF VULNERABLE STUDENTS WERE AT RISK OF CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM THIS YEAR.

THAT GAP IS WIDE.

THAT COULD RANGE FROM KIDS WHO MISS 15 DAYS OF SCHOOL TO SOME KIDS MAYBE DIDN'T SHOW UP AFTER DAY ONE.

WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT.

WE CAN'T TAKE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH TO THIS RECOVERY.

WE HAVE TO BUILD ON THE ASSETS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY LISTEN TO AND SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR KIDS BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROCESS AGAIN.

WE NEED TO LEAD WITH EMPATHY >>Yunji: RAISES GOOD POINT VARIED EXPERIENCE.

SOME KIDS DIDN'T GO TO SCHOOL AT ALL.

SOME KIDS REALLY ON IT, EVERY ZOOM MEETING.

WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WHAT CAN INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS DO TO KIND OF BRING EVERYONE UP TO SPEED.

GOT TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR HE HAD EDUCATORS AS WELL.

HAVE SUCH A DIVERSE CLASSROOM IN TERMS OF JUST ABILITY.

>> IS WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO OPEN, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A TIME PERIOD REALLY NEED TO PLAN AND REALLY THINK THROUGH.

TAKING A STEP BACK.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR OUR SYSTEM.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT MAKE SURE THAT SAFETY IS IN PLACE.

NUMBER ONE.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THE LEARNING THAT HAS BEEN DISRUPTED.

OR INCOMPLETE OR WAS LACKING THAT SUPPORT THAT WE USUALLY HAVE WHEN WE ARE IN PERSON.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCELERATING LEARNING.

AND ACCELERATING HAS ITS COMPLEX, BUT I THINK WE COULD BREAK IT DOWN AND MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GO FORWARD.

AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE LEARNING.

I THINK TALKING TO WHAT DAVID WAS LOOKING AT, REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN INVOLVE TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICES REALLY ADDRESSING OUR CHILDREN, WHAT HAPPENED SOCIALLY, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND EVERYTHING FOR OUR STUDENTS AS WELL AS OUR FACULTY AND STAFF.

TEACHERS THERE.

TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS ARE CONCERNED.

THERE'S REAL ANXIETY.

REAL COMPASSION FATIGUE THAT REALLY HAPPENS.

THERE WAS ACTUALLY SOME KINDS OF FEAR THAT HAPPENED THROUGH THE TIME PERIOD AND WE REALLY DO HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT.

I THINK THE OTHER THING DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, WHAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT ALSO IS WE SAW THAT THERE WAS SOME GAPS, SOME INEQUALITIES, SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE, THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED DURING THIS TIME.

AND THIS WE NEED TO OPEN BETTER.

WE NEED TO CONSIDER WHERE IN OUR SYSTEM, WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS EQUITY.

WE KNEW WERE IMPORTANT.

AND VERY MUCH SO, I AGREE WITH DAVID.

REALLY LOOK AT BEING EMPATHETIC VOICE AND EMPATHETIC LISTENING.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO STICK WITH YOU FOR JUST A SECOND.

JUST WALK US THROUGH.

IT'S FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL AND THERE'S A COVID POSITIVE TEST.

LET'S SAY.

STUDENT.

WHAT ARE THE PROTOCOLS, ARE STUDENTS BEING KEPT IN SOME KIND OF A COHORT ONLY IN A POD, IF YOU WILL, OR HOW DOES THAT ACTUALLY WORK, WILL ALL STUDENTS BE SENT HOME?

DOES THE TEACHER GET SENT HOME?

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE A POSITIVE CASE IN SCHOOL?

>> WE HAVE BEEN STRANGELY GOOD AT LOOKING AT BEING IN A SENSE, CONTACT TRACERS.

WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS TRY TO UNDERSTAND ONCE WE GET THE CASE OUR COMPLEX, WE HAVE AGREEMENTS WE TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT, SIBLINGS OR WHATNOT, THEN WE TRY TO FIND OUT WHERE WAS THAT CHILD AND WHEN DID THE POSITIVE TEST COME FROM.

THEN WE START TO DO, LOOK AT WHAT NEEDS TO BE TAKING CARE OF IN TERMS OF CLEANING AND THEN WE JUST TRY TO DETERMINE WHICH STUDENTS DO WE NEED TO INFORM FOR TEACHERS DO WE NEED TO INFORM THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THEM BE CHECKED OR QUARANTINED.

THAT'S HOW WE DID IT BACK ON THE LAST SEMESTER.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WOULD BE BETTER PROTOCOL AS WE GO FORWARD.

BUT THE MAIN THING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SAFE.

AND THAT WE ACTUALLY FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE SURE WE COMMUNICATE TO OUR FAMILIES AND TO OUR CHILDREN ABOUT HOW THEY SHOULD BE SAFER ONCE WE KNOW ABOUT A CASE.

>>Yunji: I KNOW THAT A LOT OF STUDENTS WILL NOT BE VACCINATED.

EVERYBODY, TEACHERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THE VACCINE.

THEY ARE OVER 12 OBVIOUSLY.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR MEMBERS HAVE BEEN VACCINATED?

>> POLLED MEMBERS EARLY FEBRUARY.

70% OF THEM, VAST MAJORITY REPLIED.

SAID THEY WERE EITHER STARTING THE VACCINATION OR ON THEIR WAY TO GET VACCINATED.

BY NOW, WE ANTICIPATED THAT'S MUCH HIGHER.

WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL WE WERE ABLE TO BE IN THE TIER 2 TO GET THOSE VACCINATIONS.

WE KNOW OTHER STATES, TEACHERS WERE NOT PRIORITIZED AND IS WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

>>Yunji: DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION WOULD ACCEPT AS A CONDITION OF WORK, THAT IT BE MANDATORY FOR AN EDUCATOR TO BE VACCINATED?

>> YOU KNOW, THERE ARE REASONS WHY SOME PEOPLE CANNOT GET VACCINATED.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE FOR ALL TEACHERS TO HAVE TO BE VACCINATED IF ALL STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE TO BE VACCINATED.

AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN ANY TIME SOON.

SO WE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT >>Yunji: KATHRYN, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THAT?

SHOULD, THERE'S ACTUALLY QUESTION HERE FROM JEFF.

WE ENCOURAGE OUR VIEWERS TO SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONS AND CALL IN.

JUST LIKE OTHER VACCINE, WHY NOT REQUIRE COVID VACCINES FOR ATTENDANCE FOR 12 AND UP LIKE HIGH SCHOOLS.

WHAT IS THE BOARD'S TAKE ON THAT?

>> RIGHT NOW, THE VACCINE IS NOT, IT'S IN EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION STAGE.

AND SO IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO REQUIRE A VACCINE WHEN IT'S IN THAT PARTICULAR CATEGORY.

IT'S UP TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO DETERMINE WHAT VACCINES REQUIRED OF STUDENTS.

IT'S NOT BOARD POLICY TO DECISION AT ALL.

SO JUST AS MANY OF THE THINGS WE'VE HAD LOTS OF TESTIMONY FROM FOLKS WHO FEEL LIKE WE SHOULDN'T HAVE MASKS.

WE SHOULD HAVE MASKS.

AND JUST PEOPLE THAT ARE POLAR OPPOSITES WHAT THEY THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING HEALTH WISE >> IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO IS WHAT IS RECOMMENDED OR DIRECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

BECAUSE WE'RE NOT HEALTH PROVIDERS.

WE ARE IMPLEMENTERS OF A SERVICE AND WE NEED TO HAVE HEALTH DEPARTMENT GUIDE US ON THAT.

WE DO THINK THAT THERE MAY BE SOME LOOSENING OF THE OUTDOOR MASKING REQUIREMENTS OF EVERYBODY.

I'M HOPEFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S KIDS ARE OUTSIDE, IT'S NOT AS MUCH OF A RISK.

BUT I DO EXPECT THAT WEARING MASKS IN THE CLASSROOM WILL CONTINUE FOR THE FUTURE AS WE SEE IT.

>>Yunji: WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON MANDATORY VACCINATIONS FOR STUDENTS OR FOR TEACHERS?

>> I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT LISTEN TO WHAT FAMILIES WANT.

ACTUALLY, GETS TO A POINT THAT I WANTED TO REEMPHASIZE, WE THINK ABOUT THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES THIS YEAR, IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PARENT VOICES ARE CONSIDERED.

IF PARENTS ARE SAYING THEY WANT PUBLIC, QUALITY, DISTANCE LEARNING OPTION, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE FAMILY GOING BACK TO FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE TALK ABOUT THE POWER AND PROMISE OF OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.

PROMISE OF OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.

NEED TO BE ABLE TO SPREAD THAT.

LEARNED A LOT.

TEACHERS ARE INCREDIBLE.

GREAT STRIDES OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.

WE CAN TAKE THAT LEARN AND REALLY CREATE A WORLD CLASS CENTRALIZED DISTANCE LEARNING OPTION.

KIDS FROM KA'U COULD BE TAKING CLASSES, KIDS FROM CASTLE AND MAUI, REALLY DOESN'T MATTER ANY MORE.

WE HAVE THOSE GREAT EDUCATORS IN OUR SYSTEM.

THAT CLARITY, AND THAT QUALITY THAT OFFERING REALLY NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE TO PARENTS NEXT YEAR.

>>Yunji: YOU KNOW, JUST FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, THE D.O.E.

ALREADY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS TO STAFF THE IN PERSON LEARNING.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TEACHERS TO DO DISTANCE LEARNING AND IN PERSON LEARNING.

HOW WOULD THAT HAPPEN?

>> I THINK BIG DIFFERENCE LOOK AT WHAT LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS MIAMI DADE, CLOSE TO THREE TIMES LARGER THAN HAWAII D.O.E.

RATHER THAN MAKING TEACHER HAVE A CLASS FULL OF WHAT ARE CALLED RUMORS AND ZOOMERS.

TEACHES KIDS ON ZOOM AND CLASS.

BEST DISTANCE LEARNING TEACHER IN OUR SYSTEM.

OFFER QUALITY COURSE.

CONSOLIDATING THAT AND OFFERING CENTRALIZED OPTION TO ALL THOSE KIDS AND FAMILY.

THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF TECHNOLOGY.

EFFICIENCY BUILT IN.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THINGS THE WAY WE ALWAYS HAVE BEFORE.

LET'S GET CREATIVE.

WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES HERE.

FEDERAL MONEY COMING IN TO SUPPORT INNOVATION.

I THINK TEACHERS ARE SMART ENOUGH DO IT.

OUR SCHOOLS ARE GOOD ENOUGH DO IT.

LET'S DO IT.

>>Yunji: IS THAT POSSIBLE?

>> I THINK I LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CREATE AND INNOVATE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN ALL THIS, THAT'S OKAY RIGHT NOW TO STRUGGLE A LITTLE BIT IS THE WORD I'M GOING TO USE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE PERFECT WHEN WE DO IT.

AND I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO BRING ALL OF US TOGETHER, HAVE ALL OF OUR VOICES COMING IN TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT WHO IS THE MODELS OR BEST WAY AHEAD.

LET FOLKS FIGURE OUT WAYS TO BE INNOVATIVE.

IT IS TRUE.

WE DON'T HAVE SAME BARRIERS >> WE DON'T HAVE THE WALLS TECHNOLOGY CAN ALLOW US THIS.

IF WE HAVE TO REALLY THINK OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE'VE KNOWN, AND REALLY TRY TO THINK OF WHAT IT COULD BE, IMAGINE SOMETHING.

THAT'S A, ALL OF US ARE REALLY THINK QUICKLY AND GOING FORWARD.

THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN BEST USE FUNDS AND RESOURCES AND OUR BEST PEOPLE.

>>Yunji: I MEAN, OPERATING WORD QUICKLY.

SCHOOL STARTING IN A MONTH.

TO STAND UP SOMETHING LIKE WHAT DAVID IS TALKING ABOUT SEEMS PRETTY DIFFICULT.

DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WILL BE POSSIBLE GIVEN IT'S TIME CONSTRAINT, FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS AND JUST THE PRACTICAL NATURE OF TRYING TO FIGURE SYSTEM LIKE THAT OUT?

>> I THINK WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED TOWARDS BEING GOOD AT DISTANCE LEARNING.

WE HAVE DEPARTMENT HAS E SCHOOL THAT THEY CAN BUILD UPON.

THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD REALLY LOOK AT EXPANDING.

THEN JUST BEING REALLY CLEAR HOW WE WHO CAN DO THIS AND HOW WE CAN, I DON'T WANT TO SAY VOLUNTEERS BUT I WANT TO SAY, REALLY NEED TO HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO WANT TO TRY THIS OUT AND DO THIS.

AND BE IN A SENSE, LIKE PILOTS AND THAT'S OKAY LIKE I SAID, NOT TO GET OUT OF THE GATES PERFECT.

AND THEN REALLY WORKING TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF SYSTEMS COULD BE POSSIBLY DONE WITH THIS.

BECAUSE WE'RE, I GUESS, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORD, TRYING TO, GOING TO DO THIS, IT HAS TO BE DONE IN A VERY AGILE WAY.

>>Yunji: IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

ALSO, I SAW YOU RAISED YOUR HAND.

I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO CHIME IN ON THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'VE NEEDED TO BE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE THING.

RIGHT NOW, TO BE IN THE SUMMER AND DEBATING WHAT SHALL WE DO FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, IS REALLY DISAPPOINTING.

WE HAVE PARENTS WHO ARE RIGHTFULLY WORRIED THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO SEND THEIR STUDENTS.

WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS THAT HAVE THRIVED IN THIS VIRTUAL LESSON.

VIRTUAL THINGS.

AND WE HAVE SOME TEACHERS THAT HAVE COME UP WITH GREAT INNOVATIVE WAYS.

BUT IF A CLASSROOM ONLY HAS THREE STUDENTS DON'T WANT TO COME THIS YEAR OR FIVE, GOING TO BE HARD TO SET THAT UP FOR JUST THAT ONE SCHOOL.

DEPARTMENT SAID, CALL YOUR SCHOOL AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT.

IF WE CAN COORDINATE THESE THINGS, WE ARE ONE STATEWIDE SYSTEM.

IF WE CAN COORDINATE THESE, FIND THREE FROM TEN DIFFERENT CLASSES, OR TEN IS TOO MANY, BUT TO FIND A WHOLE GROUP OF STUDENTS, WE CAN THEN DEDICATE A TEACHER TO TEACHING ONLINE FOR THOSE STUDENTS.

SO LAST SUMMER, THE DEPARTMENT DID ASK FAMILIES, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO FOR NEXT YEAR?

AND IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO ASK THAT AGAIN.

BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST GOING WITH NO, HEAD STRONG, GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY COME IN AND WHEN THE STUDENTS, WHEN THE PARENTS SAY, NO, I DON'T WANT TO THAT, I'M GOING TO PULL MY KID OUT, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE DRASTIC EFFECTS ON THE SCHOOL AND THEIR BUDGET, THEIR BUDGET START GOING TO STRAIN, LOSE TEACHERS.

WE WANT BONA FIDE TEACHERS IN EVERY CLASSROOM IN FRONT OF EVERY STUDENT.

THAT'S GOING TO BE JEOPARDIZED IF WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH.

>>Yunji: I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.

>> WELL, I WANT TO REFLECT BACK AND WHEN WE STARTED DOING DISTANCE LEARNING, WE HAD A PROGRAM THAT WAS NOT EFFECTIVE.

WE HAD LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS IN THE BOARD ABOUT THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.

AND THE STATE CURRICULUM SPECIALIST WORKED REALLY HARD TO VET OTHER PROGRAMS AND WE DO HAVE SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS BUYING LICENSE FOR, PUT OUT BY K 12, AND THIS IS FOR K 8.

WE STILL DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT WE DO HAVE A MUCH BETTER CURRICULUM FOR DISTANCE LEARNING IF THAT IS WHAT IS CHOSEN.

I THINK WE MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION.

ALSO HAVE SOME FEDERAL MONIES THAT WILL BEING USED BY THE UNIVERSITY TO WORK WITH COHORTS OF TEACHERS THAT SUMMER.

ON WORK ON BEST PRACTICES FOR DISTANCE LEARNING AND HYBRID EDUCATION AND SO THIS IS BEING DEVELOPED BY TEACHERS WE HAVE SOME MOMENTUM GOING WITH TEACHERS WHO ARE REALLY INTERESTED AND PROFICIENT WANT TO GET BETTER.

I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN HUI PEOPLE TOGETHER AND COMPLEX WITHIN A COMPLEX, AND I DO BELIEVE SOME OF THIS IS GOING ON ALREADY.

I'M JUST VERY DISTURBED BY ALL OR NOTHING.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING, YOU HAVE TO DO HOME SCHOOLING BECAUSE I FEEL WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AND WE NEED TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THEM BACK INTO OUR SYSTEM AND IF IT TAKES DIFFERENT WAYS TO BRING THEM BACK, AND DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT.

MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THIS PLANNING HAS BEEN GOING ON IN MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS ALREADY.

SO THERE MAY BE SOME THAT ARE NOT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T BE MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME DIFFERENTIATION FOR THE FAMILIES WHO ARE GENUINELY CONCERNED AND HAVE LEGITIMATE REASONS FOR NEEDING TO HAVE ANOTHER OPTION.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.

PERHAPS YOU CAN ALSO INCLUDE IN YOUR ANSWER RESPONSE TO KESHA WRITES IN.

IS THERE DATA ON HOW MANY FAMILIES WOULD SEEK A FULL DISTANCE OPTION IF PROVIDED.

TO WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT IN?

ON THE FLIP SIDE, A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO NEED TO WORK NEED TO SEND YOUNG CHILDREN.

I'M NOT EQUIPPED TO DO DISTANCE LEARNING.

I KNOW THAT I HAVE A PRESCHOOLER.

LET ME TELL YOU, DISTANCE LEARNING WAS PRETTY TOUGH FOR US OVER THE LAST YEAR.

TO HER QUESTION, HOW MANY FAMILIES DO WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY WANT THIS?

>> YEAH, IN TERMS OF PLANNING, I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT THIS PROVERB SAYS.

I THINK AFRICAN PROVERB.

IF YOU WANT TO GO FAST, GO ALONE.

IF YOU WANT GO FAR, GO TOGETHER.

I THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALREADY CREATED WORKING GROUPS TO LOOK INTO THE BEST THING THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THIS LAST YEAR.

THE WORK IS ALREADY HAPPENED OR IT'S DONE.

SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPERATIONALIZE THAT.

IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF DEPARTMENT, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THAT.

THAT WOULD BE A GREAT DISCUSSION FOR FUTURE BOARD OF ED.

MEETING AND HOW ARE THOSE SURVEYS BEING DELIVERED.

ARE THOSE ONLINE SURVEYS?

IS THERE CALLS?

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS UNFORTUNATELY WITH OUR COMMON SERVING METHOD.

CALLED COUPLE OF FAMILIES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THEIR KIDS HAD SOME OF THE BEST YEARS THEY'VE EVER HAD.

THEY FELT LIKE THEY HAD ATTENTION AND SUPPORT.

AND FOR SOME OF THE STIGMA AND DISTRACTIONS THAT CAN MAKE SCHOOL NOT SO FUN FOR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

SO THEY WOULD LOVE SOME KIND OF HYBRID OR DISTANCE OPTION.

AND YOU KNOW, THOSE KIDS THINK I WHO DID THRIVE, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MODELS WE HAD ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS LAST YEAR, WHAT WERE THE SCHOOLS THAT DIDN'T DO REALLY WELL?

AND HOW MANY OF THOSE KIDS HAD DISTANCE LEARNING AND DIFFERENT DISTANCE LEARNING MODELS ACTUALLY ACHIEVED BECAUSE YES, I DO THINK THERE WAS LEARNING LOSSES LAST YEAR, SO MANY KIDSES THAT HAVE FOUND THAT THEY ARE SELF DIRECTED LEARNERS AND THAT THEY ENJOY THE EXTRA TIME WITH THEIR FAMILY.

AND THAT THEY HAVE GONE AND GOTTEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND TRIED NEW ACTIVITY.

MAYBE WENT AND LOBBIED CITY COUNCIL FOR THE FIRST TIME.

BECAUSE THEY HAD FLEXIBILITY IN THEIR SCHEDULE.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD BE LEARNED FROM LAST EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST YEAR.

AND AGAIN, WE JUST NEED TO TALK TO OUR PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE LEARNINGS ARE.

>>Keahi: I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS.

IT DOES FEEL LIKE THE D.O.E.

HAS BASICALLY PRESENTED ALL OR NOTHING OPTION FOR FAMILIES.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?

>> I THINK FOR ME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENING IS THAT WHEN I HAVE BEEN LOOK AT OUR SCHOOL, WHAT WE NEEDED WAS, IT'S VERY UNCERTAIN TIMES.

RIGHT NOW, I THINK WHAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IS TO GET THAT KIND OF THING THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, INFORMATION THAT DATA, SO WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

BECAUSE WE KNOW FOR SURE, RIGHT, THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE DISRUPTED LEARNING.

SO US TRYING TO REALLY THINK THROUGH THAT PART, THAT IS WHAT WE'RE LOOK AT.

WE KNOW ALL OF OUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE SOME KIND OF TRAUMA.

SO WE KNOW WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THAT.

WHEN YOU'RE GETTING TO LOOKING AT THESE KIND OF THINGS WITH DISTANCE LEARNING, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS REALLY OUT THERE THAT WE YOU COULD TACKLE.

I MEAN, THAT WAS ONE OF THE STRUGGLES WE HAD IN THE THINKING AND PLANNING AS WE WERE GOING AHEAD.

IF WE ONLY HAVE THREE STUDENTS.

THAT IS REALLY TOUGH FOR US TO MANAGE WITH THE BUDGETING AND WHATNOT.

SECONDARY, TALKING ABOUT CORE OF TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET TO ALL OF THEIR DIFFERENT SUBJECTS.

WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT RESOURCES AROUND THAT, TEACHER ABILITY AROUND THAT FOR JUST OURSELVES AS BY OURSELVES.

WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT IS THERE WAY TO LIKE KATHRYN WAS TALKING ABOUT, WITHIN OUR HUIS, WE NEED TO GET THROUGH THAT PLACE AND WE NEED INFORMATION AND WE REALLY HAVE TO COME BACK TO REALLY WHAT IS OUR VALUES HERE GOING INTO THIS UPCOMING YEAR.

>>Yunji: WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT WHAT THE FAMILIES WANT WHEN IT COMES TO TO WHETHER OR NOT TO RETURN TO SCHOOL.

WONDER IF YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY TEACHERS WOULD PREFER TO TEACH FROM HOME?

>> I THINK IT'S A MINORITY.

TEACHERS WANT TO BE WITH OUR STUDENTS.

WHAT THEY ALSO WANT IS TO EITHER BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THEIR STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASS OR TO FOCUS ON STUDENTS WHO ARE ONLINE.

HARD FOR THEM PAST YEAR IS TRYING TO JUGGLE TEACHING STUDENTS BOTH ONLINE AND IN THE CLASSROOM AT THE SAME TIME.

THAT REALLY HAS DONE NOTHING FOR ANYBODY.

SO WE WANT, IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW MANY OF THESE STUDENTS, AND ALSO, PUTTING THEM ON K 12, BASICALLY JUST PAYING MONEY, ALL OF THIS FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS KICKING IN, JUST SENDING IT OFF TO SOME PROGRAM.

SOME COMPANY ON THE MAINLAND, WE COULD BE INVESTING THAT IN LOCALS HERE.

OUR TEACHERS KNOW WHAT TO DO.

STUDENTS NEED SOMEONE WORKING WITH THEM.

WE'VE SEEN THAT WHEN THE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ON PROGRAMS, ON THEIR OWN, JUST LEFT TO THEIR OWN DEVICES, IT HASN'T WORKED.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A TEACHER THAT CAN INTERACT AND INTERFACE AND GIVE THEM HUMAN TOUCH.

THAT'S WHAT I'M WORRIED WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO GET THIS DONE >>Yunji: DOES FEEL RATHER LATE TO BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLY SERVING FAMILY AND MAKING THESE DECISIONS.

FOR THE TEACHERS, HOW DO THEY APPROPRIATELY PLAN WITHOUT MONTH OUT, DO THEY KNOW IF THEY'RE IN PERSON, NOT IN PERSON, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHT ON THAT?

>> CORRECT.

THEY DON'T KNOW.

IT'S VERY UNNERVING THAT WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION FOR A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.

WE'RE LOOKING TO ADMINISTRATORS LIKE ELISA TO GIVE SOME GUIDANCE.

I THINK EVEN ADMINISTRATORS LIKE ELISA, THEY DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHAT'S GOING ON AND WAITING FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE AS WELL.

WE'RE JUST HOPING THAT THE RIGHT DECISION GET MADE BECAUSE WE LEARNED LESSONS ALREADY >>Yunji: I WANT TO GIVE YOU THIS QUESTION FROM A VIEWER FROM KAIMUKI.

SAYS, FOR THE STUDENTS WHO FELL BEHIND FROM ISSUES WITH DISTANCE LEARNING, WHAT WILL BE DONE TO HELP THEM CATCH UP WITH THE COURSES?

ARE THERE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO HELP THESE STUDENTS CATCH UP?

I KNOW THAT D.O.E.

HAD ONE OF THE LARGEST SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS IN HISTORY.

THAT HOPEFULLY HELPED A LOT OF STUDENTS.

FOR STUDENT IS NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, OR STILL CONTINUE TO LEARNING LOSS, WHAT IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THEM?

>> I THINK ONE OF THE THING THAT WE WERE REALLY LOOKING AT AND PLANNING FOR OURSELVES TALKED A LOT ABOUT ACCELERATED LEARNING.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE.

THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO REALLY GET TO KNOW DEEPLY KNOW OUR STUDENTS, SO WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT ASSESSMENT >> LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS TO UNDERSTAND, REALLY WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD A LOSS.

THEN WE DO WHAT GOOD TEACHERS DO.

WE GO AHEAD AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO EITHER WORK WITHIN CONTENT AREA AND THEN JUST FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THESE AREAS MAYBE THE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS, THAT THEY NEED SO THEY CAN ACHIEVE AT GRADE LEVEL THEY'RE IN, AND WE INTERVENE, PROPERLY, I WANT TO SAY APPROPRIATELY.

BETTER WORD.

IN A MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDENTS.

>>Yunji: KATHRYN I WANT TO WEIGH IN JUST IN TERMS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT POSITION.

WE KNOW THAT BE OBVIOUSLY, DR. KISHIMOTO STEPPING UP DO.

KEITH HAYASHI PRINCIPAL WAIPAHU HIGH SCHOOL COMING IN INTERIM.

GIVEN WE HAVE A LEADERSHIP CHANGE AT THIS CRITICAL TIME, DO YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT AND WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN REPLACING DR. KISHIMOTO?

>> I THINK KEITH REFLECTS QUALITIES WE'RE LOOKING FOR IT'S TIME THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

WE IS NEED TO HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION.

HE IS ALREADY WORKING VERY CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT, HE'S NOT STARTING ON THE FIRST DAY WITHOUT A FULL AWARENESS OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.

HE CONCERNED ALSO THAT WE ARE AT A VERY SHORT TIME IN WHICH ANY KINDS OF CHANGES TO THE MANDATORY EVERYBODY IN SCHOOL, EXPECTATION WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.

I THINK HE ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME EXCEPTIONS.

I REALLY, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I DON'T SEE A LOT OF STUDENTS IN THIS SITUATION.

I THINK THAT MOST STUDENTS WANT TO BE BACK.

MOST FAMILIES WANT TO HAVE THEM BACK.

WE DO NEED TO HAVE A PLAN IN EVERY COMPLEX FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO COME BACK, A PLAN THAT IS SOMETHING OTHER THAN JUST GOING HOME SCHOOL YOUR CHILD.

THE K 12 MODEL, I DON'T SEE THAT AS A MODEL THAT IS DONE WITHOUT TEACHERS.

I THINK THAT THAT IS A CURRICULUM SO THAT TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TO, AT THIS POINT, CREATE A LOT OF CURRICULUM.

BECAUSE THERE IS GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS BASED CURRICULUM THERE.

BUT ABSOLUTELY NEED TEACHERS TO BE PRESENT AND INTERFACING WITH THE STUDENTS AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THIS DISTANCE PROCESS IF THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

IT MIGHT NOT BE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO TURN FAMILIES AWAY AT A TIME WHEN REALLY NEED TO EMBRACE ALL OF THE CHILDREN BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT SCHOOLS HAVE TO OFFER BEYOND ACADEMICS.

WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT KINDS OF OTHER EXPERIENCES THAT IF THEY'RE ON HOME SCHOOLING THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO.

SO I THINK WE HAVE ON OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF FAMILIES AN CHILDREN AT THIS REALLY DIFFICULT TIME.

>>Yunji: WHAT ABOUT THAT BALANCE?

I KNOW YOU REFERENCED STUDENTS WHO MIGHT LIVE IN A MORE REMOTE AREA LIKE KA'U ON THE BIG ISLAND.

KATHRYN BRINGS UP GOOD POINT.

MAYBE THEY CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN BAND OR ATHLETICS.

AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

DO YOU THINK THAT DISTANCE LEARNING SHOULD BE MADE A PERMANENT PART OF THIS SYSTEM AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE MET BY MEETING IN PERSON?

>> SO INTERESTING.

SEVERAL YEARS BACK, WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON EXPANDING COMPUTER SCIENCE IN THE STATE.

AND ONE OF THE STORIES THAT REALLY CAUGHT MY EYE LOOKED AT BEST PRACTICES, WAS SOME WORK HAPPENING IN NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATIONS IN NEW MEXICO.

AND WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SO POWERFUL WAS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THESE NONPROFITS AND EMPLOYERS COME IN AND TRAIN LOCAL STUDENTS ON THE RESERVATIONS IN ALL OF THESE HIGH DEMAND COMPUTER SKILLS THEN CONNECT THEM WITH EMPLOYERS BASED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHO NEEDED THOSE SKILLS.

AND SO THOSE STUDENTS COULD THEN SOLVE GEOGRAPHIC CHALLENGE ALWAYS EXISTED FOR THEM.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR CULTURES BUT THEY COULD NEVER ACCESS A LOT OF THESE JOBS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T PHYSICALLY IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK AGAIN, 2021 NOW.

WE NEED TO BE THINKING NOT ABOUT WHAT WORKS OVER THE LAST 200 YEARS, BUT WHAT IS GOING TO WORK FOR THE NEXT 200.

I THINK THAT IS WHERE WHEN IT COMES INNOVATION, WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT CREATIVE WAYS TO APPROACH THIS.

SPEAKING OF PLANS, WITH BOARD OF EDUCATION, SOMETHING THAT THEY REVIEWED LAST MEETING WAS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STATE PLAN TO SPEND FEDERAL FUNDS.

BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT 400 MILLION PLUS WHICH IS JUST, MINDBLOWING AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR ME TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND SPECIFICALLY IN SUPPORT.

I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND TO REALLY INNOVATE AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT LEARNING CAN LITERALLY HAPPEN ANYWHERE NOW.

SO THAT MEANS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET AND COMPUTER CONNECTIVITY.

THINK WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE INSTEAD OF WHAT WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO FROM 2019.

>>Yunji: CALLER FROM KALIHI.

PARENT AND WANT US TO DISCUSS PROTOCOLS THAT WILL BE IN PLACE FOR AND DURING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES LIKE SPORTS.

ARE THERE LIMITATION FOR FANS AND PARENTS?

THERE WILL BE PARENTS ON SIDELINES?

POTLUCK ALLOWED >> I KNOW A LOT OF FAMILIES LIKE TO INTERACT THERE.

BUT IS THAT SAFE AND WHAT ARE THOSE, WILL THAT BE COMPLEX BY COMPLEX?

SCHOOL SCHOOL?

HOW IS THE D.O.E.

NAVIGATING THAT PART OF THE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

>> I THINK TVRs EXCITING TO HEAR IT WAS EXCITING TO HERE WE ARE LOOKING OPENING UP OUR SPORTS AND SPORTS SCHEDULES ALL COMING BACK.

BEEN TRYING TO LOOK WHAT THE IS THE BEST WAY TO BE SAFE ABOUT ALL OF THIS.

STRANGELY ENOUGH, JUST HAD A BAND PERFORMANCE DEMONSTRATION FOR OUR SUMMER ORCHESTRA.

HAPPENED TO BE AT OUR SCHOOL.

WHAT WE DID, ADHERED TO SOCIAL DISTANCING POLICIES.

MAKE SURE WEARING MASKS AND OPEN AS POSSIBLE WITH VENTILATION FOR STUDENTS TO PERFORM.

EVERYBODY, THEY HAD STRING INSTRUMENTS.

DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT BLOWING.

BUT IT WAS GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY COMING TOGETHER AND EVERYBODY DOING THEIR PART TO STAY SAFE.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO MAKE SURE HAPPENS.

LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN DO THAT.

EVEN HAD A BASKETBALL CLINIC FOR OUR STUDENTS JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ALSO.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT PARENTS WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT, AND THEY WERE REALLY GOOD ABOUT WORKING WITH US AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WANTED EVERYONE TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AND ADHERE TO THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE SAFE PRACTICES.

WITH ALL OF US.

I MEAN, I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE IF WE'RE ALL WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP EACH OTHER SAFE.

I APOLOGIZE >> I WANTED TO SAY, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT INNOVATION.

I WONDER, THIS IS JUST WONDERING WITH THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, TALKING ABOUT DAYS LOST.

I WONDER IF ONE OF THE THINGS WE COULD POSSIBLY THINK ABOUT IS ADDING AND THAT WOULD BE LOOKING AT EITHER EXTENDING SCHOOL DAYS OR EXTENDING SCHOOL YEAR.

AS A POSSIBILITY.

OR MAYBE A WAY AHEAD.

IT WOULD MEAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUR TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO PUT IT'S TIME IN TO THIS, BUT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP.

OUR STUDENTS GOING FORWARD.

WE DON'T NEED THE SCHOOL YEAR PER SE TO BE SOMETIMES SUMMER BREAKS.

YOU KNOW.

MAYBE IT'S A WAY TO HELP EXTEND THINGS AND MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING MORE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.

AS I'M JUST BRAINSTORMING.

I WOULD JUST THAT WAS A THOUGHT THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD.

NOT MARRIED TO IT >>Yunji: CAN YOU GIVE US UPDATE AND TEACHER SHORTAGE.

WHAT ARE NUMBERS LIKE RIGHT NOW?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, WE DEFINITELY WOULD BE OPEN TO HAVING DISCUSSION ABOUT EXTENDING THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HAVE HAPPEN BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE STATE IS NOT EVEN FUNDING ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HOURS THAT WE HAVE.

SO BASICALLY, OUR TEACHERS IN THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR ARE GOING TO HAVE HAVE SMALLER PAYCHECKS BECAUSE ALL OF THAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS TAKEN AWAY AND NOT FUNDED FOR NOW.

HOPEFULLY, BOARD OF ED.

MAY BE ABLE TO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT LATER AS WELL.

AS FOR THE TEACHER SHORTAGE CRISIS, IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM.

I KNOW MANY TEACHERS LOOKED FORWARD TO THE END OF SCHOOL CAREER BECAUSE AS SOON AS IT CAME, THEY LEFT.

THEY LEFT EITHER THE PROFESSION.

LEFT THE ISLANDS.

WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.

WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN DATA BACK FROM THE DEPARTMENT YET HOW MANY ARE LEAVING.

FOR THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR.

OR HOW MANY HAVE LEFT.

I KNOW MANY TEACHERS ARE HAPPY TO RETIRED.

BUNCH RETIRED.

BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT IF MY PAYCHECK IS GOING TO BE SMALLER THEN MY PENSION IS GOING TO BE SMALLER.

NO SENSE IN ME STICKING AND THEN.

WE TALK ABOUT ALSO WANTING TO BE INNOVATIVE.

WE TALK ABOUT WANTING 21ST CENTURY SCHOOLS YET WE DON'T OFFER SOME TYPE OF PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS >> WE'VE HAD A BUNCH OF STUDENTS WHO DON'T LIKE TO COME ON TO CAMPUS.

THEY EITHER GET BULLIED OR DOESN'T WORK FOR THEM.

THERE'S NO OPTION FOR THEM.

ONE OF OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS LIKE HAWAII TECHNOLOGY, ACADEMY, GROWING LIKE LEAPS AND BOUND.

PEOPLE WANT IN BECAUSE THAT IS AN OPTION THAT PEOPLE WANT.

SO WHY NOT USE THESE FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY NOW TO TRY AND BUILD THAT?

TRY TO BUILDING IS STATEWIDE.

AS ELISA SAID BEFORE, WE HAVE THE E SCHOOL PLATFORM.

MEANT FOR ACCELERATION AN AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT OR TO DO THINGS OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DAY.

WE HAVE THAT PLATFORM.

WE COULD BUILD UPON IT.

AND I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO WOULD LOVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO TEACH THESE INNOVATIVE NEW WAYS AND STUDENTS ALL ACROSS THE STATE COULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT FROM KAHU OR HANA, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THIS TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS SO MANY NEW THINGS.

THIS IS THE CHANCE NOW TO TRY AND EXPLORE THOSE THINGS.

>>Yunji: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

, ABOUT EXPANDING PROGRAMS LIKE THAT AND ALSO, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE SUDDENLY ALL OF THIS MONEY, STATE HAS ACCESS TO, THERE COULD BE A REAL OPPORTUNITY HERE.

>> YES.

I THINK THAT THAT IS GOING TO ALSO BE ON AGENDA FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.

BOARD APPROVED BROAD JUST REQUEST FOR FUNDS WENT UP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

HOPING TO HAVE APPROVAL THAT HAWAII WILL BE GETTING THOSE FUNDS BACK.

THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS AROUND HOW THEY ARE USED.

BUT THAT IS GOING TO BE A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION.

I THINK OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

AS WE THINK ABOUT HOW THOSE MONIES WILL BE SPENT BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE A HUGE AMOUNT, 400 MILLION.

CERTAINLY TO ALL OF US.

BUT WHEN YOU START PARCELING IT OUT, REALIZE HOW MUCH THINGS COST, IN THIS HUGE SYSTEM, OF 170,000 STUDENTS, PLUS ALL EMPLOYEES THAT GO ALONG WITH IT, IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE.

WE STILL ARE $200 MILLION SHORT OF OUR BUDGET.

GOING FORWARD.

WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT.

BUT I THINK IT'S NOT JUST LOOKING AT THIS MONEY.

I THINK IT'S REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO LONGTERM AND IN OUR SYSTEMS.

HOW DO WE CHANGE OUR SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT THE INNOVATION.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INNOVATION.

WE TALKED ABOUT SCHOOL EMPOWERMENT FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN CONSCIOUS AS AN EDUCATOR.

WE HAVEN'T REALLY SHIFTED THE SYSTEMS.

SO THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT.

WHAT IS NEW SYSTEM GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

WE HAVE SUCH INEQUITY IN OUR SCHOOLS.

ESPECIALLY WHERE WE HAVE POVERTY, WHERE WE HAVE RURAL FACILITIES.

THAT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR NEW SCHOOLS, THAT ARE FULLY 21ST CENTURY AND THEN YOU HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE OVER 100 YEARS OLD.

WHERE WE STILL TRYING TO GET ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO TURN ON THE COPY MACHINE AND THE COMPUTER AT THE SAME TIME.

SO UNTIL WE ADDRESS EQUITY AND PARTICULARLY EQUITY IN POVERTY AREAS, WE GET STUCK TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT AND INNOVATION BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT.

I LOVE THE IDEA WITH THE NAVAJO RESERVATIONS WORK THAT YOU WERE REFERENCING, I THINK THERE'S GREAT POTENTIAL.

WE SEEM TO BUREAUCRACY IS REALLY TOUGH.

BIGGEST LESSON OF MY ROLE IN THIS PRINCIPAL VERSUS BOARD CHAIR.

THE BUREAUCRACY IS CRUSHING AT TIMES.

TRYING TO MOVE GOOD IDEAS FORWARD.

BUT THIS IS IT'S TIME TO DO IT.

WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A REAL TIME OF ALMOST STAGNATION.

LOTS OF GOOD IDEAS BREWING.

NOW, IS IT'S TIME TO NOT JUST GO BACK TO 2019.

WE CAN'T JUST DO THAT >>Yunji: CONCERNED PARENT HERE.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS ONE.

SAYS, IT WAS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR HAWAII UNPREPARED FOR DISTANCE LEARNING WHEN THE PANDEMIC STARTED.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO ADDRESS THAT?

DELTA VARIANT IS A FACTOR HERE IN HAWAII.

IT HAS BEEN FOUND ON ALL FOUR COUNTIES.

HAWAII HAS NOT REACHED 70% FULLY VACCINATED.

ALWAYS A CHANCE THAT WE COULD HAVE TO SHUT SCHOOLS DOWN AGAIN.

AND GO BACK TO IN PERSON, DISTANCE LEARNING.

ARE WE READY THIS NEXT TIME AROUND, THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WILL IT BE DIFFERENT FOR FAMILIES THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR?

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PLANNING BY ALL OF OUR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND LEADERSHIP.

REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE CAN ADDRESS DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THERE IS OUTBREAK IN SCHOOL.

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT?

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH SOMETHING THAT IS LARGER THAN THAT?

MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE PLANNED AND THOUGHT THROUGH WHAT IS THE WAY TO ADJUST TO THESE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.

IS THAT WHAT WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING ON THROUGH THE SUMMER, MOST ADMINISTRATORS THAT I'VE BEEN HANGING OUT WITH, THAT IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO THINK THROUGH.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY AHEAD.

TO ADDRESS ANY OF THOSE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.

AND ALSO, LIKE I SAID, TO OPEN UP BETTER THAN WE'VE EVER OPENED UP BEFORE.

ADDRESSING THOSE THINGS OF LEARNING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING TO OUR STUDENTS WHOLE CHILD, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING TO THOSE INEQUITIES GOT HIGHLIGHTED SO MUCH DURING THIS TIME PERIOD >>Yunji: FROM A TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE, IF THE SCHOOLS ARE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN AGAIN, ARE TEACHERS IN THE BETTER POSITION THAN WHEN THE PANDEMIC FIRST STARTED LAST MARCH?

>> NO DOUBT BETTER THAN LAST MARCH.

ABSOLUTELY.

WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT THE 12 AND UP, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS, HAVE ACCESS TO THE VACCINE.

SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS WHO ARE FORTUNATELY USUALLY WITHIN THE SAME CLASS AND COHORTED.

SO IN THAT SENSE, IF A SOMETHING HAPPENS TO A STUDENT WITHIN THAT CLASS, AT LEAST YOU HAVE IT CONFINED TO THAT ONE CLASS.

INSTEAD OF AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL WHERE YOU HAVE STUDENT TRAVELING FROM CLASS TO CLASS.

WE DO HAVE SOME AT THE INTERMEDIATE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL IS NOT QUITE QUALIFIED YET FOR THE VACCINE.

>>Yunji: DAVID, WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A PARENT?

PARENT WRITING IN SAYING, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS THAT WE SAW WITH DISTANCE LEARNING?

IF SCHOOLS HAVE TO SHUT DOWN AGAIN, WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS FOR THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE FAMILIES?

>> ACTUALLY GETTING BACK TO THE STATE PLAN SUBMITTED FOR THE FEDERAL FUNDS.

ONE THING THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT TO ME, BECAUSE HAWAII ACTUALLY HAD AN EXTENSION FOR DEADLINE TO TURN IN ITS PLAN, SO BY THE TIME WE HAD OUR PLAN TO TURN IN, THERE WERE 30 OTHER PLANS AVAILABLE ON U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WEBSITE.

JUMPED OUT TO ME, HAWAII'S PLAN WAS LIKE GREAT MEAL IN THE SENSE THAT ALL INGREDIENTS WERE THERE.

HIGH DOSAGE TUTORING.

EXTENDED SCHOOL DAYS.

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS >> BUT LACKING RECIPE TO EXPLAIN HOW THESE THINGS WORK.

AND WHEN YOU LOOKED AT STATES LIKE CONNECTICUT, OR TENNESSEE, LASER FOCUSED AND THOSE PLANS WERE CLEAR HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE USED >> AND WHAT THE DISTRICTS WERE GOING TO DO IN THE EVENT OF ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.

I KNOW THAT THE DEPARTMENTS SAID THEY WOULD COME BACK TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BY AUGUST WITH MORE DETAILS AND MORE SPECIFIC.

I THINK AS PARENTS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT IS BEING COMMUNICATED AT THAT TIME AND HOW MUCH SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS GETTING.

BECAUSE AGAIN, SCHOOL, OUR SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS ARE AMAZING.

FACT THAT THEY, DONE AS MUCH AS THEY HAVE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, IS INCREDIBLE.

BUT THEY STILL NEED GUIDANCE.

STILL NEED SUPPORT.

AND I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY USING THOSE FUNDS TO REALLY PROVIDE SOME OF THAT STRUCTURE THAT I THINK THAT PARENT RIGHTFULLY FELT WAS MISSING LAST YEAR.

>>Yunji: I LOVE TO GET YOUR THOUGHT ON WHAT YOU WOULD SAY TO THIS PARENT ABOUT HAWAII WAS UNPREPARED AND WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO ADDRESS THAT LAST YEAR.

>> THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TRAINING.

TEACHERS ARE READY IF THEY HAVE TO.

SOME MORE SO THAN OTHERS >> SOME TOOK TO THIS TYPE OF INSTRUCTION.

AND I OBSERVED SOME CLASSES.

I JUST SAW REALLY AMAZING TEACHERS DOING INCREDIBLE THINGS THROUGH THE COMPUTER WITH THEIR STUDENTS.

BUT I DO THINK THAT IF WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THAT, WE'LL HAVE MORE DEVICES.

THAT WAS A BIG SCRAMBLE TOO.

WE HAD TO MAKE SURE WE HAD COMPUTERS FOR EVERY CHILD, LAPTOPS OR TABLETS.

WI FI.

ACCESS.

SO I THINK WE HAVE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS IN PLACE.

CERTAINLY MORE SUPPORT FROM OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

THEY TURNED LIBRARIES INTO HOT SPOTS.

PARTNERING UP WITH DIFFERENT AGENCIES.

SO WE'RE IN BETTER SHAPE IF THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS.

I THINK WE'RE ALSO MORE SKILLED AT MAYBE HYBRID INSTRUCTION BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE WHAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO INSTEAD OF COMPETE SHUTDOWN UNLESS THINGS REALLY WERE TERRIBLE.

WHERE SOME OF THE STUDENTS WOULD COME PART TIME.

BECAUSE IT'S REALLY TERRIBLE TO THINK THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO DO THIS FOR AN EXTENDED TIME FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AGAIN.

I THINK WE WOULD LOSE A GREAT DEAL.

>>Yunji: WE HAVE JUST A FEW MINUTES.

>> BETTER READY >>Yunji: WE HAVE JUST A FEW MINUTES LEFT.

I WANT TO GIVE EACH OF YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A FINAL THOUGHT.

IN A MINUTE OR LESS.

PER PERSON.

NOT TOTAL.

WE'LL START WITH YOU.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LESSON THAT YOU LEARNED THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL SHOULD CONTINUE FOR KIDS AT SCHOOL?

>> I THINK BIGGEST LESSON I THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE LEARNED IS INEQUITY OF OUT COMES AND SERVICES THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS.

STUDENTS IN POVERTY, NO QUESTION.

THEY SUFFERED THE MOST.

STUDENTS NOT ABLE HAVE TO A GOOD ADULT AT HOME THAT COULD HELP THEM WITH THEIR LEARNING SUFFERED A LOT.

KIDS HAD THAT ADULT AND ENRICHING EXPERIENCES BEYOND THE SCHOOL WAS OFFERING, MUSIC LESSONS, ACTIVITIES, THEY'RE PROBABLY OKAY.

I DON'T THINK THERE WAS GREAT LEARNING LOSS FROM THEM.

MISSED THEIR FRIENDS BUT PROBABLY OKAY.

BUT THE GREATEST GREATEST LOSS IS FAMILIES IN POVERTY.

AND NEAR POVERTY.

AND I THINK IF THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT DOING DIFFERENTLY, FOR ALL OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE COMING IN REALLY TARGETED IN THOSE AREAS.

INTO DAVID, IF YOU WOULD WEIGH IN WHAT YOU THINK WE LEARNED AND WHAT WE SHOULD KEEP FROM THE LAST YEAR.

>> I THINK THE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES HAS BEEN CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY OF INFORMATION OUT TO FAMILIES.

OUT TO SCHOOLS.

BUT I THINK THAT IS, THIS HAS BEEN A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

OUR SCHOOLS, ALWAYS CONSIDER THOSE INEQUITIES EXIST THE WAY BEFORE COVID.

NOW, CAN'T DENY THEM AS KATHRYN POINTED OUT.

LET'S LEAN INTO THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENTED BY TECHNOLOGY.

LET'S USE OUR COMMUNITY ASSET.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BE REAL PARTNERS WITH OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND REALLY SHOW THAT KIDS CAN LEARN EVERYWHERE.

AND I THINK IF WE'RE WILLING TO HAVE INNOVATIVE MINDSET GOING INTO THIS NEXT YEAR, I THINK WE'LL LOOK BACK AT THIS AS A POSITIVE INFLECTION POINT FOR OUR SCHOOLS >>Yunji: SO WE HAVE LESS THAN 2 MINUTES.

TWO OF YOU.

WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS AS WELL.

>> SCHOOLS ARE QUALITY WHEN WE HAVE QUALITY TEACHERS.

WE NEED SOME SORT OF WORKFORCE STABILIZATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WHO WE HAVE NOW CAN QUALIFY TEACHERS WILL REMAIN AND WANT TO REMAIN AND PEOPLE WILL WANT TO COME TO THIS PROFESSION.

IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT, POOREST OF OUR STUDENTS SUFFER THE MOST BECAUSE THEY HAVE INFLUX OF TEACHERS COMING IN AND OUT, IN AND OUT >> WE REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALITY EDUCATORS.

>>Yunji: LAST MINUTE WE'LL GIVE YOU FINAL WORD.

>> I THINK WHAT IS HAPPENED IS THAT WE CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A LOT AT STAKE.

I THINK WHAT THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND ITS PLACE, WHAT WE BELIEVE EDUCATORS CAN DO, WHAT EDUCATION CAN DO FOR OUR CHILDREN, I THINK IT'S BEEN HIGHLIGHTED, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.

THAN WE NEED TO ALL COME TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION EQUITABLE EDUCATION, KIND OF EDUCATION THAT HAS EXCELLENT TEACHERS.

SO I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT THIS HAS BEEN A TIME PERIOD HIGHLIGHTED WHAT IS AT STAKE.

OUR CHILDREN.

OUR FUTURE.

SO THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND MOVE QUICKLY.

>>Yunji: THANK YOU TO ALL OF FOR JOINING US TONIGHT WE APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION.

AND WE THANK OUR GUESTS CHAIR OF THE HAWAII BOARD OF EDUCATION CATHERINE PAYNE, AIEA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ALISA BENDER, INCOMING PRESIDENT OF THE HAWAII STATE TEACHERS UNION, OSA TUI, JR. AND DAVID MIYASHIRO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HAWAII KIDS CAN.

NEXT WEEK ON INSIGHTS, IT’S BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE FOR YEARS, PARKING AND TRAFFIC NEAR LANIAKEA BEACH ON OAHU’S NORTH SHORE.

LIKE OTHER POPULAR TOURIST SPOTS IN THE STATE, RESIDENTS WANT A SOLUTION TO MAKE THE AREA SAFER, AS WELL AS ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CONGESTION.

PLEASE JOIN US AT OUR NEW TIME NEXT WEEK, AT 7:30.

I’M YUNJI DE NIES FOR INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI`I, ALOHA!