Leadership Summit 2023
Thank you to those who joined us for this Leadership Summit event! We hope you found fellowship and inspiration in this first-ever summit presented by the Hawaii Education Association. Mahalo to our panelists, moderator, and attendees for a robust discussion.
Inaguaral HEA Leadership Summit: Creating
Communities of Care
In 2022, the Hawaii Education Association (HEA) celebrated its Centennial, belated for a year due to Covid. To celebrate the beginning of our second century as an association for all Hawaii educators, an inaugural HEA Leadership Summit was held on January 3, 2023, 9:30 am – 1:30 pm, at the Richards Street YWCA, downtown Honolulu, with the theme, “Creating Educator Communities of Care.”
Thirty-five leaders from all sectors of the profession included representatives from the Board of Education, Legislative Education Committees, Hawaii P-20, Hawaii Public Charter School Commission, Hawaii Educator Preparation Programs, the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, Governor’s Office on Early Learning, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Kaiser Permanente Foundation, Castle Foundation, INPEACE and Hawaii Kids Can.
Based on feedback from across the state, HEA leadership decided to focus on supporting the well-being and mental health of our educators who continue to give so much of themselves as we enter a new normal after the COVID pandemic. A recent study published in Educational Researcher revealed that teachers reported higher levels of distress during Covid than front line health professionals.
HEA Vice President Joan Lee Husted moderated a heartfelt panel discussion of the status of educators across the country and here at home in Hawaii. The panel presented their professional experiences reflecting the national landscape, mental health statewide, frontline perspectives in public schools and teacher preparation programs, and the unique Native Hawaiian outlook on the status of educators after Covid. Panelists included:
• Tiffany McDole, State Relations Strategist, Education Commission of the States
• Dr. Mestisa C. Gass, Program Director, Mental Health America of Hawaii
• Joan Lewis, HEA President and Instructional Coach at Kapolei High School
• Jonathon Medeiros, HEA Director and National Board-Certified English teacher, Kauai High School
• Angela Hoppe-Cruz, Program Director, Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture (INPEACE)
• Dr. Christina Keaulana, Faculty, Leeward Community College Teacher Education Program
Breakout roundtables led by HEA Board members followed, with lively discussion focusing on how statewide leadership can work together to best support Hawaii educators. The overwhelming consensus was that this is mission critical in the recruitment and retention of quality educators and collaboration among all stakeholders, both in the public and private sectors, will be required.
Meet Our Discussion Panelists
The National Perspective
Tiffany McDole
Policy Director, Education Commissions of the States
As policy director at the ECS, Tiffany McDole contributes to a variety of policy issues. She brings more than a decade of experience working to improve teaching and learning, including work at the Tennessee Department of Education and as an advisor to education leaders while at TNTP. Tiffany began her career as a fifth grade teacher and is passionate about ensuring all students have access to an excellent education.
Mental Health Hawaii
Dr. Mestisa C. Gass
Program Director, Mental Health America of Hawaii
Dr. Mestisa C. Gass the Program Director for Mental Health America of Hawaii. Her education and experience has been focused on diverse populations including inpatient acute adolescent care, community mental health, and military mental health. She is passionate about bringing education, support, and resources to all communities, especially rural areas like those in which she grew up.
Hawaii’s Classroom Teachers
Joan Kamila Lewis
Instructional Coach, Kapolei High School
Joan Lewis currently serves as an Instructional Coach at Kapolei High School. She has worked at the school, district, state and national levels in support of quality public education and educators for all students. Joan possesses a B.S. Ed from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and a MEd in Middle Level Education from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.
Hawaii’s Classroom Teachers
Jonathon Medeiros
Teacher, Kauai High School
Jonathon Medeiros has taught at Kauai High School for over 15 years. He has also served as director of the Kauai Teacher Fellowship, a member of the Leadership Institute, and achieved certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Hawaii’s Higher Education Faculty and Teacher Candidates
Dr. Christina Keaulana
Special Education Coordinator, Leeward Community College
Dr. Christina Keaulana is the Special Education Coordinator for the Teacher Education Program at Leeward Community College. She earned her Ph.D. in Exceptionalities (Special Education) at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, and coordinates two distance education special education teacher licensure pathways at Leeward CC.
The Native Hawaiian Perspective
Angela Hoppe-Cruz
Program Director, INPEACE
Angela Hoppe-Cruz serves as the Program Director of Ka Lama Education Academy at INPEACE. She supports community members in their pursuit to become high-quality teachers in their home communities through college support, mentorship and professional training.
MODERATOR
Joan Lee Husted
