Principal’s exit leaves school confused

Teachers, staff and parents of students at a Hawaii island charter school are trying to get its principal reinstated after its Hono­lulu-based school board announced he would be leaving his job without explaining why.

The school board, Ho‘o­ka­ko‘o Corp., rated Wai­mea Middle Public Conversion Charter School principal John Colson 4.8 out of 5 at his annual evaluation, a group of school faculty, staff and friends said in a written plea Wednesday to urge his reinstatement.

"Seems like an ‘A’ to us, i.e., his performance was more than satisfactory — now this?’" the plea read.

Colson, principal at Wai­mea Middle for nearly four years and Hawaii Preparatory Academy headmaster for nearly 25 years, is a "highly respected educator who is totally committed to what’s best for children," "a dedicated father and husband — a man of the highest integrity," the group’s statement said.

Ho‘okako‘o had said it would issue a statement Friday, but none was made. Colson did not return calls from the Star-Advertiser.

Waimea Middle was "approaching" adequate yearly progress under the federal No Child Left Behind standards, meaning students had not met federal benchmarks in reading and math but were improving.

Usha Kotner, chairwoman of the Charter School Review Panel, which oversees charter schools across the state, said, "Generally speaking, personnel matters are not disclosed" unless the employee is willing to disclose such matters.

Kotner has worked with Colson, who is a member of the panel.

"From my experience of him, he’s a highly qualified, respected and effective administrator and as a panel member as well," she said.

In a letter to the school community Wednesday, Megan McCorriston, executive director of Ho‘o­ka­ko‘o and interim principal, praised Colson.

"Mr. Colson’s tenure brought much needed stability to the school and allowed for it to become a more integrated part of the Wai­mea community," she wrote. "Please join us in wishing him the best in his future endeavors."

At an assembly Tuesday, Ho‘o­ka­ko‘o announced Colson’s Feb. 3 departure to students, staff and faculty, and that a search for a replacement was underway. A new principal is expected to be in place by June.

Cynthia Spencer, grandmother of a Wai­mea Middle student, said, "The day that the children found out, it was so devastating. It was like, ‘Why can’t Mr. Colson stay? Isn’t he going to be at the graduation?’ … They cried all day at school. They missed John Colson."

Students and teachers went to Colson’s home near the school and stood outside and chanted.

Spencer said her granddaughter, a sixth-grader, struggled in school before Colson’s arrival. "The way he runs the school has really impacted the children because she has become an A student. I don’t know what he does, but he really gets them motivated to study and work towards perfection in school.

"He brought the standards of the school up a lot, and I don’t know why they just pulled the rug out from under him," she said.

Board Chairman Keith Vieira said he has "nothing but the highest respect for Colson" and has no issues with him.

Ho‘okako‘o is also the governing board for Kamaile Academy in Wai­anae on Oahu and Kualapuu School on Molokai.

In November 2010, Ho‘o­ka­ko‘o fired two top administrators at Kamaile as part of a bid to turn around the low-performing school.