​​​KEA'AU –The Hawaii State Department of Education (DOE) today announced students in lower Puna who were reassigned in October 2014​ due to the threat of a lava flow will be returning to their original school. Keonepoko Elementary will welcome back students to its campus in Hawaiian Beaches and all public school students in the Kea'au, Ka'u, Pahoa (KKP) complex area will start the 2015-16 school year in their geographically determined schools. 

"We realize that some families whose students were reassigned to another school may not want to return to their geographically determined school," stated Chad Farias, KKP complex area superintendent. "However, those reassignments were made based on the pending lava flow. Now that the lava has been determined no longer a threat to KKP, students must go back to the school they came from for their education."

DOE officials added that families may apply for Geographic Exceptions (GE) and follow the guidelines under Chapter 13 should they decide to make a change. KKP schools that experienced a shift of students and staff include: Pahoa Elementary, Pahoa High & Intermediate, Kea'au Elementary, Kea'au Middle, Kea'au High, Keonepoko Elementary, and Mountain View Elementary. 

"The Department is currently evaluating staffing needs and determining the appropriate processes to return the maximum number of employees to their pre-lava flow schools,”said Barbara Krieg, the DOE's assistant superintendent for the Office of Human Resources. "There are a lot of details to be worked out and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our staff during this process."

Decisions affecting employees will be made in consultation with the Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Government Employees Association and the United Public Workers union. Information will be distributed to employees once details are finalized.