CEO Message: Hawai’i Headmaster Dr. Stan Fortuna to Retire

September 9, 2011

Contributed by Thomas Yoshida

On behalf of Kamehameha Schools, we wish both Stan and Nancy Fortuna a heartfelt mahalo as they finish their school year in the midst of friends, colleagues, parents and the incredible haumāna they serve. In his formal letter of resignation, Stan remarked that his years at Kamehameha "…have afforded me the opportunity to work with the most dedicated and talented faculty and staff and executive leaders on the face of Planet Earth". We couldn't agree more! Stan has led an exceptional team and as their leader, embraced our culture and values with a deep appreciation for the opportunity to serve.

In Stan's years at Kamehameha Schools, he has seen the Hawai'i Campus grow from bare land to a pu'uhonua, a place where amazing achievements have been made by limitless haumāna – all under the loving eyes of our founder, Princess Pauahi, her generous husband Charles and the grace of Ke Akua.

Under Stan's leadership, the Hawai'i campus has:

• Grown from 170 (K-6) students to 1,100 (K-12) students; from 30 to 235 faculty and staff.
• Graduated 800 good and industrious men and women.
• Completed facilities that have welcomed the Kamehameha Schools 'ohana and thousands from our communities.
• Received a 6 year WASC accreditation.
• Established Career Academies with great success.
• Completed numerous service projects in our communities, such as the beautification project at Keaukaha Elementary School.
• Led the daily expression of our Christian heritage
• Ensured the cultivation and perpetuation of our Hawaiian language and culture.

Dr. Fortuna would be the first to attribute these successes to everyone but himself and has indeed built an outstanding team that is fully committed to teaching excellence in learning and life.

I'm pleased that Stan will be able to serve and lead the Kea'au campus through the remainder of the 11-12 school. We begin our search for our next Head of School by mid-September with the goal of having our new Head of School selected by January 2012 and on board before the start of the 12-13 school year. We will invite the strong pool of candidates that emerged from our Kapālama Head of School search and recruit for new applicants as well. With this aggressive timeline in mind, I have asked Dr. Rod Chamberlain, our Vice-President for Campus Strategic and Academic Affairs to facilitate this process with the support of our Human Resources team.

Mahalo a nui loa, Stan and Nancy, for your love and dedication to our school. We will treasure the many moments you have shared with us and wish you even more as you begin your new lives.

I mua e Stan a me Nancy! Ke Akua pū me 'olua, aloha a hui hou!