HANALEI — Lisa McDonald, the Hanalei Elementary School principal who was removed from her post in September, will stay at the district office instead of returning to head the school, after a decision by Complex Area Superintendent Bill Arakaki. The
HANALEI — Lisa McDonald, the Hanalei Elementary School principal who was removed from her post in September, will stay at the district office instead of returning to head the school, after a decision by Complex Area Superintendent Bill Arakaki.
The current temporary principal, Cheryl “Reiko” Beralas, will continue to serve out the rest of the school year as principal, according to Catherine Wilson, current vice president of the Parent Teacher Student Association, and according to a letter written to parents by Arakaki.
The Hawaii Department of Education said Friday afternoon that McDonald was going to be reinstated as principal of Hanalei Elementary.
A Saturday article in The Garden Island reported that McDonald would be returning to Hanalei Elementary as principal, based on earlier information from the state DOE. But late Friday, after TGI’s deadline, it said that decision had been changed and she was going to be staying at the district office, at least for a while.
“Ms. McDonald’s educational skill set is vast and we value what she has brought to the district office, where she will continue to serve through the remainder of the school year,” said Donalyn Dela Cruz, communications director for HIDOE, in a statement.
McDonald was cleared of complaints made against her by parents and teachers.
Dela Cruz’s statement did not say what would happen at the end of the school year for either position, and she declined to elaborate on Saturday.
Dela Cruz said the decision was made by Arakaki after meeting with “a number of stakeholders, and further consideration for what is best for Ms. McDonald, and the school.”
Wilson said it was the faculty and staff that had the last say in the matter on Wednesday. Though no one threatened to quit, they made it apparent that they didn’t want to work with McDonald, Wilson said.
“The faculty completed a survey that day at their weekly faculty meeting which showed that none of the teachers were willing to continue at the school if Lisa McDonald returned as the principal,” Wilson said.
On Saturday, Dela Cruz said Arakaki would not be providing a statement, other than the information in letters sent to parents on Wednesday and Thursday.
McDonald was in her second year as principal of Hanalei Elementary in September, when she was removed from her post due to an investigation into complaints against her.
Those complaints came from parents, teachers and faculty who alleged a list of mismanagements and lack of communications that they say proves McDonald was unqualified to be principal at the school.
In September, Wilson told TGI that the group’s intention was for McDonald to step down, or for “the superintendents to do their job and remove her from the school.”
After three days of protests in front of the school by parents, teachers and community members, McDonald was reassigned to the district office pending an investigation.
For about four months, she’s been “mainly working on science and Common Core state standards, and she’s been an asset in the district office,” Dela Cruz said.
On Wednesday, according to Wilson, a letter from Arakaki was sent home with Hanalei Elementary students.
“Based on the conclusion of the investigation, Principal McDonald will resume her position at Hanalei Elementary School effective January 21, 2016,” the letter states.
The letter also addresses some of the complaints against McDonald, such as the combination K/1st grade class that she created. The letter states combination classes “have been common at Hanalei.”
It also responds to the alleged denial of special education services by stating that “schools are not obligated to provide additional Barton tutoring to students that are not in need of special education services.”
“Hanalei Elementary School has allowed other students to participate in Barton tutoring as an extra benefit,” the letter says. “Therefore, there is no violation if these students do not receive this service.”
Finally, the letter says complaints about McDonald’s personality “are not grounds for removal.”
Parents got the letter the same day the faculty took the survey. That was Wednesday.
“The next day another letter was sent home from Bill Arakaki, stating that Lisa McDonald would not be returning, and Cheryl Beralas would continue to serve out the rest of the school year as the school’s principal,” Wilson said.
The letter, dated Jan. 21, details Arakaki’s decision to have McDonald continue her “valuable service to the schools at the district level.”
“Ms. McDonald and her leadership has become an asset to the district office by assisting schools with achieving strategies in the Hawaii Common Core and science,” Arakaki writes in the letter. “Ho’oponopono sessions will take place for teachers, staff and other groups within Hanalei Elementary School to address past and current concerns.”
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Jessica Else, county reporter, can be reached at 245-0452 or jelse@thegardenisland.com.
