Published September 1, 2026
BY RUBY IRANMANESH
Okilani Hautau, a newly hired special education paraeducator, is looking forward to working at CHS this school year, where he will teach life skills and academic subjects, such as English and math, within the special education classroom.
Hautau has a wide range of previous experience, including working at other schools before CHS and in elderly care centers with dementia patients. During this past summer, Hautau also had the opportunity to work with multiple CHS students with moderate to severe disabilities and connect with them before the school year began.
“My favorite thing about the students is that they read life into us just as much as we read life into them,” says Hautau. “It doesn’t really feel like a job. It just feels like we are helping them better themselves for when they get older.”
So far, Hautau has enjoyed his time at CHS and emphasizes that the environment is welcoming.
“On my first day here, I think I had three or four strangers tell me to ‘have a good day,’” says the new staff member. “That is something I haven’t experienced anywhere else.”
Outside of school, Hautau enjoys hiking the Monterey County trails and surfing.
