Leilehua principal is national finalist

By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer

The staff of Leilehua High School has known for years that Norman Minehira was one of the best principals around.

Norman Minehira will receive a $2,500 grant to help pay for educational programs at Leilehua High.

The group named its national principal of the year yesterday — James Donnelley of James A. Green High School in Dolgeville, N.Y. — but Minehira was in the running till the very end and was one of three finalists for the honor.

He's still No. 1 at Leilehua.

Minehira has been principal at Leilehua since 1990, but faculty members and staff said this national recognition is long overdue.

"The one thing I can say about Mr. Minehira is when you work with him you always know his top priority. It's the kids. Everything is about the kids," said Cyndy Sumbad, parent and community networking coordinator at Leilehua High. "He always wants to know how things are going to affect the kids. He asks everybody that, whether we're working at the front desk or with the parents or as teachers."

With typical humility, Minehira is embarrassed by the attention, said his staff. They tried for years to nominate him for national honors, but he always shot down the idea. This year, they did it behind his back anyway.

"He really was like, 'I don't want any of this.' He was quite upset," said Sumbad. "He would never have gone for it."

Minehira began teaching at 'Aiea High in 1973, and served as a vice principal at 'Aiea and Moanalua high schools before moving to Leilehua.

Elizabeth Kiai, director of curriculum and instruction, said Minehira is the first to arrive on campus each day — he's there by 6 a.m. — and knows students by name, despite a heavy load of paperwork and a busy schedule of meetings.

He was in one of those meetings yesterday, an all-day affair that made him unavailable for comment.

"He has an excellent relationship with students," said Kiai. Minehira, she said, is that rare principal who "receives his highlights of the day by just walking around at recess."

John Sadowski, mentor teacher at the school, said Minehira tries to give credit to others, but has a philosophy of continual improvement that drives the school to do better.

"He said he's going to be here as long as he can make a difference and try to help the teachers and students get to higher levels academically and professionally," Sadowski said. "When I took the job as mentor teacher, he asked what could he do to help me. I've never heard an administrator say that."

Minehira has twice helped Leilehua achieve full accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Under his leadership, the campus was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 1993.

"He'll walk into a room and say, 'I just love this job.' And he means it," Sumbad said. "If you don't love it, then everything is frustrating — and there's a lot to be frustrated over with the budget shortage and the bureaucracy. He maintains his optimism."

The third finalist for principal of the year was Richard Roberto of John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson, N.J.

Minehira will receive a $2,500 grant to help pay for educational programs at Leilehua High.

The National Principal of the Year Program is sponsored by the insurance company MetLife and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Reach Jennifer Hiller at jhiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.