Teacher of the year announced
Above: The State Teacher of the Year, Vanessa Ching, from Ewa Makai Middle School, with her husband Joshua (also a teacher at the same school) and their daughter Kaleia.
Congratulations to Vanessa Ching, the student activities coordinator, year book advisor and green program coordinator at Ewa Makai Middle School, who was honored as the state's Teacher of the Year Friday. A National Board certified elementary and special education teacher, she has taught in Hawaii public schools for 14 years.
She emphasizes accountability, empowerment and bringing positive change to the community. Ching was chosen from the district teachers of the year from across the state.
District Teachers of the Year pose in a photo with Gov. David Ige, his wife Dawn, HSTA President Corey Rosenlee, Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto, Board of Education Chair Lance Mizumoto and State House Education Chair Justin Woodson and Hawaii Public Charter Commission Executive Chair Sione Thompson.
The 2018 District Teachers of the Year are:
Honolulu District: Naomi Salaveria, Liholiho Elementary
Central District: Gregg Iha, Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area
Leeward District: Vanessa Ching, Ewa Makai Middle
Windward District: Del Onaga, Olomana School
Hawaii District: Erika Kaneo, Waiakeawaena Elementary
Maui District: Francine Hughes, Hana-Lahainaluna-Lanai-Molokai Complex Area
Kauai District: Amanda Fretto, Kamakahelei Middle
Public Charter School: Cristin Priolo, The School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability
Let's flood the halls of Congress with butterflies
With the lives of 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients including approximately 20,000 educators at risk, NEA has launched a mass migration of messages to Congress on the wings of digital butterfly postcards. We have a short amount of time to increase pressure on Members of Congress as the window for Congress to act to prevent Dreamers from losing their status is fast approaching in December.
Find the digital postcards here.
Background
On September 5, President Trump made the unwise and cruel decision to end the DACA program putting 800,000 lives at the mercy of a Congress that has passed no major legislation.
For the past five years, the DACA program proved to be an unqualified success, providing new opportunities and futures for nearly 800,000 Dreamers who live, study, and work in America. The termination of this program impacts students, educators, small business owners, healthcare workers, and so many others contributing to their families, communities, and to the country they call home.
Instead of offering an immigration process that will allow a path to citizenship so that Dreamers can continue to contribute to our communities and economy, this Administration has continued its crusade against immigrant families by stripping away their legal status.
Talking points describing the Dream Act as well as what the NEA supports and what legislative responses we oppose are available here.
Why butterflies?
Butterflies have become the symbol of the beauty of migration and signify transformation and freedom. This art created by Favianna Rodriguez for the NEA, reaches audiences on an emotional, replacing images of fear with visions of our shared humanity.
What happens to the messages once the postcards are sent?
NEA and partners will bring the messages to the halls of Congress.
How can you show your support?
Please share this campaign with your members and across your networks. We are trying to gather as many digital postcards as we can in a short amount of time to send a strong message to Members of Congress.
Please make your voices heard and share with your networks!
From KHON2: Teachers union says policy to keep kids with lice in school isn't working
Congrats to teachers who've renewed their NBCT status
When a teacher becomes National Board certified, it’s a statement that they teach to the highest standards in the field. Renewing their National Board certification allows them to demonstrate their professional knowledge and reinforce their dedication to their students and their career. Join the National Board and HSTA in celebration of 22 HSTA members who recently learned that they have successfully renewed!
Congratulations to Mary Ann Akamine, Kirsten Bush, Catherine Caine, Shelly Ciano, Scott Clarke, Jonelle Flight, Nannette Ganotisi, Selena Greenland, Laureen Hatakeyama, Kathryn Inouye, Farrah Krosvasa, Michelle Le, Naomi McCall, Cecelia Romero, Traci Shintaku, Erin Sonsona, Cynthia Suehiro, Traci Takehara, Lori-Ann Takiguchi, and Tisha Yukihiro. #NBCTStrong. Learn more about renewal and National Board certification.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a campaign that unites communities nationwide to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention. The HSTA Youth, Human and Civil Rights Committee asks that HSTA members wear blue on each Monday in October to raise anti-bullying awareness.
NEA's Bully Free: It starts with me
Stevenson Middle teacher vying for $100,000 educational grant; public decides who wins
Patricia Morgan of Stevenson Middle School on Oahu has been named a finalist competing for a $100,000 educational grant from Farmers Insurance, and now the public gets to decide the winning proposals.
As a part of the insurer group’s Thank America’s Teachers Dream Big Teacher Challenge, Farmers Insurance is awarding five of the 15 finalists with educational grants to fund their ideas to help create a lasting and positive impact on their classrooms, schools and communities.
Watch a brief video of Patricia Morgan's classroom grant proposal.
Finalists’ proposals are available for public voting at ThankAmericasTeachers.com until Oct. 29.
Read a Civil Beat story about Patricia Morgan's classroom grant proposal.
Calling all educator-activists!
The quest for racial and social justice is more important now than ever! Amidst these trying political times, we must stand strong with our fellow brothers and sisters to advocate for equity for students, teachers and communities.
HSTA will host a series of peace circles around the islands to support relationship building and organizing power of educator-activists and community members dedicated to addressing inequity in their schools and communities. Peace circles, rooted in indigenous practices, focus on relationships as a key component to building unity prior to collective action. Participants will explore personal histories with injustice, examine current data related to injustices within our educational system, learn tools they can take back to their classrooms and workplaces, and network with others to create plans for change within their communities. Folks from traditionally under-represented groups, especially Hawaiians, Filipinos and Micronesians, are encouraged to sign up.
The first two peace circles will be held the following dates:
- Hawai'i Island (Hilo-Kea'au Elementary): Sunday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- O'ahu (U.H. West Oahu Hawaiian Studies Hale): Saturday, Nov. 18, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Please fill out this form to register now for Peace Circle events Oct. 29 in Hilo/Kea'au and Nov. 18 on Oahu.
Email HSTA Member Chris Santomauro with any questions at csantoma@gmail.com
Wear red for the Pet Walk Oct. 29
Here's your friendly, four-legged reminder that we wish to see all of you and your furry or feathered friends at the annual Hawaiian Humane Society Pet Walk on Sunday, October 29 at 8 a.m. at Magic Island at Ala Moana Beach Park.
Please register at this link and wear your red HSTA shirt. We will be waiting to see you near the registration area at with pooches around 7:45 a.m.
For more info, contact HSTA Central UniServ Director Jeanine Tsuchiya at jtsuchiya@hsta.org.
Sign up for the 7th International Conference on Education and Social Justice Dec. 1 -3.
Fill out this nomination form for HSTA's Pono Award and turn it in to HSTA by Jan. 5, 2018.
Fill out this Friend of Yourth Award nomination form and turn it in to HSTA by Jan. 5, 2018.
Subscribe to and follow HSTA's social media accounts
Be sure to subscribe to HSTA's YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram for the latest videos, photos and news about our Association and public schools in Hawaii.
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