Every new school year opens with a number of administrators moving on or coming on board
By Deborah Manog
Hawaii Catholic Schools
Leaving or retiring
Cindy Olaso
Retiring principal of Our Lady of Good Counsel School
Principal Cindy Olaso leaves Our Lady of Good Counsel School after 21 years. Among her contributions as head administrator were upgrading bookkeeping and accounting practices to allow for financial stability of the school, fostering community-centered collaborations to improve the school and parish through the American Savings Bank Contest and Scholarship Golf Tournaments and encouraging teachers to implement new methods to engage student learning. She also made school information easily accessible to parents, alumni and the community through social media.
Olaso said she will miss the students, their families and the staff with all their “generosity and faith in times of despair and also in the simple daily challenges that we all face, and their prayers for each other, the community, and thanksgiving for all that God has blessed us with.”
Mary Jean Buza-Sims
Retiring principal of St. Theresa School, Kekaha
Before returning to her alma mater as principal for the past 10 years at St. Theresa School on Kauai, Mary Jean Buza-Sims started her own business as a baker. For eight years she ran Kauai Desserts in Seattle, spreading the aloha spirit through her ono-licious cakes. She finds joy by getting involved with the community and has held multiple positions at several schools throughout Seattle and Hawaii. She has been married for 37 years to Robert Sims and they have four beautiful children and eight grandchildren.
Her values are “Don’t accept ‘can’t’ or ‘won’t’ from a person; Sprinkle the day with humor; laugh at yourself; give many positive statements. And take time to listen, notice and smile to thank God for all the blessings you have.”
Daphne Kauhane
Retiring director of education of St. Ann Model Schools
Parish director of education of St. Ann Church and Model Schools Daphne Kauhane first became involved with the school when her own children enrolled in the early 1970s. Mrs. Kauhane was asked to help with a musical play. After the success of the program, she was asked to teach music to all the classes and started the music program and musical May Day program at the school.
As an administrator, Kauhane worked closely with the faculty to improve the environment from a teacher-directed classroom to one where students became the focus and were given a voice in the teacher-learning methods. Although officially retired, she will continue to work with the parish as part of her music ministry role and in other areas. She looks forward to not clocking in every day, accomplishing the things on her bucket list and reaching out to the community through service. After all, for 43 years she guided thousands of students and faculty to make the school motto a part of their lives, “A‘ole nou wale no!” — “Not for ourselves alone!”
Susan Hendricks
Retiring principal of Sacred Hearts School, Lahaina
Raised as a child of an Army officer, living in one place for 20 years has been a significant marker in Susan Hendricks’ life. Shortly after relocating to Maui, Hendricks became principal at Sacred Hearts School. Since 2008, she worked with a team of dedicated teachers, students, parents, advisory board members and parishioners to increase enrollment from 150 students to 217 in three years. Years later, a large financial gift was given to the school, and under her administration the school now has an endowment with the Augustine Educational Foundation. It has been an honor for Susan to have served the school for more than 18 years.
“I can say without reservation or regret, that it has been a pleasure serving this wonderful institution and working with each of you. I have grown as a person and received much grace in this vocation. God bless all of those continuing in this sacred line of work,” Hendricks said.
Bernard Ho
Retiring president of Damien Memorial School
Bernard Ho began his connection to Damien Memorial School when his son enrolled in 1986. He and his wife Carolyn were pleased with the educational and spiritual programs provided and wanted to support the school in any way possible. For 10 years, he served on the Damien board of directors, including four years as the board chairman. In 2007, he began his tenure as Damien’s second president in 2007 and is retiring after nine years. He currently sits on the board of directors of Catholic Charities Hawaii, Kalihi Business Association, and the Lions Club of Honolulu.
Ho is no stranger to hard work and keeping himself busy. Prior to his service at Damien Memorial School, he also worked for Hawaii Medical Service Association for 38 years. Even with retirement, Ho sees it as just another opportunity to work on a new venture and hopes to accomplish his dream of owning his own ice cream shop.
Sister Cecilia M. Fabular, OP
Departing principal of St. John the Baptist School, Honolulu
Principal Sister Cecilia Fabular, a Dominican Sister of the Most Holy Rosary, was a teacher for 20 years before she assumed the principal position last year at St. John the Baptist School in Honolulu. She has been serving as an educator in the United States since she first arrived from the Philippines in 1996 and was assigned to St. Charles Borromeo School in San Francisco as the kindergarten teacher assistant. She has worked in several schools in San Francisco as well as Hawaii including St. Catherine School on Kauai and Rosary Preschool in Waipahu.
Her passion as a leader and teacher is to help less fortunate students take advantage of Catholic education opportunities. She is returning in August to St. Charles Borromeo School to head its office of administration.
Winona Martinez
Retiring principal of St. Anthony Grade School, Wailuku
The principal of St. Anthony Grade School Winona Martinez is retiring after serving the school for more than 40 years. Born and raised on Maui, she started out as a teacher and took on the leadership role for the last 18 years. She was a part of the Hawaii Catholic Schools Cohort participating in the Institute for Catholic Educational Leadership (ICEL) program at the University of San Francisco and has led the school through four accreditations. She was also involved in establishing an endowment fund for students, a new library and providing computers in every classroom.
Martinez welcomes retirement and the free time she’ll have to enjoy her family and grandchildren, be a companion for her mother and help when possible at St. Rita Parish in Haiku and at St. Anthony School.
Newly appointed
Michael Paekukui
New director of academics, Saint Louis School
In addition to his career as an educator and administrator, Michael Paekukui is a connoisseur of the fine arts. He has worked as a professional actor for Honolulu Theatre for Youth and for ‘Ohi‘a Productions of Lisa Matsumoto fame as an arts educator/performer who helped produce an original drama-integrated curricula for students statewide. He continues to work on moving schools forward with regard to innovation and student centered learning.
Paekukui has been in Catholic school education for 18 years and is proud to have served as principal of Cathedral Catholic Academy, Hawaii’s first project-based Catholic school for the last four years. He holds an master’s in education, curriculum and instruction technology from Grand Canyon University as well as a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and an A.A. in liberal arts. He is a member of St. Ann Church in Kaneohe where he has ministered as a singer and musician for the past 40 years.
The Saint Louis School class of 1984 alumnus will be returning to his alma mater as the new director of academics for grades kindergarten through 12.
Carol Chong
New principal of St. John the Baptist School, Kalihi
Carol Chong, St. John the Baptist School’s new principal already has a strong connection to the school. Besides returning as an alumnus, Chong was also raised in the school’s Kalihi neighborhood. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in English and her master’s in education with an emphasis on educational leadership and mentoring from Chaminade University.
She was an English teacher at Sacred Hearts Academy for nine years before assuming the position of assistant principal at Holy Family Catholic Academy for the past four years. She and her husband Victor have three sons: Guile, Gunnar and Gambit.
Wendy Castillo
New interim principal at St. Theresa School, Kekaha
Wendy Castillo, who has taught at St. Theresa School in Kekaha, Kauai, for 13 years, is honored and excited to take on the role of principal this year. She grew up in Kalaheo and graduated from Holy Cross School. When Castillo had children of her own, she knew she wanted that same quality, Catholic education for them.
Both of her sons, Joshua and Aaron, attended and graduated from St. Theresa School, then Waimea High School. Joshua joined the Navy in 2015, and Aaron will be leaving for the Air Force in September, so the call to serve as principal came at exactly the right time for Castillo. She plans to dedicate her time and energy to promoting a high quality, faith based education to all the St. Theresa students.
Melanie Chinen
New principal of Our Lady of Good Counsel School
Melanie Chinen is no stranger to Our Lady of Good Counsel School. She is an alumnus, active member of the parish and a member of its homebound ministry. Her husband Rodney is also an active member of the ministry and together they have two daughters who live on the Mainland.
Chinen began her position as principal on July 1. Over her 30-year career, she has worked as a teacher, educational policy analyst and most recently as the vice principal of Wahiawa Elementary School. There she developed a student leadership program at Wahiawa Elementary School where students directly identify and address social injustices.
Chinen is excited to work with the parish community to further develop the leadership capacity of its students through a rigorous curriculum in a Christian environment. She hopes to nurture socially conscious students dedicated to service and wants to empower them to become agents of change in society.
Linda Keizer
New principal of St. Anthony Grade School, Wailuku
Taking on the new principal position at St. Anthony Grade School on Maui is Linda Keizer. Keizer holds her bachelor of arts degree in education and a master’s in educational administration, along with professional and master educator licenses. She brings over 28 years of experience teaching in Catholic and public schools, has served as principal of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy in East Moline, Illinois and has been a member of six accreditation teams.
Keizer relocated to Maui with her husband two years ago and was often a substitute teacher at St. Anthony Grade School. She immediately fell in love with the students and has already felt welcomed by the school community. Keizer brings with her a commitment to Catholic education and leadership experience, as well as an open mind and heart.
Rebecca Spitznagel
New principal of Sacred Hearts School, Lahaina
Call it coincidence as Rebecca “Becky” Spitznagel joins Sacred Hearts School on Maui, hailing from a school of the exact same name in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The school’s new principal brings nearly 20 years of educational experience and received her bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Ball State University, her master’s in curriculum and instruction from University of Indianapolis and her master’s in Catholic school administration from the University of Notre Dame. On top of that, she holds several professional licenses.
Spitznagel believes the goal of a Catholic school is to create an environment where students encounter Christ every day. She is also confident that Sacred Hearts School is preparing students to make a difference in the community and the world.
“There are many wonderful things happening here and I look forward to a year of spiritual and academic growth,” Spitznagel said.
Wes Reber Porter
New CEO and president of Damien Memorial School
New England native Wes Reber has been appointed as the new chief executive officer and president of Damien Memorial School. Most recently, he served as the chief coordinating officer for academic program strategy and an advisor to the president of Golden Gate University in San Francisco. The former tenured professor and director of the Litigation Center of the Golden State University School of Law also worked as a visiting professor at the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law.
Porter, a trial attorney by trade, has worked for the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in San Francisco. In Hawaii, Porter has served at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii and as a judge advocate general for the Navy at Pearl Harbor.
He received his law degree from Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law and is married to Honolulu native Emily Sue-lan Porter.
Christopher Casupang
New director of Saint Louis Lower School
Christopher Casupang earned his bachelor of science degree in secondary education with a focus on religious education from the University of Portland and earned his master’s in pastoral leadership and a master’s in education with a focus on Catholic school administration from Chaminade University. Casupang has been an educator in Hawaii Catholic Schools since 1991. For 14 years, he taught religion and served as the director of campus ministry at Saint Louis School. In 2005, he served at Maryknoll School in several positions including religion teacher, grade school vice principal, co-director of campus ministry, and high school vice principal for student life and school culture.
Last month, Casupang returned to his alma mater at Saint Louis as the new Director of Lower School (grades K-8).
Darcie Kawamura
New Maryknoll director of scheduling and registrar
Darcie Kawamura is the new K-12 director of scheduling and registrar. She holds a bachelor of science degree in secondary education from the University of Dayton and a master of arts degree in administration and curriculum instruction from Gonzaga University.
Kawamura has served the Maryknoll School community in many different roles, first as a social studies teacher for 10 years, then as high school vice principal for seven years and high school principal for four years. She has also served as a Catholic School League track and field coach, French summer exchange coordinator, student senate advisor, summer school coordinator and the dean of faculty.
A Maryknoll graduate, Kawamura has been part of the school family for more than 33 years. She is the proud parent of three children, the oldest of whom attends Maryknoll School.
Robbie Murakami
New director of Saint Louis High School
Robbie A. Murakami moves from director of academics and faculty at Saint Louis School to director of the high school (grades 9-12). He has been employed by the school since 2001 in several positions including mission integration team chairperson, social science department head, division advisor, mock trial advisor and junior varsity golf coach. Murakami has taught various courses at the school, including AP psychology, AP government and politics, and AP U.S. history.
He also holds administrative experience from his employment at Chaminade University. Prior to working in education, Murakami was an attorney specializing in civil litigation.
Murakami also has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Hawaii, a juris doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law, and a master’s in education from Chaminade University with an emphasis in Catholic school leadership.
Shana Tong
New Maryknoll School vice president of academic affairs
Shana Tong, previously the lower school principal at Maryknoll School, took the newly created role of vice president of academic affairs beginning July 1. Tong will oversee all academic programs as school principal for grades K-12, as a way to bring total integration and quality to both campuses. She will be in charge of developing K-12 academic organization, teamwork and accountability, and will work closely with school president Perry Martin and the Maryknoll school board.
