HIDOE Announces Public Schools and UH Campuses Reopen Tuesday After Storm

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education announced that “All public schools and offices are expected to reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 10, following the improvement of weather conditions statewide.” The move follows a one-day, statewide closure that the department said was taken out of an abundance of caution amid concerns about flooding, road conditions and potential power outages.

HIDOE closed campuses and offices Monday, Feb. 9 “in alignment with Gov. Josh Green’s directive issued Sunday morning in response to severe weather conditions impacting the state,” and instructed that “There will be no in-person instruction on Monday, Feb. 9. Students and staff should not report to campuses or HIDOE offices unless specifically directed.” Emergency management agencies and school administrators conducted site checks and crews worked to clear downed trees and restore temporary power outages at a small number of campuses.

The department emphasized its safety-first approach while acknowledging the instructional disruption. “While the Department recognizes the importance of every instructional day, student and staff safety remains a priority,” HIDOE said, and noted it “appreciates the patience and cooperation of students, families and staff as campuses complete final assessments.” HIDOE added that it “has been working closely with emergency management agencies and school administrators to assess campus conditions.”

Universities and charter networks are included in the reopening plan. All University of Hawaiʻi campuses are expected to resume operations and classes on Tuesday, and Ke Kula ʻo Kamehameha campuses and preschools are slated to reopen as weather improves, with individual sites alerting their ʻohana to any extra operational details as needed.

Families should expect normal in-person services to resume, but the department warned that site-specific issues could delay reopening at particular campuses. “If any individual school is unable to reopen as scheduled due to site-specific conditions, families and employees at those schools will be notified directly through official school communication channels,” HIDOE said. School offices and HIDOE central offices will remain open for administrative functions.

The temporary closure and staggered reopening underscore how severe weather intersects with public health and social equity. Interruptions in campus operations affect access to school-based supports, including supervised learning environments and coordinated services for students with special needs. Local emergency coordination and rapid repairs can reduce disparities when they prioritize communities hit hardest by flooding, power loss or blocked roadways.

HIDOE posted the reopening notice on its social channels, including a LinkedIn post visible on the department’s page, and urged families to view its website for updates. Oʻahu families should note an existing schedule change: students on Oʻahu will not report to school Friday, Feb. 13, for a teacher institute day, aligning with neighbor-island schedules; school offices and HIDOE offices will remain open and employees will follow normal institute-day expectations.

For now, parents and staff should monitor official school communication channels and HIDOE updates for any school-specific changes as crews complete final campus assessments.