After the devastating wildfire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina in Hawaii, students and their families are facing a difficult decision as the three surviving public schools prepare to reopen. The fire not only displaced families from their homes but also forced them to find alternative ways to continue their education. Some parents are concerned about potential toxins left behind by the fire and are hesitant to send their children back to the affected campuses, despite assurances from education officials that the schools are safe.

For the past month, students like Cailee Cuaresma, a 10th-grader at Lahainaluna High School, have been attending classes at Sacred Hearts School, a Catholic school that quickly set up a makeshift campus 10 miles away from the burned-down school. Sacred Hearts and other private schools across the state took in displaced public school students, offering them a year of free tuition. Other students had to travel more than 45 minutes to attend public schools on the other side of Maui or opted for remote learning.

At Sacred Hearts' temporary site, teachers made sure to protect students from the scorching sun, moving them between pockets of shade. Principal Tonata Lolesio informed students that it could take up to two years before their school is rebuilt, encouraging them to pray for a faster timeline. Due to space limitations, students are attending classes on staggered days, but workers are preparing an adjacent lawn for tents to accommodate younger children who will attend daily.

Despite the challenges, attending Sacred Hearts has been a positive experience for Cailee. It provided her with challenging work and an opportunity to grow academically. However, some students from Lahaina Intermediate and King Kamehameha III Elementary, both of which were destroyed by the fire, will not be returning to their original schools. Instead, they will share space with Princess N??hi?"ena?"ena Elementary, which was closed for post-fire cleaning. Concerns about potentially dangerous ash near the schools have raised doubts for some parents, but education officials have assured them that air-quality tests show it is safe to reopen.

Tiffany Teruya, a mother whose home was destroyed in the fire, will not be sending her eighth-grade son back to Lahaina Intermediate. Since the school closed, he has been participating in a Hawaiian immersion program held outdoors and away from the burn zone. However, Teruya is unsure where she will send her son once the program returns to campus. Another parent, Debbie Tau, is concerned about the safety of Lahaina schools and won't be sending her two children back either. She plans to drive them to a school in Kihei, 45 minutes away, after the school district stops providing busing.

While some parents are opting out of sending their children back to the public schools, others have found solace in private schools. Patrick Williams, whose home was unaffected by the fire, has decided to keep his son Kupa?"a at Sacred Hearts. The family is willing to make sacrifices to afford tuition, especially since Williams lost most of his water delivery routes due to the fire.

Teachers have been finding ways to connect with the displaced students and provide them with support during this challenging time. Gabby Suzik, a science and math teacher at Maui Preparatory Academy, checks in regularly with her students from Lahainaluna High who lost their homes. Suzik herself lost her home on Front Street in Lahaina. She believes in being honest with her students and letting them know that she understands what they're going through. At Sacred Hearts, teacher Charlene Ako uses Hawaiian culture lessons to make connections with third-graders from Princess N??hi?"ena?"ena Elementary, showing them pictures of the princess and teaching them about native Hawaiian birds.

The road to recovery for Lahaina's schools and students is a long one. The emotional crossroads faced by families as they decide whether to return to their original schools or continue at the schools that took them in is a difficult one. The concerns about air quality and potential toxins from the fire add to the complexity of the situation. However, for many students, the support they have received from private schools and dedicated teachers has made a difference in their ability to continue their education and find some sense of stability amidst the devastation.