Hamamoto on a roll
as state schools chiefBoard of Education members give her
good marks for the third year in a row
For the third consecutive year, Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto got good marks in her annual evaluation from the state Board of Education.
Board Chairman Breene Harimoto said Hamamoto met or exceeded every category in the review, which was announced at the board's general meeting in Pearl City last night.
"Her able leadership has shown what she can do," Harimoto said. "We look forward to the coming year, where she will have many more challenges."
Board members used a system that indicated whether Hamamoto "meets or exceeds expectations" or "does not meet expectations" in six categories.
The standards included a review of whether Hamamoto effectively managed the public school system and oversaw an effective financial management system.
Hamamoto thanked the board for the positive reviews and extended the commendations to public school complex-area superintendents, principals and teachers.
"The commitment is to not only move forward," she said, "but make sure we continue to move forward for our students."
Hamamoto said she has gotten through several "anxious times" in the past year, including a reduced budget and union negotiations for the public school teachers' contract.
The state Education Department also has struggled to meet requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which mandates that every public school achieve certain levels of teaching proficiency by 2014, particularly in math and English.
"It has been a spiked year," Hamamoto said. "We're going to continue to push forward."
In a letter issued to the board before last night's meeting, Hamamoto highlighted what she called the achievements and challenges of her previous year.
She listed professional training and "practices in the classroom" as areas in need of improvement.
For the coming year, she wrote, "the academic focus is still on improving reading and math. Added to this will be civic responsibility and character education."
She also said the "ongoing business of continuing standards-based education practices, analyzing our progress or lack of progress and holding ourselves accountable are still on the front burner."
Hamamoto was named interim superintendent in October 2001, after the resignation of Paul LeMahieu. She was awarded a four-year contract, with an annual salary of $150,000, in December 2001.