Camara Named New Kualapu’u School Principal

Photo by Jack Kiyonaga

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

For the first time in 28 years, Kualapu’u School will have a new principal. Ka’ala Fay Camara will take the helm on July 1, as longtime principal Lydia Trinidad will be retiring at the end of this school year.

“I am grateful to the Board Principal Search Committee for their hard work, time and perseverance to select Ka’ala as the next principal of Kualapuʻu Public Charter School,” said Hoʻokakoʻo Board Chair Jon Ching. Ho’okako’o is the governing board for several Hawaiian-focused charter schools including Kualapu’u School.

As a pre-kindergarten through sixth grade school, Kualapu’u School serves approximately 310 Molokai students of whom 90 percent are Native Hawaiian.

For the past 12 years, Camara has worked at Kualapuʻu School as an elementary teacher, curriculum coordinator and most recently, as the school vice principal. Prior to Kualapuʻu School, Camara worked as a fiscal officer at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikolani College of Hawaiian Language. Camara has her M.A. in Indigenous Language and Culture Education from the University of Hawaii at Hilo and is a doctoral candidate in Education Administration and Supervision from Liberty University.

At a community ceremony back in February, Camara had a chance to offer her vision for the future of the school.

“As a charter school, budgeting and having enough funds for our operations and opportunities is always a concern,” Camara explained. “But, before money, my biggest wish for our school is for us to get to a point where our keiki feel empowered, they love coming to school, they are loving to learn and we’re making learning exciting and fun for them.”

Camara also spoke of the importance of continuing to create a holistic school community in her new role.

“When we come to school, it’s not just a job,” she said. “As a leader, you have to malama all your keiki. You have to malama all your staff.”

The community ceremony was also a chance for Molokai residents to offer their thoughts on the transition.

“I am excited for the students, staff and community. [Camara] has a love, passion and force that will push the school forward to embrace and act upon what it means to be a Hawaiian-focused Charter School,” said Trinidad. “She has checked all the boxes.”

In regard to her own future after retirement, Trinidad explained that she will be around the school to help out and advise but is also looking forward to getting some much needed sleep.

Molokai resident Pulama Lima, a college classmate of Camara, described Camara’s financial, cultural and educational background as a “unicorn.”

“[Camara] is a leader,” said Lima, “who came home to support our community.”

With her previous experience as a fiscal officer, Camara explained that she’s “a stickler for numbers,” and looking forward to “learning creative ways to fund the school and whole programs.”

Camara explained that most importantly she is looking to spread an enduring enthusiasm for learning amongst her students.

“With a love for lifelong learning and a great desire to uplift our communities, I bring with me the passion to plant seeds of learning in our kamaliʻi, to help nurture the growth of their knowledge and to help them blossom into rooted, good-valued keiki of Molokai that leave us with a broadened world view, proud to be from Kualapuʻu School and eager to share their great qualities with the world,” she said.