DOE Closing ALL Schools on Big Island & Maui Until Further Notice

All public and charter schools and Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) offices on Hawai‘i Island and in Maui County will be closed Wednesday, Aug. 22, until further notice, in anticipation of dangerous storm conditions from Hurricane Lane.

With emergency officials upgrading the severity of the storm’s impact to Hawai‘i Island and Maui County to a Hurricane Warning, county civil defense agencies urged HIDOE to close campuses as a safety precaution.

Also effective Wednesday, all after-school activities and programs including interscholastic athletic events and After-School Plus (A+) Programs are canceled statewide for the remainder of the week. This will allow partner emergency agencies and organizations to stage evacuation shelters at designated schools. All school-related interisland travel this week is canceled as well. Click here to view today’s letter to parents.

Parents are encouraged to work with their child’s school to ensure they have the most up-to-date contact information for their household.

“We appreciate the support and guidance from our emergency management partners as we work together to ensure the safety of our students, staff and school communities,” said Deputy Superintendent Phyllis Unebasami. “As with any emergency-type situation, we are striving to balance the need for safety with our overall commitment to provide students and families with every sense of normalcy.”

Updates on school closures will be posted on HIDOE’s website and on social media.