Safety at School

Students need to feel and be safe at school. Research demonstrates a strong correlation between academic achievement and a safe school environment. Employees also deserve a safe workplace.

​Policies and resources to support children​To support and develop the academic achievement, character building and social-emotional well-being of all children, the Board of Education develops policies and the Department cultivates and curates aligned resources for students, employees and the public school system.

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Designing Safer Schools (video): ​Maui High, in conjunction with PBS News Hour​'s Student Reporting Labs and the Student Television Network, produced this examination of how new schools are designed to mitigate dangers while still keeping a thriving learning environment.​​​​​​​​​​

Overview

The Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness Branch is responsible for the security of Department campuses. Our schools and state offices are secured as best as possible to prevent theft, vandalism, trespassing and acts of violence. Annual training is provided for all security personnel with continued research into security best practices and the latest technology.

School and student safety is a responsibility for all involved — administrators, staff, teachers, students, families, law enforcement and the broader community. Safety and security are necessary in order for learning to take place.

Chapter 19

In order to keep our schools safe, rules have been established relating to student misconduct; these rules also govern searches of students and seizures of property. Hawaii Administrative Rules, Ch​apter 19, are derived from state law. It's important that students and parents review this information to be aware of the consequences of a Chapter 19 violation. 

Safety on and off campus

We are fortunate to live in Hawaii, where incidents of violence and threatening behaviors in schools are fewer than for our Mainland counterparts. (See the Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information.)

Police will be engaged when there is real or perceived danger involving our students or campuses; see more on this in the "Threats of violence" section below. Administrators and staff will initiate safety protocols when incidents happen on campus, and facilitate communication with families, community groups and law enforcement when incidents involving students happen off campus.

Families should speak with their children about basic safety measures when they are out in public and do not have a trusted adult nearby:

  • Stay away from strangers, do not talk to or take anything from them.
  • Don’t go anywhere with someone you don’t know. Never accept a ride from a stranger.
  • If a stranger approaches you, seek help immediately from a trusted adult.
  • Use the buddy system; avoid walking anywhere alone.
  • If a stranger grabs you, do whatever it takes to stop the stranger, yell for help.
  • Report any suspicious activity to a trusted adult.
  • Be alert of your surroundings and let others know where you will be and what time you will be back.

We rely on the community to watch for and report suspicious activity around our campuses. Please work with our staff and/or law enforcement so that incidents are properly investigated.

Hawaii's law enforcement organizations are our partners in safe school communities. Their community policing outreach includes school campuses and classrooms to help educate children about safety. The community can learn more about and participate in these efforts here:

  • Honolulu Police [VIEW]
  • Maui Police [VIEW]
  • Hawaii Island Police [VIEW]
  • Kauai Police [VIEW]

BE COOL AND KEEP OUR SCHOOLS SAFE

This campaign to increase the peace on school campuses was launched statewide during the 2016-17 school year in part to ensure all students understood the specific consequences of bringing firearms to campus. (View poster.) 

Threats of violence

In concert with our law enforcement partners, the community should be aware that threats of violence about our students or campuses, online or otherwise, are criminal. HIDOE Supt. Christina Kishimoto joined Honolulu Police in February 2018 to explain the significant consequences of these threats. We urge parents and families to have conversations with children about healthy online behaviors. Good resources can be found on the Common Sense Media site here.

School Safety Committees

All schools have a School Safety Committee charged with attaining the following goals. Connect with your school to learn more.

  • Increasing safety awareness
  • Building enthusiasm for safety programs
  • Reducing and preventing injuries

Contact Information

Maynard "Max" Mendoza

Phone: 808-784-5170

Email: maynard.mendoza@k12.hi.us

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