Waimea principal’s exit focus of meeting

By COLIN M. STEWART

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Waimea Middle School officials have scheduled a community meeting for tonight to discuss the departure of Principal John Colson.

It remains unclear whether Colson was forced out or left of his own accord. Megan McCorriston, the executive director of the conversion charter school’s board, Honolulu-based nonprofit Ho’okako’o Corp., announced on Feb. 8 that Colson “will be leaving his role as Principal and Chief Education and Executive Officer of Waimea Middle School.” A letter posted Monday on the school’s website defines Colson’s departure as a “resignation.” Officials have said they will not discuss the matter because it is a “confidential personnel matter.”

Ho’okako’o Executive Director Megan McCorriston was in meetings all day Wednesday and was not available to respond to questions, according to an assistant. But, she said, more information would be available at tonight’s meeting.

Meanwhile, several of the parents at the school with whom the Tribune-Herald spoke maintain that Colson was forced out for political reasons. They say Colson’s exit came as a complete surprise, and they believe he is under some form of gag order and cannot explain his personal position.

A call to Colson’s home seeking comment was not returned as of press time Wednesday.

“In my opinion, this was a case of Ho’okako’o releasing Mr. Colson,” said Brenda Resendiz, the mother of a 21-year-old graduate of the school and an eighth-grader who currently attends
classes there.

Resendiz says she is a former employee of the school and has regularly volunteered there for the past 10 years. But on Wednesday she said her involvement with the school will be coming to an end.

“This will be my last year affiliated with Waimea Middle,” she said.

“It’s just quite disappointing that this is happening to our community,” said Melissa Lindsey, a mother of two students at the school. “This gentleman (Colson) has so many ties to the community, but unfortunately because of his contract, he’s not allowed to say anything.”

Hawaii Island Board of Education member Brian DeLima said Wednesday he had received numerous calls from concerned parents. As a member of the BOE, he does not have a direct say in personnel matters at the charter school, DeLima said. But, he did say that he knows Colson well and believes it was a mistake to allow him to leave the school.

“I’ve known him for more than a decade, and always known him to be focused on working for the best interests of the students,” DeLima said.

“I thought the decision that was made was unfortunate, particularly in the timing with the students having the Hawaii State Assessments coming up.”

In a letter posted on Waimea Middle’s website, Ho’okako’o Board of Directors Chairman Keith Vieira announced the board would meet tonight from 6-8 p.m. at the Thelma Parker Memorial Gym.

“We would like the opportunity to meet with you to discuss Mr. Colson’s resignation and future opportunities for your school,” his letter reads.

“We want to continue building on the Waimea community’s vision of this school as a thriving ‘place of infinite possibilities.'”

Parents have said they were angered by the way in which they were informed of Colson’s departure, as well as not being involved in any decision that may have been made by board members concerning his continued employment with the school.

Several parents have said that more than 100 students stayed home from classes on Monday in a show of protest, and parents plan further protests before tonight’s meeting. School employees said Wednesday they could not confirm Monday’s student protest, referring all requests for information to McCorriston.

Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.