Esme M. Infante
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Past articles by Esme:
Helemano Elementary’s Caraulia chosen as counselor of the year
Brittnie Caraulia, a Helemano Elementary School counselor credited with building a nurturing school environment for students and school employees alike, was recognized as the 2023 Hawai‘i School Counselor of the Year by the American School Counselor Association. → Read More
Inouye Elementary assistant principal wins $25K Milken award
Esther Kwon, an assistant principal at Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School, was named this year’s Hawaii recipient of the Milken Educator Award today at a surprise award ceremony. → Read More
6 public schools on Molokai, Kauai to reopen
After severe weather today closed five public schools on Molokai and one on Kauai, all of them will reopen to students and staff on Tuesday, the state Department of Education has announced. → Read More
State to unveil ambitious preschool plan for Hawaii
After decades of urgent calls for a statewide preschool system, a public- private plan finally is being launched to create 465 classrooms so that all Hawaii 3- and 4-year-olds can get access to preschool by 2032, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and community leaders are set to announce today. → Read More
Tagovailoa’s injuries prompt wide discussion about concussions
For Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has suffered at least three apparent head injuries this NFL season, how many concussions is too many — and at what point should he sit out the rest of the season or even consider retiring from the game? → Read More
Mililani schools act to stem rise in suicide risk factors
This “parent night,” on a recent quiet Thursday evening at Mililani High School, appeared unremarkable at first glance, with dozens of parents and educators gathering at dusk in the school library for an informational presentation. → Read More
UH Manoa graduation caps fall commencement season
The fall commencement season for Hawaii’s major universities peaks this week, with the largest, for the University of Hawaii at Manoa, taking place Saturday on campus. → Read More
Leeward Theatre offers first full season of shows in years
After being mostly closed for 5-1/2 years due to renovations and the COVID-19 pandemic, Leeward Theatre has fully reopened and is finally offering a full season of performances. → Read More
First lady Dawn Amano-Ige’s work is not done
Even though Dawn Amano-Ige, the first lady to Hawaii’s outgoing governor, insists that she doesn’t know yet whether she really will seek an elected office herself someday, she already possesses that statesman’s ability to delicately deflect a news reporter’s questions with aplomb. → Read More
Aviation museum, airline partner on tours for Hawaii students
A partnership between Southwest Airlines and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is making it possible for up to 900 neighbor island students to travel to visit the Oahu museum with most major expenses covered, and schools are invited to apply. → Read More
Public is invited to give feedback on University of Hawaii tuition hikes
University of Hawaii students, parents, faculty and staff, and the public, are invited to five public meetings to provide feedback on a proposed tuition schedule for 2023 to 2027. → Read More
Hawaii early childhood education needs upgrade
A new report indicates that pay and conditions for Hawaii’s early childhood educators must be improved dramatically in order to attract and retain enough added workers just to resolve the severe current shortage, not to mention expand preschool access to all 3- and 4-year-olds by 2032 to fulfill the state Legislature’s directive. → Read More
‘HIKI NO’ TV series documents pandemic through students’ eyes
While educators, mental health experts and media have been trying mightily with varying success to understand and explain the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on the nation’s youth, no one knows more intimately what’s happened to students than the students themselves. → Read More
Donations to University of Hawaii rise 65% to record $165 million
Donations to the University of Hawaii rocketed to a record of nearly $165 million in the latest fiscal year, with UH officials saying the 65% increase over the year before was spurred by a strong economy, improved strategy and the community’s growing confidence in the state’s public university system. → Read More
Magnitude-4.0 earthquake shakes Hawaii island
A magnitude-4.0 earthquake was felt by Hawaii island residents at 2:23 p.m. today, but officials said the temblor was too weak to cause major damage. → Read More
NASA rocket carries Hawaii community college students’ experiment into space
An experiment designed and built by students from two University of Hawaii community colleges was among six college science experiments launched into suborbital space today aboard a NASA rocket. → Read More
Hawaii Department of Education considering requiring ‘run, hide, fight’ training
While a few dozen Hawaii public schools so far have received “run, hide, fight” training for responding to an active shooter on campus, demand is rising, and the state Department of Education is considering changing from providing it to schools on request to making it required. → Read More
Teacher salary change in Hawaii sparks ‘unretirements’
May 31 was supposed to be the last day of employment for Molokai Middle School social studies teacher Michael Hino. He had filed all of his retirement paperwork. He was prepared to vacate his classroom after 25 years teaching for the state Department of Education. → Read More
Public input sought for new University of Hawaii strategic plan
All Hawaii residents are invited to participate in a short online survey that will help the University of Hawaii set priorities as it builds a new strategic plan for 2023 to 2029. → Read More
Board of Education approves superintendent’s $240,000 annual contract
The formal contract officially making Keith Hayashi the next state superintendent of Hawaii’s massive public school system was approved Thursday by the state Board of Education. → Read More