MEDIA RELEASE

The state Department of Education has launched www.HawaiiPublicSchools.org, a redesigned website to better serve parents, students, teachers, staff and the broader public.

The website overhaul was one of the specific targets of focus outlined in the DOE and Board of Education’s 2011-2018 Strategic Plan. The new site took nearly a year of research and public and staff input.

“We made a dedicated effort to ensure parents and students could easily access information and increase transparency of our reporting systems,” said Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “In today’s technological world, we strive to better communicate the excellence and transformation occurring in our public school system. Our new website also allows for a stronger connection with our communities.”

HawaiiPublicSchools.org is a key component of the Department’s communications and community engagement plan to inform the community about Hawaii’s public schools.

The website covers everything from educational initiatives and reform to school-level data and college- and career-readiness efforts, as well as programs supporting student life and health and opportunities for the community to contribute to public education.

Equipped with multimedia elements such as videos and photo galleries, the website includes a Success Stories section showcasing achievements of schools, students, staff, partners and volunteers. A redesigned Employment section is available for those interested in working for the 25,000-strong Department.

The DOE invested $1.7 million of federal Race to the Top funds to build its new website. The funds will also be used to develop an employee intranet — set to launch in the fall — to boost operational efficiency, information sharing and collaboration among the various DOE offices.

The latest versions of Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari, are recommended when accessing the website. Older and out-of-date browsers may face difficulties in displaying multimedia.

The DOE welcomes comments from site visitors through a Contact Us form or by emailing the Communications and Community Affairs Office at doe_info@hawaiidoe.org.