New CEdO and Headmasters to be Named Soon

April 22, 2001

Contributed by CEO Message

KS Reorganization Creates New Structure
All three positions that are being filled were created as a result of the overall KS reorganization that was approved and adopted in August 2000. The CEdO and Headmaster positions emphasize and reinforce Kamehameha's statewide educational system and bring greater institutional focus and efficiency to the fulfillment of Kamehameha's educational mission. It was this significance that prompted KS to engage a national search firm to recruit for all three of these positions.

Search Process Began in December 2000
Dr. McCubbin initiated the searches for the CEdO and the Headmasters last December with the engagement of Wickenden Associates, a nationally recognized expert in independent school leadership searches and other services. Dr. McCubbin met with the Wickenden team over the Thanksgiving weekend and selected them to facilitate Kamehameha's search.

Upon their engagement, Wickenden visited Kamehameha's three campuses in early January and held meetings with trustees, executives, administrators, faculty and staff. For further referrals, they also contacted heads of schools and associations in Hawai'i, including Punahou's Jim Scott, Hawai'i Preparatory Academy's John Colson, and Bob Peters of Hawai'i Association of Independent Schools. Everyone was encouraged to recommend candidates. Further, they reviewed their national database of more than 4,700 educators for persons who might qualify. At each meeting and with every contact they solicited names of possible candidates who might be qualified for any of the three positions.

Wickenden also worked with KS Human Resources to establish and activate a local and national recruitment process, including placement of advertising locally and in such national journals as "The Chronicle of Higher Education" and "Education Week." In total, Wickenden contacted 519 individuals with information about the positions. Of that number, 60 applied for the CEdO position and 72 applied for the two Headmaster openings. All recruitment work followed the National Association of Independent Schools Principles of Good Practice for Independent School Search Committees and Search Consultants. (See http://www.nais-schools.org/inform/pubs/pgpsrch.html for a full text of these principles.)

Screening Committees Formed
Once Wickenden was engaged, the CEO appointed two Screening Committees comprising a cross section of KS faculty and staff. The committee members were:

Chief Education Officer Screening Committee
Chair: Cordy MacLaughlin, Principal and Acting Headmaster, KS-Maui

Dr. Michael J. Chun, President & Headmaster, KS-Kapalama
Colleen Wong, Esq., Chief Legal Officer
Linda Cunningham, Operations Manager, Early Childhood Development
Terry Kelly, Director, Kamehameha Safe and Drug Free Schools Program, Extension
Barbara Robertson, Principal and Acting Headmaster, KS-Hawai'i
Rev. David Coon, former Interim Trustee

Headmasters Screening Committee
Chair: Marsha Bolson, Communications Director

Sonya Ah Chong, Grade 1 Teacher, KS-Hawai'i
Moses Crabbe, Hawaiian Language Specialist, KS-Hawai'i
Puanani Fernandez-Akamine, Associate Director of Admissions
Kaipo Hale, Hawaiian Studies Institute Interim Director
Janis Kane, Salary Administration Manager
Lois Nishikawa, Grade 3 Teacher, KS-Maui
Mamo Nitta, Music/Science Specialist, KS-Maui
Gary Suehisa, Financial Aid Acting Coordinator
Walter Thoemmes, Manager/Engineer, Facilities Design and Management
Kehau Yap, Alumni Development Director
Eric Yeaman, Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Sandy Young, Secondary School Assistant Principal, KS-Kapalama

CEdO Screening Process
The Chief Education Officer Screening Committee began its work in December 2000 and immersed itself in discussing the role and responsibilities of the CEdO. This accompanied a comprehensive review of the position description that the Committee used as a guide to what they would look for in their candidates. The committee worked with Wickenden in reviewing all recruitment materials that were to be distributed to prospective candidates. In all, approximately 325 recruitment packets were sent out by December 28.

The CEdO application deadline was set at January 29, 2001 to give potential candidates a full month by which to respond. In the first week of February, Wickenden performed an initial screen of all applications to ensure that they met minimum qualifications. Twenty-two applications were referred back to the committee for further consideration. The committee deliberated the merits and qualifications of this group to arrive at a list of 15 semi-finalists, 10 of whom live on the US mainland and five of whom live in Hawai'i.

In preparation for the next step in the process, Wickenden compiled complete dossiers -- including resumes, reference checks and other documents -- on each of the semi-finalists, and these were shared with each committee member. Interviews with the CEdO Screening Committee were held in mid February with each of the Hawai'i candidates, and a three-member panel from the committee traveled to San Francisco immediately thereafter to interview the semi-finalists living on the US mainland. CEO McCubbin sat in on many of these interviews, which consisted primarily of discussion of questions that had been pre-determined by the entire Screening Committee.

Having completed all of these interviews, the entire CEdO Screening Committee re-convened in late February to discuss and evaluate the candidates based on what they had learned through the process thus far. A list of four candidates emerged from these discussions, and all agreed that the four represented the strongest candidates of the 15 semi-finalists. The names of these four individuals were submitted to the CEO and announced to KS faculty and staff.

To complete the Screening Committee's role in the process, the four CEdO finalists were each invited to participate in individual one-hour interviews with representatives from various stakeholder groups. These interviews were held March 11 at Bishop Memorial Chapel and included the following stakeholder representatives:

Facilitator: Kirk Durante, President, KS Alumni Association Board of Presidents

Randy Apele, Parent Teacher Ohana, KS-Hawai'i
Cory Au, President, Association of Parents & Teachers, KS-Kapalama
Lance Cagasan, Teacher, KS-Maui
Kawika Eyre, Teacher, KS-Kapalama
Kaipo Hale, Hawaiian Studies Institute Interim Director
Howard Kihune, Parent Teacher Ohana, KS-Maui
Karen Loo, Teacher, KS-Hawai'i
Larry McElheny, President, Kamehameha Schools Faculty Association
Beth Nakamura, President, Associated Students of Kamehameha Schools
Cyr Pakele, Non-Bargaining Unit Staff Representative, KS-Kapalama
Kathryn Takakuwa, Teacher, Wai'anae II Preschool

Evaluations of each interview, including stakeholder questions and candidate responses, were provided as input to the Screening Committee members to assist in their ranking of the finalists. In addition, each finalist was interviewed separately by the CEO, the Chief Executives, and again by the Screening Committee. The Screening Committee then met with the CEO and Chief Executives to evaluate the finalists' interviews from their various perspectives. From these interactions, and from all of the other input received throughout the process, the Screening Committee arrived at a ranked order of the final four candidates and submitted that list to the CEO on March 12.

Headmaster Screening Process
The Headmaster Screening Committee approached their task with open minds and open hearts. They listened to the needs and hopes expressed by faculty and staff from the Maui and Hawai'i campuses and committed to screening for applicants who demonstrated a "goodness of fit," and had all of the following qualities, skills and experiences:

• Outstanding credentials and academic experience
• Child-centered, success and happiness-oriented educational philosophy
• Articulates a strategic and innovative vision for the campus
• Strong, yet collaborative and inclusive leadership style
• Competent decision-maker who can promote and advocate positive change
• Outstanding communicator who regularly solicits input and listens with head and heart
• Culturally competent and sensitive to Hawaiian, school and community values
• Experienced in curriculum development, and faculty and staff evaluation, supervision and mentoring
• Vital link to and advocate for community involvement in campus life
• Financially astute and experienced with balancing fiscal prudence with academic excellence
• Familiar with development.

"This was an awesome responsibility," said Sandy Young. "We had an obligation to find the best person for the job, who was not only qualified and experienced, but had the interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to be a valuable asset both to the school and the community."

Committee member Moses Crabbe summarized his expectations for the new Headmaster as, "Someone who can lead our schools through the challenges we face and get us where we need to go - now!"

As in the CEdO screening process, Wickenden Associates screened each Headmaster application to establish that minimum position requirements were met. More than 190 people were contacted with regard to the positions; 72 applications were received, and of these, the names of 27 applicants were forwarded to the Headmaster Screening Committee.

All members reviewed each applicant packet before convening with the larger committee to discuss, compare and evaluate each of the applicants. Through a process of written straw votes, open discussion and super-majority voting, the 27 were narrowed to 18 semi-finalists, three of whom were from Hawai'i.

The interview process for the Headmaster semi-finalists followed much the same pattern as the CEdO interviews. The Hawai'i candidates were interviewed here, and a panel representing the committee met the US mainland candidates in San Francisco to interview them there. Upon completion of all interviews, the Headmaster committee re-convened and agreed upon five finalists to
recommend to the CEO on February 28.

The Headmaster Screening Committee held individual orientation sessions for each of their five finalists at all three KS campuses during the week of March 12. On Hawai'i and Maui each finalist met with a committee of stakeholder representatives that included KS teachers, staff, parents, alumni and business and community leaders from each island. All finalists also toured each campus and were interviewed by the full screening committee.

Maui Campus Stakeholders
Andie Simon, President, Kamehameha Schools Association, Maui
Marilyn Hill, Past President, KSAA, Maui Region
Bernie Freitas, President, KS Maui PTO
Cindy Fernandez, K Teacher
John Cluney, Security Officer
Rev. Kalani Wong, KS Kahu
Momi Awo, Queen Lili'uokalani Children’s Center
Hokulani Padilla, Kaho'olawe Cleanup Commission
Sarah Kalani, DOE Superintendent’s Office
John Tomoso, Commissioner, DHHL
* Provost Clyde Sakamoto, Maui Community College
* Bob Dant, Maui High Performance Computing Center
(* Invited but could not attend)

Hawai'i Stakeholders Committee
Wendell Kam, Science Teacher
Maxine Kaluna, PPA
Eric Lau, KS 6th grade student
Dwayne Lerma and Jo Anne Goya, parents
Gregory Trifonovitch, Cross-cultural Consultant and Kupuna
Nathan Chang, President, KSAA, Hawai'i, Mamalahoe Sub-Region
Darren Ah Chong, PTO past president, parent, alumni
Tracy Kaneakua, DOE teacher, curriculum specialist, KS parent
Randy Apele, President, KS Hawai'i PTO
Lincoln Ashida, Prosecuting Attorney, Mayor’s Legal Advisor
Wayne Kahula, KS Kahu, alumni
John Kai, parent
Alice Kawakami, UH Hilo Education Department Chair
Lance Niimi, Queen Lili'uokalani Trust
Ululani Sherlock, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Ed Andrade, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
Eli Nahulu, Director, KS Regional Resource Centers

The finalists' O'ahu orientation included interviews with the CEO and the President (as Acting CEdO), a briefing on the master plans for the two neighbor island schools, and a tour of the Kapalama campus. In this process, too, the Headmaster finalists were ranked by the Screening Committee based on their evaluations of all of the input they had received, and a ranked list for each school was given to the CEO on March 15.

Taking their commitment one step further, the entire Headmaster Screening Committee, with the support of the CEO, presented their process, philosophy and criteria to the Board of Trustees on March 20. Their information was well received, with each member of the Board commending the committee for its steadfast commitment to the process and to searching for the people best qualified for the positions. The Board again affirmed the process and instructed the CEO to move forward to name the CEdO and Headmasters from the pool of finalists.

Local candidates - Where are they?
As the preliminary outcomes of the screening process for the CEdO and Headmaster positions were shared through CEO communications, public forums and media coverage, the concern that there were so few "local candidates" in the pool was raised. This was a matter discussed at length and with great seriousness by both screening committees.

The defining question for both groups was how should the perfect candidate's credentials, skills, experiences and interpersonal abilities be balanced with intimate knowledge of Hawai'i and Kamehameha Schools, cultural expertise and local connections?

Maui teacher Mamo Nitta of the Headmasters Screening Committee told Trustees, "We took to heart what our faculty and staff had to say. They wanted a good person with a good heart who values education and who values children. That's what matters most at this time."

To a person, the other members of the committee nodded in agreement. "When it came down to it, it didn't matter where these people were from," said Walter Thoemmes. "What really mattered was whether they could get the job done. We need to emphasize skill sets and experience."

Dr. Michael J. Chun, a CEdO Committee member, shared another perspective. "We all knew this would be an issue, and personally I am very disheartened that we were not able to attract more local candidates to these leadership positions. However, once chosen, we must and will support whomever is selected."

CFO Eric Yeaman expressed surprise early on in the Headmasters search that there weren't more local applicants. "It was disappointing since I know Wickenden solicited referrals of qualified local candidates from KS management and certain staff."

These were not simple considerations, and the complexities will no doubt be the topic of much discussion for a long time to come among those who truly care about Kamehameha Schools.

Commitment to Building Leadership for Tomorrow
Anticipating that more leadership opportunities will emerge at Kamehameha in the future -- and at Dr. McCubbin's request -- the Trustees have affirmed their support for the establishment of a Kamehameha Schools career development and leadership initiative. "We know we have talented, intelligent and very skilled people," Dr. McCubbin said. "KS must commit itself to developing leaders by providing world-class opportunities and genuine leadership roles that will enable our people to acquire the value-added experiences and knowledge required for the leadership roles to come."

Dr. McCubbin has charged Acting Chief Administrative Officer Dwight Kealoha with the task of developing this leadership initiative through educational partnerships, new funding and alliances with business partners.

"An important lesson learned is that we must find a way to planfully shape culturally-sensitive leaders so they are better prepared and experientially qualified to step into senior roles when the opportunities arise," Dr. McCubbin said. "At a minimum, our plans for a career and leadership initiative must include elements of leadership training; advanced learning opportunities at universities and colleges; internships in Hawai'i and elsewhere, and career-strengthening individual study programs. Even beyond Kamehameha's own walls, I will only be truly satisfied when the ranks of senior leadership positions not only in Hawai'i, but throughout the world, are filled by bright, innovative, collaborative and culturally competent people."