Pamela Dickerson	Beth Fobbe-Wills	Aulani Kauhane	Father James Orsini	Bernard A.K.S. Ho	Clarie Thompson

By Anna Weaver | Hawaii Catholic Herald

Six Hawaii Catholic Schools have received new administrators for the coming school year. In addition, an early learning center sees the return of a former longtime director after a two-year absence. Here is the list — three grade school principals, one high school principal, one high school president, one pre-school director and one pre-school principal.

St. Michael School, Waialua

Pamela Dickerson takes over as principal at St. Michael School in Waialua, Oahu, from Sister of St. Francis William Marie Eleniki. Dickerson is from Big Rapids, Mich., where she was the principal of St. Mary School for the last four years. Before that, she was a principal at two other Michigan Catholic schools for a total of 11 years.

Dickerson said in an e-mail that she is “committed to sharing and modeling her Catholic faith” and that she and her husband Daniel have “experienced a great sense of aloha” since moving to Hawaii and are looking forward to a “new beginning” here. The Dickersons have two grown children and two granddaughters.

Dickerson received both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education administration from Central Michigan University.

St. Joseph School, Makawao

Beth Fobbe-Wills is the new principal at St. Joseph School in Makawao, Maui, replacing Jody Eskew.

She has been a Minnesota teacher for 26 years, specializing in vocal and instrumental music. For the last 17 years, she worked at an inner city school in Minneapolis. Fobbe-Wills taught in Catholic schools from 1981 to 1990. She also has teaching experience on the collegiate level as a mentor for music education majors.

She received a bachelor’s degree in music education and piano performance from the College of St. Catherine and a master’s degree in music education from the University of St. Thomas.

Fobbe-Wills and her husband Bob have two children, six step-children, and one step-granddaughter. The couple has frequently traveled to Maui over the last decade. In a recent letter to St. Joseph parishioners, she wrote, “In my observations of successful Catholic schools, the community of the church has a huge influence on the direction and the success of the school. The most vibrant schools have the strongest support from their parish — the whole parish.”

Cathedral Catholic Academy, Honolulu

Aulani Kauhane assumes the principal position at Cathedral Catholic Academy in Nuuanu, Oahu, from Mary Ann Lopes. She has taught in Hawaii Catholic schools for 20 years and had been Cathedral’s vice principal since July 2003.

Kauhane has taught junior high math and science and sixth grade at the school since August 1993 and was a fourth grade teacher the year before. Prior to that, she taught art and physical education at her alma mater, St. Ann’s Model Schools in Kaneohe.

She has a bachelor’s degree from Chaminade University of Honolulu and a master’s degree in education from Gonzaga University.

Kauhane wrote in a recent e-mail, “Jesus’ works and teachings touched the lives of many. As a teacher and now a principal I am continually challenged to touch the lives and hearts of the many people I interact with throughout the day.”

St. Anthony Jr./Sr. High School, Wailuku

Father James Orsini replaced Edwina Wilson-Snyder as principal of St. Anthony Jr./Sr. High School in Wailuku, Maui, on July 1. He left his pastorship of St. Rita Parish, Haiku; Holy Rosary Parish, Paia; and St. Gabriel Mission, Keanae, to take the new job.

For the past two years, Father Orsini, a diocesan priest, has served as a school chaplain at St. Anthony and he was also on its board of directors.

As a former Marianist brother and priest, Father Orsini was a teacher, chaplain and counselor at St. Anthony High School from 1968 to 1976. He was also pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Wailuku starting in 1976 for five years. In 1981, Father Orsini became executive vice president at Chaminade University of Honolulu.

St. Anthony Jr./Sr. High School is Hawaii’s only diocesan high school. Father Orsini is the first diocesan priest to take over the leadership of a Catholic school here.

Damien Memorial School, Honolulu

Bernard A.K.S. Ho, a former executive vice president of Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA), became the interim president and CEO of Damien Memorial School in July after Christian Brother Greg O’Donnell retired.

Ho was executive vice president of HMSA and president and board chairman of HMSA’s subsidiary, Integrated Services, Inc., from 1994 to 2005. He was HMSA’s senior vice president from 1984 to 1994 and its vice president for professional relations and utilizations reviews from 1973 to 1984.

While Ho has no experience working in education, he was Damien’s school board chairman from 2002 to 2006.

“As a Damien parent and former corporate executive, I see the opportunity to provide our young men with an excellent choice of schools in Hawaii,” said Ho in a press release. His son Chadwick Ho graduated from the school in 1990.

Ho will be interim president for a year, at which time Damien’s Board of Directors will choose a permanent president.

St. Ann’s Model Early Learning Center, Kaneohe

Clarie Thompson is the new principal at St. Ann’s Model Early Learning Center, taking over from Pattye DeCosta-Kim. The top administrator of the center is Daphne Kauhane, the parish director of education.

Thompson has taught second grade at St. Ann’s for the past three years. Before that, she was a first grade teacher at the school for three years. She was also previously a full-time special education substitute teacher at Roosevelt High School and an education associate with Sea Life Park, where she created preschool and school-aged curriculum for visiting schools.

She said in an e-mail that she feels “privileged to be among such experienced individuals who continue to give graciously to the children, each other, and our community.”

Thompson received her bachelor’s degree with a theater emphasis from the University of Hawaii. She is currently finishing her master’s degree in elementary education with a Montessori certificate in math and science from Chaminade University.

Thompson is married to Michael and has a 3-year-old and a two-year-old.

Holy Family Academy Early Learning Center, Honolulu

Kalei DeMello returns as the director of Holy Family Academy Early Learning Center after a two year absence. She was director there from 1995 to 2005.