{"id":11215,"date":"2025-05-28T10:27:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T20:27:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/?p=11215"},"modified":"2025-11-13T08:28:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T18:28:03","slug":"2025-two-longtime-hidoe-leaders-to-retire-after-over-77-years-of-combined-service-to-hawaii-public-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/2025-two-longtime-hidoe-leaders-to-retire-after-over-77-years-of-combined-service-to-hawaii-public-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Two longtime HIDOE leaders to retire with over 77 years of combined service to Hawai\u2018i public schools"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Daniel<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Two longtime Neighbor Island leaders of the Hawai\u02bbi State Department of Education will retire at the end of the school year, concluding a combined 77 years of service to public education. Kaua\u02bbi Complex Area Superintendent Daniel Hamada and East Hawai\u2018i Complex Area Superintendent Esther Kanehailua have led distinguished careers defined by steady leadership and a deep commitment to community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMahalo to Danny and Esther for their decades of leadership and dedication,\u201d Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. \u201cThey\u2019ve led with heart, purpose and deep pride in their schools and communities. Their legacy will continue to shape generations of students and educators, and we are grateful for their incredible service.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Hamada: A pillar of Kaua\u02bbi education<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hamada\u2019s career with the Department spans an impressive 47 years. From his early days as a teacher to his role as principal at Kapa\u2018a High for eight years, and later as Kaua\u2018\u02bb Complex Area Superintendent for seven years, he\u2019s helped shape the island\u2019s educational landscape. He also served four years as HIDOE\u2019s Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After retiring in 2018, Hamada returned to lead once again in 2022, stepping in as interim complex area superintendent. That same year, he was honored as the first University of Hawai\u02bbi College of Education Alumni Association Kaua\u02bbi Distinguished Alumnus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting on nearly half a century working with students, Hamada said it\u2019s the strength of the Kaua\u02bbi community and their respect for the public schools that gives him faith in the island\u2019s youth. He hopes students recognize this and \u201cchoose to come back (home) and give back to support the community\u201d that has given them so much.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a mentor to many Kaua\u02bbi teachers and administrators, including his successor, Leila Maeda-Kobayashi, Hamada has this advice to rising educators: \u201cBuild trust and relationships with your students. Learn what type of learner they are and walk the talk. Students are always watching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maeda-Kobayashi, currently deputy complex area superintendent for Kauai\u2018i, will step into the lead role on July 1. A Kaua\u02bb[i High graduate, she began her education career in special education at Waipahu Elementary before returning home to Kaua\u2018i as a special education teacher at K\u014dloa Elementary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She comes from a distinguished educator lineage; her mother, Amy Maeda, held positions as the district superintendent of Kaua\u02bbi and Leeward O\u02bbahu districts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her 28 years with the HIDOE, Maeda-Kobayashi served as a principal at Koloa Elementary for seven years and was named a semi-finalist for the Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award in 2023. Prior to that, she was the vice principal at Wilcox Elementary for three years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her vision for the complex area: Success for All. She aims to instill in her students the knowledge and confidence that when you come out of a Kaua\u02bbi public school, whatever path you choose \u2013 college, career or trade school \u2013 you can make it anywhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esther Kanehailua: Leading with heart in Hilo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanehailua retires with 30 years of service to Hawai\u2018i public schools. A proud Hilo High alum, she returned to her roots as a teacher, then rose through the ranks as a vice principal, principal and eventually, complex area superintendent overseeing 13 schools in East Hawai\u02bbi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanehailua started her education career as a teacher at her alma mater and later served as vice principal for Hilo High, Hilo Intermediate and Wai\u0101kea High and principal at Ha\u02bbaheo Elementary and Hilo Intermediate. She became the Hilo-Wai\u0101kea Complex Area Superintendent in 2019, and also served four years as a commissioner on the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, representing HIDOE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back, Kanehailua says it\u2019s the people who left the biggest impression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been super blessed to work with a lot of good educators \u2013 that is my biggest takeaway. There\u2019s just so many good people that I\u2019ve worked with over the years \u2013 teachers, counselors, custodial staff, cafeteria staff, vice principals, principals, educational assistants, you name it. I\u2019ve gotten to work with so many people who are committed to public education. So many of our kids are in our schools and we want the best for the community and it\u2019s their commitment to the community and what public education can provide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Succeeding Kanehailua is Kasie Kaleohano, currently deputy complex area superintendent and a former student of Kanehailua\u2019s at Hilo High. Raised in Keaukaha, Kaleohano brings a strong connection to the community she now serves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a great problem solver, she gets in there and wants to help,\u201d Kanehailua said of her successor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaleohano was raised in the small homestead community of Keaukaha on Hawai\u02bbi Island and is a respected kumu hula. She earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in education from the University of Hawai\u02bbi at M\u0101noa and a master\u2019s degree in teaching from National University. After 11 years as a teacher at Wai\u0101kea High School, she transitioned to school administration spending time as vice principal of Prince Jonah K\u016bhi\u014d Kalaniana\u02bbole Elementary & Intermediate School and later served as principal of Wai\u0101keawaena Elementary. She then became a district educational specialist for the Hilo-Wai\u0101kea Complex Area before stepping into the deputy CAS role in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for what\u2019s next, Hamada is looking forward to traveling and hitting the tennis courts. Kanehailua is eager to spend more time with her family and dog \u2014 and maybe learn how to bake focaccia bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Maeda-Kobayashi and Kaleohano will start their new roles on July 1.\u00a0<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two longtime Neighbor Island leaders of the Hawai\u02bbi State Department of Education will retire at the end of the school year, concluding a combined 77 years of service to public education. Kaua\u02bbi Complex Area Superintendent Daniel Hamada and East Hawai\u2018i Complex Area Superintendent Esther Kanehailua have led distinguished careers defined by steady leadership and a […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"16234,9389,8795,9834,888,13755","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","wp_popup_display_lightbox":0,"wp_popup_suppress":"","wp_popup_trigger":"","wp_popup_trigger_amount":0,"wp_popup_disable_on_mobile":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hoohaaheo","category-news"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":22,"label":"Ho\u2018oha\u2018aheo"},{"value":21,"label":"News"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"Chanel Honda","author_link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/author\/chanel-hondak12-hi-us\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":22,"name":"Ho\u2018oha\u2018aheo","slug":"hoohaaheo","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":22,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":67,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":22,"category_count":67,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Ho\u2018oha\u2018aheo","category_nicename":"hoohaaheo","category_parent":0},{"term_id":21,"name":"News","slug":"news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":21,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":305,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":21,"category_count":305,"category_description":"","cat_name":"News","category_nicename":"news","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-11 09:56:19","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"post_status","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11215"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11215\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}