Many Maui schools will reopen today, with students returning Wednesday

Staff at most of Maui’s public schools will return to campus Monday, except for West Maui and King Kekaulike High, as the state’s Department of Education beings phased school reopenings since wildfires devastated the island.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you for the strength, leadership and courage you’ve shown throughout this tragedy that has shaken Lāhainā, our Maui communities and all of Hawai‘I,” reads a letter Superintendent Keith Hayashi wrote to staff and students on Sunday. “The loss you are experiencing is unimaginable — the loss of loved ones, of homes and neighborhoods, of a school and a community.”

Staff at the public schools in Upcountry, South and Central Maui will report to campus on Monday with students returning on Wednesday. Campuses will be closed on Friday due to a state holiday. 

Previously, Maui High School was a site of the Red Cross evacuation shelter but on Sunday the shelter was relocated to the South Maui Gymnasium in Kihei.  

With West Maui schools closed, the department and Hayashi encourage displaced families to reenroll their students in the nearest school, even if it is on a temporary basis. 

Hayashi reassured employees impacted by the school closures that their jobs are safe and they will continue to be paid while on administrative leave.

“Please prioritize taking care of yourself and your loved ones during this time,” Hayashi said. 

Hayashi ends the letter by thanking the community and staff:

 “Our hearts are heavy, and the road to recovery will be long, but I have faith in our collective strength to support one another and our students. Together, we will heal, we will rebuild, and Lāhainā and Maui will thrive once more."