Hawaii’s Department of Education (DOE) has set a tentative goal of reopening three West Maui schools — Princess Nahi‘ena‘ena Elementary, Lahaina Intermediate and Lahainaluna High — in mid-October, after DOE’s fall break of Oct. 9-13.

The timeline is tentative because required repairs, along with environmental assessments to ensure students and teachers will not be exposed to toxic byproducts of the devastating Aug. 8 Lahaina fires, are still underway. But Superintendent Keith Hayashi said, rightly, that DOE release of a tentative timeline “will help with planning and bring some stability for our staff, students and families during this very turbulent time.”