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Big Island lacks
2 key high school
principals

The situation in Hilo reflects
a pinch across the state that
higher pay might end

---

By Crystal Kua
Star-Bulletin

A predicted statewide shortage of principals, vice principals and other school administrators that has already hit the Big Island could be eased with higher salaries, according to one official.

The principal pinch on the Big Island could lead to a first: Hilo's two public high schools -- the island's largest -- without permanent principals at the same time.

"We're dealing with a very unusual situation here," said Dan Sakai, Big Island District Schools Superintendent.

Sakai and other public school officials told the Star-Bulletin at the start of the school year that the inability to find a principal for Hilo High School and the number of administrative vacancies at other schools were signs that an expected shortage of hundreds of administrators across the state had already reached the Big Island.

Sakai said yesterday the situation has worsened since September, with word that the Waiakea High School principal Patricia Nekoba is leaving. "It is in crisis."

Nekoba will take a leave of absence in January to take a deputy director's post with the administration of Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, Sakai said. "I would need to find a principal as soon as possible."

He said an acting principal will be named within a week.

Hilo High School, whose principal retired last year, has been led by acting principal Joseph Theroux since the start of this school year. Theroux's temporary assignment runs out in January.

Sakai said he hopes a third posting of the vacancy will yield qualified candidates so he can get a permanent replacement by the time the temporary assignment ends.

Principals have seen their responsibilities increase to include implementation of standards, compliance with federal mandates in special education and more legal liabilities, Sakai said.

Along with the increase in workload and retirements, training of educational officers hasn't kept up with the need, and the Big Island hasn't been able to attract candidates to the island.

One solution would be to increase the pay of principals and other educational officers to attract more qualified candidates.

Sakai said counterparts on the mainland make $80,000 to $120,000, while administrators here are paid $52,000 to $90,000.

"Yes, it does help," Sakai said of a pay raise.

These school administrators are represented by the Hawaii Government Employees Association, which is lobbying state lawmakers to approve a 14.5 percent increase in salary awarded to the union in arbitration. The Board of Education is scheduled to weigh in on the subject of a pay raise for educational officers by voting on a resolution at Thursday's meeting at Mililani High School.

Hawaii's public schoolteachers are also asking for a pay raise totaling 22 percent, citing the need to solve a teacher shortage. They are at an impasse with the state in contract negotiations.

"I want to assure the public that the education of the children comes first and we're providing that," Sakai said.

While the academic needs of the students are being met, the morale needs of these schools are not, Sakai said.

"Principals are leaders of the school," Sakai said.

"Without them, it causes very distinct morale problems in leadership."