Nimitz Elementary School Principal Kenneth Lee was named Hawaii’s 2012 National Distinguished Principal last month, and the state Department of Education announced that Waiau Elementary School Vice Principal Stacey Makanoe Kawasaki has been selected as Hawaii’s first recipient of the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ Outstanding Assistant Principal Award.
Lee will travel to Washington, D.C., in October to be honored along with other principals from across the country.
He has served as principal for two decades at Nimitz Elementary, which consistently exceeds state benchmarks in reading and math despite a high student transiency rate, according to the DOE.
Lee represents the Central Oahu District. The other district nominees for Hawaii’s 2012 National Distinguished Principal were Timothy Lino, Ke Kula o ‘Ehunui-kaimalino (Hawaii island); Evelyn Hao, Kuhio Elementary (Honolulu); Disa Hauge, Maili Elementary (Leeward Oahu); Glenda Miyazaki, Waimea Canyon Middle (Kauai); Chad Okamoto, Pukalani Elementary (Maui); and Lanelle Hibbs, Kailua Elementary (Windward Oahu).
Kawasaki of Waiau Elementary is among 52 vice principals nationwide who are being honored with the first NAESP National Outstanding Assistant Principal Award.
Waiau Elementary Principal Troy Takazono on Sunday praised Kawasaki’s "knowledge of elementary curriculum, facilitative leadership skills and strong moral and ethical values" as well as her "positive influence" on staff members.
Takazono described his professional relationship with Kawasaki by saying, "Iron sharpens iron." By working together, Takazono and Kawasaki "sharpen each other," he said.
The Outstanding Assistant Principals Award program is designed to promote educational excellence from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade, and will call attention to the importance of assistant principals, the state DOE said.
