PUHI — The Board of Directors at Island School is pleased to announce that it has appointed Kate Conway, from Palo Alto, California, to the position of Head of School, effective July 1, 2020.
A teacher and independent school administrator for over 20 years, Conway is currently the Assistant Head of School at the International School of the Peninsula, in Palo Alto, California.
The current head of school of Island School Shannon Graves welcomes Conway with excitement.
“The board and search committee have worked diligently and done outstanding work performing a comprehensive search for the next Head of School,” Graves said. “I join the faculty, staff, students and board members in welcoming Kate and her family to the Island School community. Exciting days lie ahead as Island School embarks on a new era with Kate’s experience in private school education, I am pleased with the selection and wish Kate and Island School every success.”
Conway was drawn to Island School because of its commitment to college-preparatory education on Kaua‘i, its diverse student body and its dedicated school community made up of faculty, staff, parents, alumni, board members and volunteers.
“I am both honored and humbled to accept Island School’s invitation to become the next Head of School. From the first conversation that I shared with the search committee to my recent visit to the campus, I knew that Island School was a special place steeped in a tradition of excellence in education,” Conway said. “Meeting and talking with faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni and board members further confirmed those feelings and evidenced the passion and connection of all constituents. My family and I look forward and are excited to be a part of Island School and the community.”
The eight-member Head of School Search Committee, appointed by the Board of Directors, conducted a national search and a comprehensive interview process, selecting Conway from a pool of 54 applicants from 20 states and six countries.
The process included the development of a position description identifying key attributes,including leadership, a track record of success in a number of professional areas, a focus on high expectations, strong communication skills, the ability to inspire trust and a commitment to be involved in all aspects of the school and Kaua‘i community.
The process also provided opportunities for input from all stakeholders at the finalist level and included extensive reference and background checking.
“I am thrilled to have Kate join our Island School ‘ohana. Her educational background will continue to enhance and strengthen Island School’s already strong academic programs and provide our students with a top-notch education,” board of directors’ president Kathy Richardson said.
Conway comes from a family of educators; her father was a long-time independent boarding school teacher and leader, her mother a teacher and therapist, and many other family members teachers of various ages and subjects. Conway has been the Assistant Head of School at the International School of the Peninsula (ISTP) in Palo Alto, California since 2007.
ISTP is a coeducational day school for 560 students in grades PS-8 on two campuses; a bilingual immersion school—Mandarin and French—and an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
Conway has also served as ISTP’s Elementary School Principal (2007-2013) and the Early Years Principal (2017-2018). She recently engaged in extensive research on high schools in leading the design of a new high school division at ISTP.
As a manager of ISTP’s daily operations, she had oversight of academic program and personnel, and she served on many Board committees attending all trustee meetings. Prior to ISTP, Conway was a teacher in lower, middle and upper schools at The Calhoun School in New York, Lycée International de St. Germaine en Laye in France, ISTP, and a Summer Program intern at the Hill School in Pennsylvania.
Conway received her Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
She received a Master of Arts degree in Private School Leadership and a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership Studies both from the Klingenstein Center, Teachers College, at Columbia University in New York, New York.
Kate and her husband, Gavin, have two daughters, Ellen and Aine. The Conway family will be moving to Kaua‘i this summer and both children will attend Island School.
Hmmm….Mark Zuckerberg is from Palo Alto. Just what the island does NOT need. More Silicon Valley values forced on it.
With all of the graduated Masters in Education from the University of Hawaii, born and raised Hawaii residents, why did the school not hire from Hawaiis amazing talent pool, and seek someone from California to run it? We have so many people on this island, with similar credentials, and in the state, who are local, even Hawaiian, but consistently schools here pass over the fantastic local talent, for someone from somewhere else. Sad. Seriously, sad.
Frankly I am not surprised, though. We had to fight hard for island school to get with the program, and look to more equality to get local students in there, and to make sure the Hawaiian Culture, was being presented appropriately, and that there were enough scholarships and waivers to get an equal number of local kids in there. Kauka does an amazing job over there. Heck, Kauka would have made a great head of the school. When are we going to see Kauais talent in upper level positions in education? Even at the college, there is an appalling lack of teachers from here. No wonder, our Masters and PHD level people leave for the mainland, where strangely they can get hires, but not here. We seem to feel the need to import at every level. This woman has zero connection to the people here. Not even a single ounce. Is she used to diversity? Does she understand the cultural differences? At least KCC hired someone who had [experience in Guam. He understands the style at least, and has empathy for the people. Time will tell, and we will all be watching with interest. We do not wish Island School to become an enclave only for the rich, well heeled, and non local, and those who do not want to “mix” with the “others”, ie the unwashed masses. You get my point I am sure. Also, Island school, build your own swimming pool and track field and tennis courts please. You charge enough to do this. Stop using the publicly funded facilities. Mahalo.
What happened to the last head? Sean M??