House Interim Schools Working Group to hold community meeting in West Maui

Maui Rep. Justin H. Woodson and other legislators joined an initial inspection of some of the West Maui public schools last month. PHOTO COURTESY OF REP. JUSTIN H. WOODSON.
WEST MAUI — State House Interim Schools Working Group Co-chairs Justin H. Woodson and Jenna Takenouchi, and members of the working group in coordination with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (DOE), will organize a public meeting from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, to discuss the status of education for Maui students impacted by the Lāhainā wildfire.
The meeting will be held at Harvest at Kumulani Chapel at 1000 Kapalua Drive. Members of the public can also attend the meeting virtually via Zoom. To register, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81449217889.
The meeting will feature an update from DOE officials on the relocation of displaced students and school staff, temporary school sites, distance learning options and additional support services.
Additionally, the community is invited to provide feedback to guide the working group’s legislative recommendations in the 2024 legislative session.
“In connecting with the Maui community, we seek residents’ insights and experiences as we draft the preliminary report for our working group. Public input is critical to the shaping of policy for the upcoming session, and we are driven by our shared commitment to continual, quality education for our keiki,” said Rep. Woodson (D-9, Kahului, Pu’un“n”, portion of Wailuku).
In September 2023, the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives formed six interim working groups tasked with the responsibility of evaluating specific topics related to the Lāhainā wildfire and making recommendations for appropriate legislative action in the 2024 Legislative Session.
Each working group will produce a preliminary report by Nov. 1 and deliver a final report by Dec. 15, 2023.