Members of the Alma Team have advised the Hawaii Department of Education (the Department) for the last three years, serving as a critical friend as the state took stock of its principal pipeline and developed stronger supports for principal supervisors (Complex Area Superintendents or CASs).

This year, Alma Advisory Group had the privilege of supporting the Department’s critical efforts to accomplish three important tasks. First, the Department clarified the entry and exit steps for its principal preparation program. Second, the Alma team facilitated an effort among Neighbor Island CASs to improve planning for principal turnover, and strengthen the pool of potential leaders among the Neighbor Islands, which face unique pipeline development challenges. And third, the Alma team provided individual coaching for the Department’s CASs, and then helped design a consistent coaching model, and effective use of CAS meetings and principal network meetings to ensure proper engagement, reflection and shared practice among principals and their supervisors.