Honolulu private schools ease mask, safety mandates

As Honolulu and the state turn a corner in the COVID- 19 pandemic by relaxing some health and safety restrictions, a growing number of local private schools and colleges are following suit, and some are even cautiously expanding plans for events in the spring.

>> Mid-Pacific Institute, for example, will shift to making mask-wearing outdoors optional beginning Saturday, while still mandating masks indoors.

“We are excitedly planning for spring concerts, performances and other annual spring culmination events. Some events will be modified from their pre-COVID versions, but we look forward to seeing more parents/guardians and family members on campus this spring,” the statement said.

The Manoa school continues to encourage vaccinations, and to require any student or employee who is considered a close contact to a COVID-positive person to produce a negative laboratory test five days after the last date of exposure, among other rules.

>> At the Kapalama campus of Kamehameha Schools, multiple changes will begin March 27, according to a school newsletter sent out Thursday.

Wearing masks will become optional outdoors but remain mandatory indoors. A daily wellness check-in form will be discontinued. Students who are not registered as vaccinated will no longer be required to participate in weekly surveillance testing, the newsletter said.

Vaccinations are still required for Kamehameha employees, but for those with medical and religious exemptions, a testing requirement is being lifted, at least for now.

>> Punahou School will shift to making masks optional outdoors beginning March 28, the day students and employees return from spring break, said a school statement released Friday.

“Indoor face mask requirements will remain in place pending further guidance from the Hawaii Department of Health. We will also no longer require unvaccinated individuals to quarantine if exposed, or to perform routine surveillance testing.”

>> At ‘Iolani School, wearing masks remains mandatory for indoor settings, but last month it became optional for outdoor use. “The ability to see facial expressions and non-verbal messages are critical to the social and emotional development of our students, and we are glad to be able to take this step toward normalcy here at school,” a school statement said.

In addition, since Feb. 22, lower-school students no longer have had to stick with their class cohort, but can play together with others in their grade level; and morning “health checks” have been removed.

“We are continuing to pool test 25% of our school community each week. When a positive test result occurs, we trace possible exposure and test in response,” the school said.

>> At Hawaii Pacific University, beginning March 26, students will no longer be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test, and an online health survey will be discontinued, said Stephen Ward, vice president of communications.

Indoor masks are still mandatory. But thermal scanners are being discontinued starting Monday.

HPU’s last graduation, in December 2021, had reduced seating and lacked a full faculty processional, but relaxing city and state restrictions now “bode well for our commencement” on May 7 at the foot of Aloha Tower, though it’s still soon to pin down details, Ward said.

>> Chaminade University will no longer require students, faculty, staff and campus visitors to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test while on campus. Masks still will be required indoors.

Meanwhile, at Hawaii’s 257 public schools, masks continue to be mandatory both indoors and outdoors, among other health and safety measures. New guidelines for this year’s public-school graduation include requiring that all participants wear masks and provide proof of vaccination or negative COVID- 19 test taken within 48 hours before the ceremony, and requiring ceremonies be held in locations that are outdoors or in venues with adequate ventilation.

The 10-campus University of Hawaii system for the moment plans no changes to its COVID-19 policies, including vaccine mandates for students and employees. But in a newsletter on Thursday, UH President David Lassner seemed to hint at possible changes being considered, writing, “We greatly appreciate your patience as we digest the state and federal changes and navigate to this next stage of the pandemic.”