King Kamehameha III Elementary School, once a focal point for community among families with young children in Lahaina, has burned down to the walls. On Maui, about 50 public educators have told their union that their homes have burned down or been damaged by the devastating Lahaina fire.

And while most Maui schools will open today for the 2023-24 school year, King Kekaulike High, Princess Nahienaena Elementary, Lahaina Intermediate and Lahainaluna High schools have been damaged and are closed until “it is safe to return,” state Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi reports. All these closures affect nearly 3,000 students, 300 faculty and staff. The Department of Education (DOE) has formed an “internal response team” to coordinate resources and plan for next steps.

Going forward, DOE actions must be examined through the lens of its mission: first, providing comfort, open communication and some measure of security to the students — and teachers — who have been affected by the fires; next, providing continuity of education for students whose lives have been upended; and ultimately, restoring school communities, reuniting the educators, students and families who draw a sense of belonging and sense of place from attending “their” school.

It’s reassuring that DOE’s internal response team has been formed to plan immediate and longer-term actions. It will be that much more reassuring, and helpful, if the DOE and its response team communicate openly and effectively with the public. Keeping the public informed is the best way to give a sense of agency and security to the families and communities affected.

The DOE plans a step in the right direction here: a dedicated phone line for questions from those affected by the Maui fires, along with both in-person and telehealth counseling/mental health services. Let’s hope the “planning” phase does not take long, as the need for outreach and information is immediate. The option available at present — a link to the DOE website, which has not been tailored to the needs of those harmed or displaced by the Maui fires — is a far cry from adequate.

In-person options are vital for families that have been traumatized by the Maui disaster. Not all have access to phone or internet service — or feel comfortable using the phone to sort out schooling questions. It shouldn’t be difficult for DOE to set up a help desk — preferable at existing service centers or shelters, reaching out to families where they are.

For now, with the new school year starting, the DOE urges students displaced from their schools to get enrolled in the neighborhood schools closest to their current residence — even if temporary. That gives students access to in-person counseling, meals and, of course, classroom teachers, along with a stable routine. In many cases, this is the best option.

In other cases, remote (online) learning will serve displaced families best in the interim; students can be registered at bit.ly/MauiDistanceLearning.

In making these determinations, the options provided must be chosen based on what is best for students, not what is most expedient. By keeping this primary goal in mind, the DOE will help West Maui keiki and families move forward in the most healthy and secure manner.

Already, teachers and their union have called for keeping the Lahaina community together, perhaps by placing portable classrooms in a safe, alternative location. That is a reasonable expectation, and an option the DOE should pursue with all due diligence. Here, the School Facilities Authority can play a part, and prove itself capable of speedy action.

Many teachers want to stay attached to their schools, where they have built strong ties with the community — and should be allowed to do so, in every circumstance possible. It’s a positive that Hayashi has reassured teachers that their jobs are secure and they will continue to be paid while schools are closed.

Schools are often “the heart of the community,” noted Osa Tui Jr., president of the teachers union. That bond is special, something that the DOE must continue and strive to nurture.