UH Hilo alumna named new head of Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i Campus
Educator Kāhealani Naeʻole-Wong received her bachelor of arts in Hawaiian studies from UH Hilo.
Kamehameha Schools announced M. Kāhealani Naeʻole-Wong has been appointed as poʻo kula (head of school) for KS Hawaiʻi Campus, effective immediately. She served as interim head of school over the past two months. Previously, she served two years as assistant head of school.
A graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, Naeʻole-Wong received her bachelor of arts in Hawaiian studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and two master degrees in curriculum and instruction and education administration (K-12) from UH Mānoa.
“I’ve seen firsthand, Kāhealani’s steadfast dedication to the faculty, staff, students and the surrounding community,” says Rod Chamberlain, Kamehameha Schools’ vice president of campus education. “She is an accomplished professional with a track record of improving educational and operational performance through vision, leadership and team building. She has a proven ability to affect change and drive continuous improvement. The results of these efforts are a wonderful reflection of her genuine commitment to fulfill the mission and vision of our founder.”
In her role as hope poʻo kumu (assistant head of school), Naeʻole-Wong led K-12 campus curricular efforts associated with the Working Exit Outcomes (WEO) framework, Standards Based Kula Hawaiʻi and the Danielson Framework. She has worked with KSH and tri-campus administrators and kumu to create a curriculum development infrastructure which results in the integration of Kula Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian School) and 21st century skills.
“I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as the poʻo kula for KS Hawaiʻi and look forward to fostering a thriving culture of growth and learning for all who call KS Hawaiʻi home,” says Naeʻole-Wong. “It has been a privilege to work alongside a dedicated and talented team of students, families, faculty, staff, and leaders who exemplify Ke Aliʻi Pauahi’s vision of academic, social, spiritual and cultural excellence.”
A career in education
Naeʻole-Wong has served the KS Hawaiʻi ʻohana since 2003, first as a high school career academy coordinator and then serving for eight years as poʻo kumu o ke kula haʻahaʻa (elementary school principal) before stepping into the assistant head of school role in 2013.
Prior to joining KSH, she served as the vice principal for Waiākea Elementary, Mountain View Elementary and Waiākea High School and in various capacities with Ke Kula Kaiapuni Hawaiʻi.
When asked about the work she’s accomplished thus far and what she looks to build upon, Naeʻole-Wong says, “I hope to build on a strong foundation and collaboratively lead our school to continue to grow as a Kula Hawaiʻi, where all leaders, faculty, staff and students are committed to teaching and learning that supports the renewed vibrancy of Hawaiʻi’s indigenous people, and our life-long success in the 21st century. It aligns with my core belief that applying our tradition of ancestral excellence and innovation in globally connected, Hawaiian culture-based environments is a critical means to attain cultural vibrancy and ultimately achieve the mission of Kamehameha Schools.”
-Media release
