Principal’s exit linked with charter schools

The school board of a Hawaii island charter school explained the departure of its principal, saying Saturday he was resigning, but not because of any impropriety.

Teachers, staff and parents of students at Waimea Middle Public Conversion Charter School wrote a plea to urge the retention of Principal John Colson after the school board announced, without explanation, on Feb. 3 that Colson would be leaving.

Ho‘okako‘o Corp., the school board, said Colson’s resignation is effective March 31 and a search is under way to find a new principal by July 1. An interim principal will be in place for the rest of the school year.

"We respect John as an educator and administrator and his decision to pursue his passion for charter schools and we wish him the best," Keith Vieira, chairman of the Ho‘okako‘o board, said in Saturday’s statement.

The statement said Colson will immediately take a sabbatical leave to focus on statewide charter school issues and opportunities that can benefit charter schools in Hawaii. In his four years at Waimea Middle, Colson raised Hawaii State Assessment test scores and helped prevent furloughs at the school, the statement said.

Colson said in the statement that he valued his tenure at Waimea Middle and felt blessed to have the opportunity to work with its educators, students and the students’ families.

"I hope to find a leadership position in education in the area and I also hope to develop partnerships with WMS as a means of staying connected to the dedicated professionals and families of the school," he said.

Colson’s supporters said in their plea to the school board that Colson scored 4.8 out of 5 on his annual evaluation. "Seems like an ‘A’ to us, i.e., his performance was more than satisfactory — now this?" the plea read.

After learning of his departure, students and teachers went to Colson’s home near the school, stood outside and chanted.