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An examination on educational management and the fostering of leadership sustainability in Hawaiian Catholic K-12 schools

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An examination on educational management and the fostering of leadership sustainability in Hawaiian Catholic K-12 schools

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AN EXAMINATION ON EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND THE FOSTERING OF
LEADERSHIP SUSTAINABILITY IN HAWAIIAN CATHOLIC K-12 SCHOOLS

by

Miguel Alejandro Solis

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

August 2018

Copyright 2018 Miguel Alejandro Solis

2

AN EXAMINATION ON EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND THE FOSTERING OF
LEADERSHIP SUSTAINABILITY IN HAWAIIAN CATHOLIC K-12 SCHOOOLS

by
Miguel Alejandro Solis

A Dissertation Presented

in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree

DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

2018

APPROVED:

___________________________________
Rudy Castruita, Ed.D.
Committee Chair

____________________________________
Pedro Garcia, Ed.D.
Committee Member

_____________________________________
Brianna Hinga, Ph.D
Committee Member

3

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to add to the already sustained research in
educational leadership and management research practices. The study looks deeper at the
different educational perspectives in Hawaiian K-12 Catholic schools and how leadership is
fostered within such organizations. This study determined: (a) What role did the elementary,
middle, and high school principal play to stimulate leadership practices amongst faculty and
staff, (b) What were the most commonly used practices that promote school collaboration
amongst faculty and staff, (c) What kind of current practices, to promote leadership skills are
principals using to encourage leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable
principals, and (d) What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst Hawaiian school
elementary, middle and high school level principals? This study implemented a mixed-methods
approach with 12 Hawaiian Catholic K-12 school principals completion of a survey, five of those
surveyed participated in a structured interview. The study’s findings indicated that all principals
did something unique to help promote school collaboration amongst faculty and staff including
creating leadership positions to help promote academic rigor throughout the school and that
distributed leadership was influential and wise in the implementation of new leaders. The
study’s findings also indicated that by promoting and seeking leadership sustainability, which
includes a strong Catholic identity, and promoting a kind of spiritual leadership is essential in
determining which leaders take greater roles. The cultural significance unique to Hawaiian
schools extends the greater outcome of leadership traits that bring about positive results and
unique areas for growth that could be carried out in Hawaiian Catholic K-12 schools.

4

DEDICATION
This dissertation is for my entire family, including Mamá Mari and Mamá Nina, my
grandmothers. To dad (Miguel) and mom (Esperanza) who have shown me that dedication,
honesty, and hard work can take you as far as you want to go. For my sisters, brother, nieces and
nephews, aunts and uncles who have shaped me and blessed me all throughout my life with their
wonderful presence and bountiful love. All of them have been an inspiration and a motivaton for
me.
However, I would not have been able to accomplish this major event in my life without
my wife, Dr. Lisa Marie Solis (USC Ed.D. Alumn Class of 2013) who I completely fell in love
with and married on July 9, 2015 in Kauai, Hawaii. She has been my inspiration and the one
who has guided me every single step of the way. She has been my cheerleader, my mentor. and
counselor for all the joys and difficulties that I have encountered in this process, it is she who has
kept me laser focused. Our son Noah Michael Solis, this is also for him so that this can move
him forward and inspire him and others to bring about positive change in some way to our world,
with whatever he chooses to be in life.

5

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am grateful and appreciative to my dissertation committee: Dr. Rudy Castruita
(dissertation chair), Dr. Pedro Garcia, and Dr. Brianna Hinga. Thank you for listening to me,
guiding me, and supporting me every step of the way; you have been a beacon of light
throughout the entire dissertation process and integral in forming me to become increasingly
better.
A great Mahalo to all the Catholic educators and administrators of the Hawaiian Islands,
thank you for demonstrating your sense of ALOHA and making me feel a part of your OHANA
as I was able to interview, phone, and email throughout this entire process.
To my USC friends who I love so much, we supported each other, had fun study sessions,
and great meals together as one happy family. May this friendship that we have for each other
continue to our old age. We are truly one happy Trojan Family, WE DID IT!
To my beautiful wife Lisa, you are the one and only who encouraged me and ran with me
to the finish line; I loved you yesterday and will love you until my dying days.
To my baby boy Noah, this is all for you my son. Grow up to be an amazing man and an
inspiration to all who meet you. I cannot wait to see what will become of you and pray you
receive bountiful blessings; your mom and I will always be with you to guide you.
A mi familia, muchas gracias por todo el apoyo y amor que siempre me han ofrecido.
Papá y mamá, hermanos y hermanas, sobrinos y sobrinas, siempre están en mi corazón,
pensamientos y oraciones, ustedes son los que me inspiran y los que siempre estarán a mi lado.
Que suerte de estar en una familia tán linda.
To all of my deceased loved ones who shaped me, I know you are with me, thank you
and I will never forget and continue to cherish the moments we had. I love you all.
6

I am truly blessed with what God has given me and humbled to cherish this major process
in my life with others. May this dissertation be an added help to the religion and education I
grew with loving and the Hawaiian islands where so much happiness and memories abound, it is
what I envision heaven to be. Upon traveling to Hawaii and meeting different leaders, a great
historical, long-deceased Saint was referred to time and again, Fr. Damien of Molokai. He was a
man who saw despair in the face and did not waver. May the life he led and the great work he
brought to the islands continue to enthuse us and remind us that we are also here for others.
“In the face of deep despair, when hopelessness is everywhere, give the strength to stand again,
grant me the heart of Damien.” (Downes, P., 2009, p. 2, alternative verse (c))
Mahalo nui loa- thank you very much.

7

TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures ..................................................................................................... 9
List of Appendices ............................................................................................. 10
Chapter One: Introduction ................................................................................. 11
Background ............................................................................................ 12
Statement of the Problem ....................................................................... 14
Purpose of the Study .............................................................................. 14
Research Questions ................................................................................ 15
Significance of the Study ....................................................................... 15
Limitations of the Study ......................................................................... 16
Delimitations of the Study ...................................................................... 16
Difinition of Terms ................................................................................ 16
Organization of the Study ....................................................................... 17
Chapter Two: Literature Review ........................................................................ 18
Introduction to the Topic ........................................................................ 18
Effective Transformational Leadership Making ...................................... 18
Management Dimensions for Leadership Sustainability ......................... 22
Succession and Future Organizational Leadership .................................. 27
Chapter Three: Methodology ............................................................................. 31
Restatement of the Problem, Purpose, and Research Questions .............. 31
Design Summary .................................................................................... 32
Sample and Population ........................................................................... 32
Instrumentation ...................................................................................... 33
Data Collection Protocols ....................................................................... 33
Validity and Reliability .......................................................................... 34
Data Analysis ......................................................................................... 35
Summary................................................................................................ 36
Chapter Four: The Findings ............................................................................... 37
Introduction ........................................................................................... 37
Quantitative Demographic Data ............................................................. 38
Table 1. Demographics of Interviewed Participants ..................................... 42
Findings to Question 1 ........................................................................... 43
Findings to Question 2 ........................................................................... 48
Findings to Question 3 ........................................................................... 50
Findings to Question 4 ........................................................................... 55
Summary................................................................................................ 59
Chapter Five: Summary and Recommendations ................................................. 63
Introduction ........................................................................................... 63
Statement of the Problem ....................................................................... 63
Purpose of the Study .............................................................................. 63
Research Questions ................................................................................ 64
Methodology .......................................................................................... 64
Findings ................................................................................................. 66
Limitations ............................................................................................. 70
Recommendations for Future Research .................................................. 71
8

Conclusion ............................................................................................. 71
References ......................................................................................................... 73

9

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Dimension of Alignment .................................................................... 26
Figure 2: Planning and Continuity ..................................................................... 28
Figure 3: Ethnicity of Principals Surveyed ......................................................... 38
Figure 4: Religious Order of Principals Surveyed .............................................. 39
Figure 5: Level of Education from Principals Surveyed ..................................... 40
Figure 6: Gender of Principals Surveyed ............................................................ 40
Figure 7: School Size Population ....................................................................... 41
Figure 8: Survey Response to Questions Regarding Leadership
Opportunities ...................................................................................... 44
Figure 9: Survey Responses to Question Regarding Creating a School
Culture Supportive of Leadership ....................................................... 45
Figure 10: Survey Responses to Question Regarding Collaboration ................... 48
Figure 11: Survey Responses to Question Regarding Collaboration ................... 49
Figure 12: Survey Response to Principals Having Goals that Relate
Leadership Achievement .................................................................. 52
Figure 13: Survey Responses to Assisting Teachers on Interpreting,
Monitoring, and Evaluating Leadership Skills .................................. 53
Figure 14: Survey Results on Having a Vision for the Future of the School ....... 54
Figure 15: Servant Leadership Survey Responses .............................................. 57
Figure 16: Transformational Survey Leadership Responses ............................... 58
Figure 17: Instructional Leadership Survey Responses ....................................... 60

10

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix A: Principal Leadership Succession Survey ....................................... 76
Appendix B: Interview Questions and Protocol .................................................. 78
11

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
The Hawaiian Islands have managed to flourish on their own; known for the tropical
islands and sun kissed beaches, tourism thrives, attractions are bountiful, and nearly everywhere
one looks there is beauty that can be captured in a picture as a postcard moment. Economically,
Hawaii has been tremendously sustained on year-round tourism and agriculture. Education
there, however, has not come full circle yet; some of the better schools have had the threat of
federal takeover as test scores are low, there is high teacher turn over, teacher strikes and teacher
shortages (Steinberg, 2001). Specifically in 2002, the State of Hawaii enacted incentives and
legislation guidelines that would allow for hard-to-staff schools to encourage teachers to accept
long-term assignments and develop stronger schools. These guidelines specifically add to
leadership salaries in order to maintain a greater momentum in increasing stable schools (Best,
2006). There have been tremendous struggles that deal with high teacher and leadership attrition
rates across all schools in Hawaii (Best, 2006). There is a definite connection between
educational outcomes and educational leadership and management that helps keep students from
falling below grade level, denying schools from falling low on resources and overall allowing
students to reap the rewards of education. In recent research studies, demonstrations of being
“strong” and decisive, effective in leadership modalities has been successful in being intensely
interpersonal, involving working with individuals and teams to “transform” teaching and
learning (Dinham, 2005). Leadership in principals and administrators of Catholic and public
schools are no different, with the only difference that Catholic school principals bring in an
added aspect of spiritual dimension that helps secure Catholic identity in individuals and in the
school system (McLaughlin, O’Keefe, & O’Keefe, 1996). Catholic schools are being faced with
problems in developing leadership succession at a time where there are shortages in preparing
12

the next generation of Catholic school leaders. Applicants for leadership positions are a cause
for concern as there is a deep problem to fill positions and maintain a consistent position, and
then creating an effective succession plan to continue with the next generation of changes and
challenges that are presented (Canavan, 2013).
Catholic schools, in particular, will be viewed for providing effective leadership and
allowing for maintaining strong skills that allow for a robust school development, prospects for
teachers to seek leadership opportunities, and go on to become administrators or principals of
other schools. In the interest to increase leadership succession, there will be a need to enhance
long-term evangelization and thrust of Catholic schools, a need to realize goals, ensure
leadership continuity at all levels, identify future leadership requirements, and develop a pool of
potential leaders (Canavan, 2013). Leadership succession planning is a critical component in
helping to organize future strategic directions that help embrace the vision and mission of
Catholic schools, help establish criteria and competencies that help fill leadership positions, help
identify future leaders through a variety of assessment strategies and maintain pools of high-
potential staff at all levels of the school, provide developmental opportunities, and identify
disincentives that discourage staff from seeking leadership roles and putting appropriate
incentives clearly in place (Canavan, 2013).
Background
Catholic schools have been a fabric of the United States for several centuries now as they
first came into being in Louisiana and Florida in the 1840s. At this time, there is real concern to
view Catholic schools as educational institutions where students could be separated from public
schools and receive a fundamentally ingrained belief in religion and have a common driven goal
to teach moral values (Hunt, 2004). Catholics are still seen as “foreigners” unable to fully
13

Americanize in the strong Protestant uniformity continuing to grow against them. In particular,
areas of great Catholic populations include Baltimore, Maryland and in the mid-20th century
with the Vatican II era in reform, Catholic schools were flourishing (Hunt, 2004).
Catholic schools in Hawaii came behind French gunships around 1840 beginning a strong
force of religious instruction counter to the Protestant school of thought. Since 1840 through
1941 and annexation, religious private schools were in constant conflict initially teaching from
Hawaiian language and quickly evolving to Americanize and instructing to assimilate to the
wider American culture (Hunt, 2004). This was done for purposes dealing with extensive
acceptance, negating Hawaiian culture and forcefully implementing strict rigorous Catholic
viewpoints that dealt with gender separation, boarding with the inclusion of authoritative
viewpoints, dress, and discipline (Alvarez, 1994).
Catholic schools across America and in Hawaii are faced with deep issues where
competition, resources, maintaining student enrollment, and recruitment all play an important
part in continuing the vitality of this type of Catholic institution (Canavan, 2013). There is a
challenge to help in the availability of attaining competent and well-prepared leaders willing to
take a chance on the mission of the Catholic values that are incorporated into such school
systems preparing men and women to lead far into the 21st century and beyond (Canavan, 2013).
According to the Hawaiian Catholic schools, the mission is to have faith-based education
as a fulfillment of the ministry of the Catholic Church as its primary objective which is the
ongoing formation and the allowance of provided by God. The opportunity of receiving this type
of education allows for the spiritual and developmental skills needed to lead a moral life,
thinking of others in whatever they do, and building a bright academic future (Diocese of
Honolulu, 2017).
14

Statement of the Problem
Hawaii has a history of low academic achievement and, most recently, Hawaiian students
are more likely than their non-Hawaiian peers to attend low-quality schools. This can be
attributed to leadership within the Hawaiian school system where focus and goals need to be
addressed for furthering the qualities of schools and the sustainability of leaders amongst school
principals (Canvan, 2013). A school that prepares students for 21st century learning, is stable
with low teacher turnover, holds leadership, teachers, parents and students accountable, is
consistent in policies, curriculum and instruction, and yields promising results for the entire
community (Coles & Southworth, 2005). Ultimately, school leadership drives the focus and the
entire school community in the right direction. Therefore, this study will focus on principal
leadership traits and their fostering of future leadership succession in Hawaiian K-12 private
Catholic schools throughout the Hawaiian islands.
Purpose of the Study
The focus on this mixed-methods study is to add to the already sustained research in
educational leadership and management research practices in Catholic K-12 schools. This study
will look deeper at the different educational perspectives in Hawaiian K-12 Catholic schools and
how leadership is fostered within such organizations. The Catholic school’s difference in
educative instruction is unlike the rest of the nation as there are cultural and administrative
pressures to maintain and create a 21st century practice in a climate where odds tend to be
against them (Canavan, 2013). The perspectives of these unique schools would allow a greater
viewpoint of structure and focus for schools trying to evolve, center and connect not only
students but teachers allowing them to generate a greater array of leadership opportunities, and to
cultivate leadership sustainability in Hawaiian schools. By having administrators in Catholic
15

schools increase focus on leadership succession, there would be greater opportunities for
teachers themselves to carry on traits that are acknowledged, practiced widely accepted, and
effective for this particular state. There also is a great sense of cultural significance that is
undoubtedly highlighted and unique to Hawaiian schools. Highlighting these unique features
would greatly extend the greater outcome of leadership traits that bring about positive results.
Research Questions
The following research questions will guide the research of this study:
1. What role does the elementary, middle, and high school principal display to stimulate
leadership practices amongst faculty and staff?
2. What are the most commonly used practices of leadership skills that promote school
collaboration amongst faculty and staff?
3. What current practices used by principals promote leadership skills to encourage
leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable principals?
4. What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst Hawaiian school elementary,
middle, and high school level principals?
Significance of the Study
This study will examine the leadership traits that can help Hawaiian Catholic schools at
the elementary, middle, and high school levels because of the insuffient research based on their
leadership skills. In delving deeper into the driving forces that encapsulate Hawaiian educational
leadership, in particular, Hawaiian Catholics would obtain a greater professional significance
with leadership as its focus. The study will further acknowledge the great things Hawaiian
schools are doing as well as the areas of leadership that could probably use more focus on
leadership traits and opportunities for greater leadership succession.
16

Therefore, gaining a wider breadth and depth of leadership opportunities throughout the
schools would help such institutions drive a greater momentum and focus on providing more
professional development opportunities to not only administrators and principals but opening the
doors for highly qualified teacher leaders aspiring to become principals themselves.
Limitations of the Study
Some of the limitations to this study is the geographical distance between schools and
islands as well as the clear strengths and weaknesses of leadership styles viewed amongst
principals. The amount of research that has been conducted on Hawaiian Catholic schools is also
slim and may not have a tremendous amount of wider concepts.
Delimitations of the Study
The delimitations of the study include the focus on Catholic K-12 schools in the island
chain of Hawaii. Since the results only pertain to this geographical unique location, it cannot
completely be replicated to serve other areas around the nation or countries. It also only focuses
on Catholic private schools through principals and teachers with high leadership capabilities for
sustaining and forming future leaders of schools.
Definition of Terms
• Catholic school: Schools that incorporate the mission of the Catholic Church within their
own educational mission.
• Collective leadership practice: Leadership practice that can be stretched across the
practice of two or more leaders who work separately but interdependently in pursuit of a
common goal (Coles & Southworth, 2005).
• Coordinated leadership practice: Where leaders work separately or together on different
leadership tasks that are arranged sequentially (Coles & Southworth, 2005).
17

• Diocesan schools: Schools that are operated and financed by the diocese or archdiocese
for which the principal is held accountable to the bishop or archbishop through the
superintendent (Hunt, 2004).
• Diocese (archdiocese): The region that is governed by the bishop or archbishop of the
Catholic Church.
• Parish (parochial) school: A school that is connected to a particular parish because it
incorporates the educational mission of the parish (Hunt, 2004).
• Private schools: Schools that are owned and governed by a Catholic religious order and
are independent of parish or diocesan governance.
• Reciprocal interdependency: Individuals who play off one another, with the practice of
person (A) enabling the practice of person (B) and vice versa (Coles & Southworth,
2005).
• Succession planning: A central issue in leadership succession is whether a transition in
leadership establishes continuity or provokes discontinuity with past directions and how
far this is deliberately planned (Coles & Southworth, 2005).
• Transactional leadership: Help people recognize what needs to be done in order to reach a
desired outcome and may also increase confidence and motivation (Leithwood, 1992).
Organization of the Study
The study focuses on sustaining and producing leadership sustainability across Catholic
schools. The research is limited and centered solely on the Hawaiian Islands that help form
exclusive areas to create, mold, and foresee where new leaders could thrive given the unique
conditions of the islands, its culture, the people, and the history that have worked against the
educational process.
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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction to the Topic
The effectiveness of leadership is crucial to this study as it hones into the various types of
management that directly ties itself with succession. In order for there to be a meaningful and
effective transition in managing a school, there needs to be certain ingredients that pertain to
leadership that would help encourage, drive, and continue to sustain the leadership capacity for
the indefinite future, including effective transformational leadership making, management
dimensions for leadership sustainability, and succession for future organizational leadership.
Effective Transformational Leadership Making
Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) proposed that there should be a five-step plan that
would help organize this into a plan of action to help articulate and visualize a real powerful
vision to help enhance school achievement. Their plan includes:
1. Developing a strong school leadership team
2. Distributing responsibilities throughout the leadership team
3. Selecting the right work
4. Identifying the order of magnitude implied by the selected work
5. Matching the management style to the order of magnitude of the changed initiative.
This visionary aspect of a plan would help focus itself on the impact leadership brings along with
it, it establishes an order of change that would coordinate actions at a school effectively, and
would transform leadership within the school itself.
Transformational leadership is a process that changes and transforms people and it is
concerned with emotions, values, ethics, standards, and long-term goals (Northouse, 2010).
According to Northouse (2010), it is built upon the goals that a 21st century school, a school of
19

today that works with groups inspired and empowered to succeed in times of uncertainty. This
type of leadership helps form and is specific in attempting to engage and create connections
attentive to the various needs of a school as well as it motivates and raises morality. An example
of this would be that of a manager who attempts to change his or her establishment and the
values to reflect a more humane, fair, and just establishment thus setting higher standards and
moral values (Northouse, 2010). Charisma then is a well-defined term that helps and is crucial in
a person’s exceptional qualities that are important in becoming an effective leader. Being this
type of leader would help motivate followers to do more and a) raise the levels of consciousness
about the importance and valued goals, b) get followers to transcend their own self-interest for
the sake of the organization or establishment, and c) getting the followers to address higher level
needs. Leaders who possesses these traits exhibit having a very strong set of internal values.
According to Northouse (2010), traits in leadership are important measurements that
should be distinguished in effective leadership characteristics. Some of these traits are:
• Sense of responsibility
• Concern for task completion
• Energy
• Persistence
• Risk-taking
• Originality
• Self-confidence
• Capacity to handle stress
• Capacity to influence
• Capacity to coordinate the efforts of others in the achievement of purpose
20

As these provide just a minute part of the picture, there is a lot that goes in on the day-to-
day basis within a school setting. These traits when applied build on the maturity so that
different behaviors will emerge and different tasks ensue. Such leaders whose drive it is to be
motivating and ensure that tasks are completed are best suited to the various situations that they
favor highly promising or highly disapproving (Crawford, Kydd, & Riches, 1997).
Accountability and leadership also goes hand in hand but in order for this to happen there
needs to be a flexibility and an ability for self-organization to occur, a sort of ability to allow for
space, and become creative, take risks, and find a balance in a system of instability. This type of
leadership is termed paradoxical leadership which leads in the ability to be complex while
adaptive to a system that may be unpredictable and emergent in its outcomes. Allowing for a
core quality as a source of strength can easily become a pitfall. An example of this is helpfulness
which too much of it can lead to interference, too much flexibility can lead to inconsistency, too
much decisiveness can lead to pushiness, and too much carefulness can lead to fussiness. While
these qualities are good too have, too much of them can be determined to be distortions that can
negatively impact the core values or qualities (Raynor, 2004).
The basis of control and the ability to look around for too much flexibility and
inflexibility, the lack of control for coherence, and the edges of chaos that can easily crumble an
organization if not balanced. These dimensions of paradoxical leadership represent a constant
gauging of leadership traits that can lead to a too close autocratic and virtually non-autonomous
leadership to completely becoming unstable and being too open to a lassez-faire having too much
autonomous behavior. There must be a shared valued, individual autonomy, that requests for
diversity. Within this control, there must be a clear vision that needs to be worked on by
understanding various unpredictable outside events that would help provide flexibility. Meaning
21

should also be a visionary aspect of the level of involving all school’s constituents and
stakeholders and finally, there needs to be action through generality and flexibility with a
constant liberation of vision (Raynor, 2004).
This visionary approach according to Raynor (2004), helps in establishing an innovation
that helps revolve around creation and organizational shared values. According to Raynor
(2004), there should be applied leadership visionary values that help avoid conflict and sustain
charisma, and transform leaders. Raynor (2004) implied going through some approaches, the
first one involving environmental scanning and being able to detect the necessary changes in
advance. The second approach is based on values and vision where innovation is highlighted
and spring boarding off innovations to help a school would set up better and higher expectations.
With this comes the art of coherence which is the art of juggling various aspects for positive
outcomes. Aligning people behind a vision is very difficult but providing this reconfiguration
and being able to have members buy into a process, is a strategy undenounced of leadership
(Raynor, 2004). Shaping this strategy as an effective leader shows opportunism as a result. It is
important as leader to create an achievement culture every day and to display a rapport of
working hard and addressing issues head on. In a complex leadership role, there needs to be a
clear design as to where the school or organization will emerge and this takes innovation. There
is a great response to a clear vision and design that helps carry the organization forward and in
this there must be buyin by putting attractors into place to influence the overall emergence of that
goal. These opportunities are influenced by opportunism and shaping various issues as they
continue to be molded (Raynor, 2004).
Specific more so to a leadership role is to know the community and know the culture of the
area. In particular, as this study is centered on the needs for leadership not only of a Catholic
22

leader but more so of a school embedded in Hawaiian culture, these values must be based on
emerging Hawaiian leaders and candidates for leadership. According to Kaulukukui and
Nähoÿopiÿi (2008), identifying a set of behaviors that anchors within it Hawaiian values brings
about a continuation and extension of “kuleana” or responsibilities. Adopting a Hawaiian
worldview and a general concern for leadership is for the greater good of the Hawaiian
community. The leaders must lead by example and participate in cultural customs and personify
cultural values. The leaders must acknowledge the community and be mindful of their needs.
Management Dimensions for Leadership Sustainability
Management in Hawaiian Catholic schools should be addressed on the basis of how
leadership plays a role and how a school is effective and ineffective as well as on the impact this
leadership has on student achievement due to the leadership that it is attributed (Marzano et al.,
2005). There are various ways in which maintaining a sustainable leadership team in a school,
worthy of having a well-functioning system in place, would benefit Hawaiian Catholic schools
which include significance, quality, responsibility, integrity, ethics, and openness (Marzano et
al., 2005).
According to Marzano et al. (2005), as each of these are defined, the values possessed
that would transcend onto the entire school culture and beyond would help benefit the school and
would make it powerful. Marzano et al. described that significance would help with there being
a greater depth and allowing for greater positive impact on the way learning and practice
happens. There is a continuous review and ability to bring about new innovation to goals, all the
while by having focus and allowing for resources to be well distributed across the school.
Marzano et al. (2005) continued to describe how quality embodies the greatest professional
standard, being extra careful to examine and bring about a care to the way in which there are
23

results and a revolving amount of progress for reestablishing and holding accountability upon
each other and all the constituents of the school. Upon a meta-analysis conducted by Marzano et
al., there were 21 responsibilities that were important in establishing a change to some extent.
These 21 responsibilities include:
1. Monitoring/Evaluating
2. Culture
3. Ideals/Beliefs
4. Knowledge of Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction
5. Involvement in Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction
6. Focus
7. Order
8. Affirmation; Intellectual Stimulation (a tie rank order)
9. Affirmation; Intellectual Stimulation (a tie rank order)
10. Communication
11. Input
12. Relationships
13. Optimizer
14. Flexibility
15. Resources
16. Contingent Rewards
17. Situational Awareness
18. Outreach
19. Visibility
24

20. Discipline
21. Change agent
These 21 responsibilities reflect how important and how standard various operational
procedures of a school demand routine and demands for any alterations and management
behaviors. These are also necessary but Marzano et al. (2005) proposed that it is a daunting task
to effectively accomplish the task and thus condenses to a Second-Order Change in connection to
the 21 Responsibilities which include only seven:
1. Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
2. Optimizer
3. Intellectual Stimulation
4. Change Agent
5. Monitoring/Evaluating
6. Flexibility
7. Ideals/Beliefs
Considering these seven, brings a whole realm of innovations and helps in contextualizing and
addressing various problems that can manifest a school with leadership inequities and thus make
goals that centralizes and casts a wide net for responsibility of change (Marzano et al., 2005).
A clear aspect of managing a school relies upon a distributed kind of leadership that
allows for various successful dynamics of individuals and, as a result, there is a shared sense of
ownership that transcends to higher networked learning communities and school improvement
(Harris, 2008). Through such influences and dynamism, there are four perspectives according to
Harris (2008) that help shape this technical-rational. They are:

25

1. Leadership functions to influence organizational performance
2. Leadership is related to organizational roles
3. Leaders are individuals who contain certain attributes and act in certain ways
4. Leaders operate within the organizational culture
In the various studies that Harris (2008) has been accounted for and within studies abroad
that deal with managerial leadership, accounts of this type of distributed leadership brings about
a greater opportunity for members and the established school. There is a positive relationship
that helps increase teachers’ participation and collaboration as well as with the relationship that
pertains to administration itself.
Harris (2008) accounted for principal encouragement to help in the distributed form of
leadership to help problem-solve and thus eliminate solely relying on administrations. There are
also instances that allow for teachers, particularly head teachers, to select and find other
educators to take on responsibilities of professional development that would benefit the school
itself. Leadership then involves providing resources, incentives for recognizing leaders which
might include monetary and non-monetary rewards, and role clarity so as to avoid creating
colleague resentment.
There must be a clear dimension in which a leader must be able to lead from and thus
have control and represent him/herself, being completely aware of the area that is at the edge of
chaos or truly chaotic, disorganized, and confused. Raynor (2004) identified this as a dimension
of alignment as seen in Figure 1. These dimensions allow to be interpreted by a line that
identifies it as highly stable in position, through an area of chaos indicated by the shaded gray
area, and/or a choaotic position where there is absolutely no order or reason. According to
Raynor (2004), this leads to a perception of where the school can be positioned if evaluated and
26

Static Evolving

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Isolated Co-evolving Destructive competition

SCHOOL ECO-SYSTEM
Autocratic Flexible Situational Laissez-faire

LEADERSHIP
Conservative Value diversity Fragmented

VALUES AND CULTURE
Inflexible Requisite flexible Disorganized Unfocused

MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
Inflexible Proactive feedback Anything goes

MONITORING PROCESSES
Simple and clear Complex and Innovative Confused
TASK PROFILE
Too homogeneous Sufficient diversity Too diverse

STAFF PROFILE
Conservative Open-minded Unconcerned

STAKEHOLDER PROFILE

Figure 1: Dimension of Alignment

it helps with visually demonstrating where it lies or where it can lead to. There can also be a
multitude in which these stages can be described, however, it can be determined that the school’s
position can be placed in a range from ‘closed’ and ‘stable’ to ‘open,’ ‘highly evolved,’ and
Stable
Ordered
Controlled
Edge of chaos
Flexible
Both/and
Truly chaotic
Disorganized
Confused
Anarchic

27

towards the ‘edge of chaos.’ The school’s evaluation on environment, relationships, distributed
leadership, school’s emergent outcomes, school flexibility, its methodology, faculty competence,
and stakeholders all encompass responsibilities that are more complex for juggling the school
(Raynor, 2004).
Raynor (2004) also believed in steering the way towards effective leadership stems from
a strategy that allows for shaping various trajectories and allowing for organization and the
shaping of clear ideas to take place. Creating a culture of achievement is acting like a role model
and then jumping on the occasion to be opportunistic, set capacities in personnel, and publicize
such things as events or highlighting a school. Pursuing such strategies are strong in leadership
so as to be recognized and be able to continually meet the goals of a school and letting the wider
community know the great establishment that is setting clear policies and meeting clear goals.
Such strategies occur through a wide array of happenings that help it reinforce and keep the
school grounded in methodology and opportunities (Raynor, 2004).
Succession and Future Organizational Leadership
As stated by Coles and Southworth (2005), there is no leader that lasts forever; in fact
according to them, more leaders need to leave when they are at the top of their game and this is
when successors come into play for organizational leadership to be determined and so that good
schools can be great (Harris, 2008). According to Coles and Southworth (2005), one of the most
significant events in a school is that of its change and transition from leadership. Sustainable
contributions from the past and improvements from incoming leaders comes from a line that
molds, sets in to continue the school’s greatness, and prepare to leave building upon what has
been achieved and manifesting a clear leadership succession process impactful of the entire
school, students, and community alike (Coles & Southworth, 2005). Succession planning is a
28

central and important issue that establishes continuity and provokes discontinuity with past
directions. This sustainability of leadership becomes increasingly successful over multiple
carefully planned continuity, preparing those within or outside of the school realm and proposing
ingenuity and innovation. It is not a quick fix to a principal that within a couple years’ whose
time fazes out, but requires of the leadership planned purposeful continuity and planned
discontinuity (Coles & Southworth, 2005).
As noted in Figure 2, there is a succession of leadership when the four different
possibilities intersect and there is a planned continuity that is well-thought-out through research
and samples. According to Coles and Southworth (2005), in the various instances in which this
was implemented most of the schools were considered highly innovated, risk taking, and moving
in a highly different elaborative direction under its other predecessors. These innovative schools
sought out efforts to disassociate themselves from the traditional schools drifting just a bit, never
resting.

Continuity

Discontinuity

Planned (purposeful)

Planned continuity

Planned discontinuity

Unplanned
(accidental/unintentional)

Unplanned continuity

Unplanned discontinuity

Figure 2: Planning and Continuity

29

Cumulative successions were a factor that was seen as affecting the success of succession
as there were high increases of principal turnover so as to stop the difficulty of ineffective
leaders and failing schools. In this case, there was no outbound knowledge or strategy that was
considered and thus the school would lose in the nature of its leadership (Coles & Southworth,
2005).
The research conducted by Coles and Southworth (2005) indicated that leadership
succession and sustainability and careful planning allows for a larger pool of talented leaders to
replenish principals and head teachers as well. This research also indicated that there is a
potential crisis in the area for recruiting and retaining leaders in various educational sectors and
as some organizations have been successful in developing extended practices that help combat
these matters, the findings showed there is still an increasing risk to many schools. The models
for effective school leadership practice and emphasizing distributed leadership, effective
leadership succession, and leadership development is a model that should be employed through
innovative practices (Coles & Southworth, 2005). According to these researchers, seeking out
effective leaders, planning, developing, and placing attention in key leadership areas across all
school leaders should be a major part of molding and pursuing strategies for carrying forward an
effective plan for organization across all schools.
A sustainable and distributable leadership is the constant trait that is mentioned across
findings and specifically in the research conducted by Harris (2008). The cementing of authority
and monitoring of teachers, accountability, and delegation distributions becomes more effective
through distributed leadership as well and there is evidence to that indicating there is a direct
improvement of student learning. Leadership acts as a catalyst for need to change and allows for
direct and indirect effects on a school (Harris, 2008).
30

As there is a lot to say about distributed leadership and sustainability, there is literature
that denoted the ability to effectively carry out succession through trust and examining how
effective it can be to support the work in others, its confines of legislating, and regulation of
contracts (Macmillan, Meyer, & Northfield, 2004). Trust as a concept can be created and is
different to different people. Trust pertains to the predictability of an administrator’s actions,
various situations, and how appropriately they are carried out. Macmillan et al. (2004) argued
that there needs to be consideration for representing the effectiveness in turnover. According to
these researchers, there must be a mutual trust that can be critical for a succession event and in
that there needs to be a mutual trust amongst principal and teachers. Integrative Torts also is an
extension of such a role in which those around the leader perceive this notion that can be
supported with high regard and allow for a sense of belonging that can be highly influential.
This, according to Macmillan et al. (2004), must be thought of carefully as an incoming principal
already finding key factors that would allow them to proceed in the succession step, noting the
importance of evolution and the implications their leadership leaves behind.
As the demands of principals increases and as schools are faced with various uncertainty
through new innovations and uncharted leadership difficulties, there are frustrations and
anxieties that have surmounted in the last couple of years (Sing, 2009). Sing (2009) indicated
that in Hawaii research has noted that responsibilities on accountability from leaders and a
decreased autonomy has negatively impacted the school system. According to Bolman and Deal
(2008) there needs to be an infusion of establishing clarity in expectations and promoting
collaboration through passion and a sense of purpose. Sing went on to note that educational
leadership in Hawaiian cultural values is essential and should include caring for relationships and
looking at principals as role models for communities to emerge stronger.
31

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
There are many responsibilities that entail on being an effective Catholic School Principal
and the instances that allows them to be meaningful, impactful leaders of educational
communities. Being a principal brings a tremendous impact to others looking to do the same in
leading the way with innovation, entrepreneurship, charisma, and overall success. The
leadership practices of Hawaiian Catholic schools are focused on the philosophy of traditions,
building of knowledge, finance, facility management, development, fundraising, and public
relations (Diocese of Honolulu, 2017). This chpter focuses on the purpose of the study, the
participants, and the methods and data collection, instrumentation, and a preview of Chapters
Four and Five.
Restatement of the Problem, Purpose, and Research Questions
The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to be able to find ways in which principal
leadership succession is occurring at various levels — Hawaiian Catholic elementary, middle,
and high schools. Research described the various modalities, behaviors, and perspectives of
leaders and the collaboration needed to be an effective manager for leading a 21st century based
education. In addition to these practices, Hawaii finds itself in a unique, diverse and segregated
area not typical for the rest of the nation, yet highly competitive and constantly changing in
practice. There is a lack of research that focuses on such an area that this particular study would
bring highlight to interested parties and would propagate attention to allow for more research and
build upon such a study. The study will aim to further the insight on principal succession on
Hawaiian Catholic K-12 private schools throughout the island chain. The study will address the
following research questions:
32

1. What role does the elementary, middle, and high school principal display to stimulate
leadership practices amongst faculty and staff?
2. What are the most commonly used practices of leadership skills that promote school
collaboration amongst faculty and staff?
3. What current practices used by principals promote leadership skills to encourage
leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable principals?
4. What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst Hawaiian school elementary,
middle, and high school level principals?
Design Summary
The study will utilize a mixed-methods approach, both interview and surveys to help find
methods, procedures, and trends that would help in elaborating and implementing formats to
highlight effective principal leadership succession programs.
Sample and Population
The quantitative portion of this mixed-methods study involves surveying 26 principals,
while the qualitative portion involves interviewing five Hawaiian Catholic K-12 school
principals gathered through the Diocese of Honolulu and located throughout the Hawaiian island
chain. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) recommended that purposeful sampling would help discover,
understand, and gain insight on a select sample where most can be learned. Based on this, there
are unique, atypical, and rare attributes that contribute interest in Principal Leadership
succession. According to Creswell (2014), using the characteristic of a Qualitative design and
with the use of inductive and deductive data analysis will be helpful. Looking for patterns,
categories, and themes from the bottom up, and organizing the data into increasingly more
abstract units of information will help illustrate where to move forward. By quantifying the data,
33

there can be a generalization of the population and factoring the influence of the outcome
through a survey design that identifies the characteristics, attitudes, and behavior of the
population (Creswell, 2014).
The Diocese of Honolulu is the nonprofit organization that is referred to as they are the
governing agency that enforce and direct appropriate information dealing with Principals,
curriculum, and instruction as well as various religious dimensions pertaining to a Catholic
Religious Education. Hawiian Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Honolulu serves 11,363
students across all Hawaiian Islands and principals interviewed for this study will be from two of
the main islands. Some principals serve an all-girl population, some an all-boy population, and
some co-ed. Also, some principals work at K-12 schools, K-5, and middle schools.
Instrumentation
The researcher developed the Principal Leadership Succession Survey (Appendix A) and
used it for this study. Under the guidance of Dr. Rudy Castruita and Dr. Pedro Garcia at the
USC Rossier School of Education, the researcher was able to focus on the principals’ responses
towards succession and leadership transition. The systematic procedure that was involved in
finding relevant material was the first step. In this, the researcher included the 7-point Likert
scale (1 strongly disagree, 2 disagree, 3 somewhat disagree, 4 neither agree nor disagree, 5
somwhat agree, 6 agree, and 7 strongly agree) in a series of statements towards the participant.
These statements were taken from relevant literature to bring about a model that would hone in
on leadership traits, succession, and transitional practices in an administration position.
Data Collection Protocols
The researcher obtained data after successfully completing the Institutional Review
Board (IRB). In this procedure, there are mentioned limitations for the study and the collection
34

of information by documents, interviews, and various visual materials for establishing and
compiling information (Creswell, 2014). Data collection was obtained by a Principal Leadership
Succession Survey that was sent out to all 26 Hawaiian Catholic Schools by the superintendent
of the Diocese of Honolulu. Attached to the email was a link to the survey through the online
software tool, Qualtrics. In addition to this, a reminder to complete the survey was sent out to all
participants.
Interviews were completed in person at the various island Catholic schools. Principals
were notified via phone and email that the interviews would be audio recorded; also, it would not
affect their participation in the study if they did not grant the recording. In addition, once the
interviews were gathered they were analyzed to decipher cohesions on innovation and
entrepreneurship; risk taking also played a part in the Principals’ leadership roles.
Validity and Reliability
Creswell (2014) mentioned that by establishing validity and construct validity focused on
whether the scores serve a useful purpose and have positive consequences in practice. The
validity of the scores in the survey sent out to Hawaiian Catholic School Principals ensured a
successful use of triangulation that yielded a higher valid and reliable use of data collection. The
use of data triangulation was incorporated in the survey and interviews through open-ended
questions. Incorporating methodological triangulation was used in both quantitative and
qualitative methodology of collection, in the use of analysis and in the reporting of data. In order
to develop the survey and interview protocol, leadership frameworks were utilized, therefore
incorporating theory triangulation. By using triangulation as a validity strategy there is an ability
to look for themes that have established various converging outcomes from the data or
perspectives from the participants (Creswell, 2014). Creswell (2014) also added that in the
35

research already constructed in past studies, looking for consistencies and correlations in the
administering and scoring of scores determines stability over time.
Data Analysis
Once all the data was collected, the researcher was able to organize it for a thorough data
analysis. This was done by looking for commonalities in all surveys submitted, the various
leadership styles and any other nuances or elaborative answers submitted. Correlations were
gathered to determine relationships and a descriptive analysis of variables were defined and
labeled.
As Merriam and Tisdell (2016) stated, the first order of unit was to reveal any
information that could be relevant to the study and therefore stimulate the information further.
As there was careful analysis of all surveys and transcript interviews, patterns and themes were
able to be interpreted. This relates to making sense out of the data and identifying the central
process that dealt with the answering the research questions.
The second area was to regulate what area could be identified as a stand-alone segment
that could be interpreted in the absence of any supplementary information other than what is the
broad understanding in the inquiry that is being carried out (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). After
this was decoded, then categorization was carried out by areas by conveying the various pieces
of the data to construct these categories. This process referred by Merriam and Tisdell (2016) is
termed “axial coding” or “analytical coding” that goes beyond descriptive coding and in fact
allows for more reflection and meaning. Throughout this analytical process there were
comments and reflections in each interview and survey turned in.
36

Finally, these categories and themes were able to cut across the data and represent clear
information that could be less complex and attributed to the meaning of the study and thus
become the findings of the study.
Summary
This study was to answer the following research questions:
1. What role does the elementary, middle, and high school principal display to stimulate
leadership practices amongst faculty and staff?
2. What are the most commonly used practices of leadership skillsthat promote school
collaboration amongst faculty and staff?
3. What current practices used by principals promote leadership skills to encourage
leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable principals?
4. What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst Hawaiian school elementary,
middle, and high school level principals?
In addition, this chapter also highlighted the purpose of the study, the sample in
population, the instrumentation used, and the impact principal leadership succession brings to
Hawaiian Catholic K-12 schools. The triangulation of data collection through the thorough
literature review and the problems in analysis and recommendations is presented in Chapters
Four and Five.

37

CHAPTER FOUR: THE FINDINGS
Introduction
The analysis and data collected will be presented and examined in this chapter from a
mixed-methods study pertaining to Hawaiian Catholic K-12 leadership succession. The purpose
of this study was to add to the limited leadership succession plans for Catholic schools
throughout the Hawaiian Islands, their various leadership styles and the culturally remote area
for implementing such practices throughout Catholic schools within the Diocese of Honolulu.
Quantitative results were obtained through an online survey sent out to the
Superintendent of Hawaiian Catholic Schools and distributed to 26 K-12 schools throughout the
Hawaiian chain of islands. Qualitative data was gathered through various selected questions
posed to administrators of schools and added questions focused on leadership succession, plans
and strategies. The superintendent was able to facilitate in distributing as well as reminding
administrators to fill out the survey and return at the earliest convenience. This chapter will
demonstrate the demographic information and findings from the acquired data to help follow up
with the following research questions that led the study:
1. What role does the elementary, middle, and high school principal display to stimulate
leadership practices amongst faculty and staff?
2. What are the most commonly used practices of leadership skills that promote school
collaboration amongst faculty and staff?
3. What current practices used by principals promote leadership skills to encourage
leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable principals?
4. What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst Hawaiian school elementary,
middle, and high school level principals?
38

Quantitative Demographic Data
Demographic data was disaggregated by gender, age, ethnicity, total years as principal,
total years at current school site, type of school, school size, and religious order if any. Of the 26
electronic surveys distributed, 12 were returned completed providing a 46.2% response rate.
The ethnicities of the various principals were as follows: Native Hawaiian (2), Japanese
(1), Caucasian (2), Portuguese (4), Filipino (1) and Other (2) indicated as Hawaiian/Chinese and
Japanese / Hawaiian and Chinese (Figure 3). Principals affiliated with a religious order were
determined at 41.7% while 58.3% responded as being lay members of the Catholic Church and
not being affiliated with a religious order (Figure 4). The level of degrees were indicated as
66.7% of principals completing their Master’s degree and 33.3% completing their Bachelor’s
Degree.

Figure 3: Ethnicity of Principals Surveyed

16.7%
8.33%
16.67%
16.67%
8.33%
16.67%
Ethnicity
Portuguese
NativeAmerican
Japanese
Caucasian
Other
Filipino
39

Figure 4: Religious Order of Principals Surveyed

The level of education of principals indicated there were many which held a Master’s
Degree in the field of Education (66.7%) and 33.3% held a Bachelor’s degree (Figure 5). There
was also indication of there being more females in this field (83.33%) than males standing at
16.7% (Figure 6).

41.70%
58.30%
Religious Order
No Religious Order
Religious
Order
40

Figure 5: Level of Education from Principals Surveyed

Figure 6: Gender of Principals Surveyed

33.30%
66.70
Level of Education
Bachelor's
Degree
Master's Degree
83.33%
16.70%
Gender
Female Principals
Male Principals
41

The school population size was of a wide range beginning from 48 to 1100 students with
an average of 242 students (Figure 7). Principals at each particular school site ranged from 1 to
36 years where the mean was 15.7 years while at the school. Experience as a principal also
ranged from 1 to 34 years where the mean was 11.5 years. Current principals in education
ranged from 16-47 years where the mean was 26.9 years. From the 12 schools where data was
gathered, nine were K-8 schools and three were K-12 schools.

Figure 7: School Size Population

Qualitative Demographic Data
Qualitative data was acquired through interviews which were conducted with the school
principal and various follow-up questions regarding principal leadership succession from the
survey issued. In addition, the following questions were asked:
1. What are the most commonly used practices that promote school collaboration amongst
faculty and staff?
25%
42%
25%
8%
School Size Population
3 -‐
under 100
5-‐
101-‐200
1-‐
Over301
8%
3 -‐
201-‐300
42

2. What kind of current practices and concrete examples could you provide where you
promote leadership skills to encourage leadership amongst faculty and staff?
3. How would you characterize your leadership style?
4. If you decided to leave the school through retirement or change in position, how do you
view the change in leadership transition and the future for this school?
The interviewed participants were purposefully select to participate based on
their interest to be interviewed for this study. All of the interviews were selected based on
geographic location, selected on their willingness and eager to participate and based on their
long-lasting relationship with the school site. Three females and two male principals were
individually interviewed. All of the participants were Catholic and were principals at parishes
and two were considered to be affiliated with the Archdiocese of Honolulu but not directly tied
to any particular parish given their great number of students and families. Table 1 demonstrates
the demographic data for the participants that were interviewed.

Table 1
Demographics of Interviewed Participants

Name

Gender

Age

Ethnicity
Years as
Principal
Years at
Site
Principal A Female 51-60 Hawaiian 12 23
Principal B Female 51-60 Hawaiian -
Chinese

21 34
Principal C Male 41-50 Caucasian 7 12
Principal D Male 51-60 Portuguese 13 17
Principal E Female 41-50 Portuguese 6 9

43

Findings to Question 1
What role does the elementary, middle, and high school principal display to stimulate
leadership practices amongst faculty and staff?
Creating a school that promotes leadership practices amongst faculty and staff is
imperative. According to Northouse (2010), leadership-making must be an approach that
emphasizes a leader that should develop high-quality exchanges with all of the leader’s
subordinates rather than just a few.
Participants were asked to rank themselves on whether or not they were able to stimulate
leadership practices amongst faculty and staff. Figure 8 illustrates the responses to the statement.
Of the 12 surveyed principals, this question provided interesting results in that 6 out of
the 12 principals in Hawaiian Catholic K-12 schools felt they strongly agreed in providing actual
leadership opportunities for faculty and staff. Four principals out of 12 felt they agreed in
providing leadership opportunities and interestingly one principal neither agreed or disagreed in
providing such opportunities and one final principal responded he/she disagreed in providing
such opportunities. Some of the leadership opportunities offered included taking curriculum and
instruction for departmental positions. Principal D described that four of the teachers lead
professional development for all faculty at the school and will continue to enforce and produce
such professional opportunities in the future. One of teachers was strong in implementing
reading and language arts concepts and would create topics for focus on implementing rigorous
and foundational, research-based curriculum co-created by the faculty.
44

Figure 8: Survey Response to Questions Regarding Leadership Opportunities

Principal E described that in order to have leadership roles provided for some faculty
there needs to be a clear opportunity that is witnessed by not only the administration but by
others such as co-teachers, families and students. It was very clearly determined that one of the
faculty members of the school exceeded the capacity of being a teacher and had a great deal of
communication that corresponded with being a problem solver for many at the school. This is
why this principal promoted her to being a dean of students and witnessed, that since this was
implemented, there has been a better way of funneling the solving of problems both at an
academic standpoint and in student behavior. Principal A described that this faculty member has
enrolled in administrative classes referred to by the principal and foresees there being
opportunities arising for this individual in the future.
Interviewed responses from three of the principals indicated a higher positive response to
providing such opportunities. Principal A, a principal from a K-12 co-ed school, described
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Strongly agree Agree Somewhat
agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Somewwhat
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
I provide leaderhsip opportunities for my faculty
and staff.
45

providing opportunities for teachers to rise and sought out emerging leaders especially that from
deans, coaches, and those already in positions of leadership from within the school. Principal B,
who was a principal of a K-8 co-ed school, accounted leadership more geared towards a spiritual
type of leadership needed for the school that ensures the Catholic identity of the school. This
principal felt it was the responsibility of seeking a strong Catholic candidate that the school
could count upon to provide faith formation for all members of the school. According to
Principal B, administrative leadership is important but more so is the umbrella of seeking
someone who possesses a very strong spiritual identity and infuses the school with this energy.
Other survey responses in correlation to the question of providing leadership
opportunities were creating school culture that is geared toward creating leaders. This response
yielded a mean of 6.00 and a standard deviation of 1.128 as indicated in Figure 9.

Figure 9: Survey Responses to Question Regarding Creating a School Culture Supportive of
Leadership

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Strongly agree Agree Somewhat
agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Somewwhat
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
I create a school culture that is supportive of
leadership.
46

Principal C felt that as a High School principal it was imperative to delegate and seek out
leaders in the school who could ultimately do the job. Principal C added that such areas that
purposefully provide opportunities for faculty and staff by allowing strong leaders to help
interview incoming hires, supervise, and evaluate various programs that are initiated or carried
out throughout the school. Principal C argued that this has lessened the burden as administrator
and individuals who seek to further their administrative roles can easily be encouraged to
participate in many of the tasks and programs the Principal has been a part of. According to
Principal C, it is always good to never be left alone; allow others to have a stake hold on the
school’s progress and decision making. Further stating that the first year as principal there was
a need to do everything and be everywhere, but essentially a principal who was wise and
experienced said that the best thing to do is to delegate and mold new leaders. Principal C never
thought of it being as creating more leaders, but naturally incorporating members who are
passionate about what they do to spearhead various opportunities for others and have strong
foundational leadership capabilities. The leadership style of Principal C is that of a
transformational leader who maintains a strong communication with others at various levels; not
having this would actually destroy what everyone is working towards. Adding to this, Principal
C mentioned that there seems to be a trickle-down effect when it comes to leadership at the
school, which it ultimately begins with Principal C, is distributed to teachers, and flows into the
classroom. When asked if Principal C ever decided to leave the school through retirement or
change in position, the response was that there is no doubt the decision might be a bit difficult
because there have been a lot of members in the school that have been empowered and it seems
that any one of the already formed leaders from the school would emerge as a principal.
47

Principal C determined that supporting leadership is not always easy. In the last couple
of years, the school has struggled with maintaining a strong number of enrollment of students.
Principal C felt despite this, there have been teachers that offer a lot in order to make things
work more efficiently. The vice-principal in particular launched a campaign project along with
other faculty members to incorporate a more sustainable number of student enrollment and
incorporated members of the school to be able to launch a new vigorous campaign tactic that
normally the school itself would never venture into. Using social media for example, is one way
that strong leaders from the school were able to incorporate in order to reach more interested
groups into their type of school, and further reaching out to the local businesses to become more
visible and noteworthy. Principal C stated that this actually came about in a natural way.
Teachers who were strong leaders in their own right took a stance and made things happen by
meeting after school and working on the weekends to have a stake hold in the community and in
the school. A true leader according to principal C takes chances and it was imperative to be able
to trust members who can make a difference despite the tough situations constantly looming over
them.
Principal E added that being a servant leader was something that was integral in
considering such a position. Being a servant leader would include the enriching of not only the
life of the administrator but that of others, truly being active and wanting to change and better the
life of students, faculty and staff. When asked on embarking on the position of principal,
principal E described that the livelihood of each student and that of those surrounding and
connected with the school would be shaped by this leadership role that the administrator is
strongest as. Some leadership styles would not be able to work given the community and the
48

type of style the administrator possesses; it is vital to take control of the situation and gauge the
atmosphere of the overall learning community.
Findings to Questions 2
What are the most commonly used practices of leadership skills that promote school
collaboration amongst faculty and staff?
According to Hart (1993), there needs to be an exchange theory or building of
relationships that depends on negotiations and valued resources from teachers to support new
disciplines stemming from principals. Participants were asked to rank themselves on building
relationships with teachers that are collaborative. Figure 10 illustrates how principals responded
to the question presented in the survey, “I build relationships with teachers that are collaborative
and respectful through networking” and “I assign power to others.”

Figure 10: Survey Responses to Question Regarding Collaboration

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Strongly agree Agree Somewhat
agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Somewwhat
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
I build relationships with teachers that are collaborative
and respectful through networking.
49

Building relationships for all surveyed principals was very important and significant on
building stronger schools (Figure 11). Principal D felt it was very important to incorporate
others in the process of becoming a great school. Principal D provided experiences where in the
past the principal he worked for as a first-time principal did not allow others to collaborate and
help build a stronger school.. Most of the power was formulated in a more autocratic style and
its effects were not the best. Principal D believed that the want and need to continue to work in a
school where teachers might be grumpy was a result of this style of leading. He understood that
there needs to be strong collaboration with others, not just amongst teachers and staff but also
with students. When asked about leadership style, Principal D added that being a servant leader,
one who tries to build relationships, is a listener, and believes in service was imperative.
Principal D felt that is why being a principal at a Catholic school because nowhere else can one
find the dynamism and the spiritual portion of enthusiastically inspiring and collaborating with
others because ultimately that is what God wants us to do.

Figure 11: Survey Responses to Question Regarding Collaboration
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Strongly
agree
Agree Somewhat
agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Somewwhat
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
I assign power to others.
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Principal A’s response to promoting collaboration amongst faculty and staff stands on
that of being a reflective leader and allowing teachers to have a natural feel to work together and
deliver high results. At school there are nearly weekly opportunities that involve collaboration
and in that the principal is able to allow professional development opportunities for various
members of the school. Assigning powers allows others, according to Principal A to spread what
needs to be accomplished across all grade levels, for students and teachers alike.
Findings to Question 3
What current practices used by principals promote leadership skills to encourage
leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable principals?
Hawaiian Catholic schools must have a vision to be able to continue Catholic and cultural
Hawaiian traditions and move schools in a uniform direction to maintain enrollment. Upon
analyzing the survey results, the researcher was able to note statements that were directly tied to
current practices for the promotion of leadership skills that principals are using in encouraging
faculty and staff to create future sustainable principals. The cultivation of leadership within the
schools were very apparent through interviews. All principals provided opportunities where
strong educators were given chances to create programs, implement new curriculum, assist in
mentorship of new teachers, or carry out counseling positions. These leadership opportunities
are the first steps in implementing and securing future sustainable principals and continuing to
form and fortify leaderships by providing ample opportunities to create experience and strong
results in leading.
Principals were asked about having goals that relate to leadership achievement where
they themselves feel strong enough to embody and promote leadership achievement (Figure 12).
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Principal A described that in the way that leadership achievement is promoted within school is
the following:
we have a new structure where we have the president, one vice principal that's in charge
of the school culture, discipline, and then the academic deans and department chairs
become the coaches or the first point of contact for the teachers. And I really like that
model because I think it adds a protective layer for the principal and then for parents and
for faculty to get immediate response before it goes to the principal.
Principals surveyed indicated that there is a great deal of goals they created to relate
leadership achievement. Some of these goals were presented by principal D where in the last
Western Association of Schools and Colleges visit (WASC), there were three teachers that rose
up to implement and seek out technological opportunities for the school. This was a
recommendation that was presented at the previous WASC visit. These teachers wrote grants,
implemented achievable goals where the carrying out of programs directly benefited both
students and teachers. Principal D described that this horizontal leadership opportunity made the
school stronger and conversations relating to the success of such technological implementations
were shared and presented to neighboring schools benefiting them as well. Principals surveyed
indicated that not all strongly agreed that they have the goals they necessarily relate to leadership
achievement. Half of the principals surveyed agreed that there is some aspect of leadership
achievement that can be attributed to goals. Four principals stated that they strongly agree and
only two indicated they somewhat agree.

52

Figure 12: Survey Response to Principals Having Goals that Relate Leadership Achievement

More significant are the responses to the question in the survey stating “I assist teachers
in interpreting, monitoring and evaluating their leadership skills” (Figure 13). This directly
focused on maintaining and implementing areas where faculty are taken into consideration and
are monitored for their leadership capabilities. Principal A stated that being a good leader first
and foremost has to be reflective and being a servant leader and humble leader is the key to
success on the everyday functions of a school. The principal added, “once you set the
parameters for what you expect in terms of performance, it can be something as small as dress
code, student behavior, professionalism. All those things set the parameters for leaders.”
Principal B stated that monitoring and evaluating leadership is to send faculty to any
leadership learning opportunities at Chaminade University, but it is something that still needs
more work and that it has been discussed with the Diocese of Honolulu. Overall, five principals
surveyed indicated that they agreed that they do such leadership evaluations; however, the
consensus was not as strong for all those principals surveyed. Two principals felt they strongly
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Strongly
agree
Agree Somewhat
agree
Neither
agree nor
disagree
Somewwhat
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
I have goals that relate leadership achievement.
53

agreed with what they do to evaluate leadership skills for faculty while four somewhat agreed on
incorporating such tactics.

Figure 13: Survey Responses to Assisting Teachers on Interpreting, Monitoring, and Evaluating
Leadership Skills

When principals where directly asked in the interviewed process, “If you decided to leave
the school through retirement or change in position, how do you view the change in leadership
transition and the future for this school?,” the answers were of interest as it directly asked about
the succession process at the school. Principal A described that when first becoming principal
it was felt that the position should not be for more than 10 years because afterwards new ideas
and new emerging leaders should be considered and trained. Principal C described that the
process for looking for whom takes over should never be abandoned but not enough is being
done to be able to make this more formalized, more can be done.
The results for the surveyed question, “I have a vision for the future of the school,”
resulted in overall the principals felt strongly about the vision process for the school (Figure 14).
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Strongly
agree
Agree Somewhat
agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Somewwhat
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
I assist teachers in interpreting, monitoring and
evaluating their leadership skills.
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This can be attributed to the relation of succession planning and towards the vision and mission
of the school’s growth towards achieving stronger goals.

Figure 14: Survey Results on Having a Vision for the Future of the School

School principals play a significant role in being able to promote and have a vision for
their learning communities by emulating strong leadership themselves and collaborating in a
strong decision process for the school’s future. Earning this type of role is not simple and it
takes years in order to implement a strong rapport that would lift up the values, demonstrate trust
and build strong relationships for an effective school. One of the major and most noteworthy
styles that provides a glimpse into what interviewed principals mentioned is the spiritual aspect
of leadership. Whomever would hold the leadership title of the school must ensure that the
Catholic identity is strong, and this kind of spiritual leadership can only come from the principal
itself. Doing this assuredly helps in implementing a strong religious curriculum in accordance
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Strongly
agree
Agree Somewhat
agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Somewwhat
disagree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
I have a vision for the future of the school.
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with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) guidelines and helps to
provide a faith formation not only to students but also to teachers, staff, and parents.
Cooperation and engaging dialogue with the Catholic faith is imperative in implementing a
strong succession plan.
Findings to Question 4
What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst Hawaiian school elementary,
middle, and high school level principals?
In order to analyze the data and address the research question, averages were found for
each item on the survey. All of the items on the survey pertaining to leadership styles were
created on a 7-point Likert scale with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 7 being “strongly agree.”
The statements on the survey were then categorized into whether it described servant leadership,
transformational leadership, or instructional leadership. The researcher was able to look at the
average responses for each survey item and determined the most prevalent leadership style to be
the one with the most responses higher than 6.5.
The most prevalent leadership style among Catholic elementary school principals was
found to be servant leadership. Servant leadership obtained 8 out of 10 statements with averages
of 6.5 or higher. Transformational leadership had 3 out of 10 statements scoring 6.5 or above.
Instructional leadership yielded a total of 1 out of 7 acquired statements and had an average of
6.5 or higher.
The following statements on the survey related to servant leadership:
ü I create a safe environment for students.
ü I build relationships with teachers that are collaborative and respectful through
networking.
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ü I help my staff even if it involves personal sacrifice.
ü I stand up for the rights of people in need.
ü I assign power to others.
ü I delegate tasks as a way to develop people who have leadership potential.
ü I listen to what my staff has to say with respect.
ü I am compassionate.
ü I encourage my employees to be lifelong learners.
ü I believe service is at the core of what I do.
Figure 15 demonstrates the responses to the survey questions relating to servant
leadership. The legend demonstrates the average response on a scale of 1 to 7 from the
principals surveyed. Responses to servant leadership questions ranged from an average of 6.17
to 6.92. The statement “I delegate tasks as a way to develop people who have leadership
potential” received the lowest score, while two statements equally received a high score of 6.92.
The statements were: “I encourage my employees to be lifelong learners” and “I believe service
is at the core of what I do.”
The statements on the survey for transformational leadership were:
ü I provide the necessary materials and equipment for teachers to affect student
achievement.
ü I embody the mission of the school.
ü I have goals that relate leadership achievement.
ü I assist teachers in interpreting, monitoring, and evaluating their leadership skills.
ü I clearly articulate the goals to the faculty and staff in leadership positions.
ü I create a school culture that is geared toward creating leaders.
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ü I create a school culture that is supportive of leadership.
ü I maintain open and effective communication with staff members.
ü I have a vision for the future of the school.
ü Change is at the core of what I do.

Figure 15: Servant Leadership Survey Responses

Figure 16 demonstrates the responses to the survey questions relating to transformational
leadership. The Figure demonstrates the average response given from the principals surveyed.
6.58
6.67
6.33
6.17
6.75
6.75
6.92
6.92
6.75
6.67
5.6 5.8 6 6.2 6.4 6.6 6.8 7
I help my staff even if it involves personal sacrifice.
I stand up for the rights of people in need.
I assign power to others.
I delegate taks as a way to develop people who have
leadership potential.
I listen to what my staff has to say with respect.
I am compassionate.
I encourage my employees to be lifelong learners.
I believe service is at the core of what I do.
I create a safe environment for students.
I build relationships with teachers that are collaborative and
respectful through networking.
Servant Leadership
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Statements relating to transformational leadership ranged from 5.83 to 6.75. The statement
receiving the highest average was “I have a vision for the future of the school” while the lowest
average was “I assist teachers in interpreting, monitoring, and evaluating their leadership skills.”

Figure 16: Transformational Survey Leadership Responses

5.2 5.4 5.6 5.8 6 6.2 6.4 6.6 6.8 7
I provide the necessary materials and equipment for
teachers to affect student achievement.
I embody the mission of the school.
I have goals that relate leadership achievement.
I clearly articulate the goals to the faculty and staff in
leadership positions.
I assist teachers in interpreting, monitoring and
evaluating their leadership skills.
I create a school culture that is geared toward creating
leaders.
I create a school culture that is supportive of leadership.
I maintain open and effective communication with staff
members.
I have a vision for the future of the school.
Change is at the core of what I do.
Transformational Leadership
59

The statements in relation to instructional leadership were the following:
ü I am actively engaged in the continued improvement of the school’s instructional
program.
ü I set and adhere to high performance standards for instruction.
ü I model desired behaviors.
ü I give priority to instructional time.
ü I engage in classroom observations (2 or more formal observations that are longer
than 30 minutes).
ü I engage in weekly classroom walkthroughs (5 minutes or less).
ü I use student performance on standardized tests to develop goals and drive
instruction.
Figure 17 shows the average responses of the above statements. Responses from
principals ranged from 4.92 to 6.67. The statement that received highest was “I am actively
engaged in the continued improvement of the school’s instructional program” and the lowest
was, “I use student performance on standardized tests to develop goals and drive instruction.”
Summary
This chapter presented the analysis of a survey that was completed by 26 principals
within the Diocese of Honolulu (2017). Five of those principals were able to participate in being
interviewed. The survey and interview data was analyzed and suggested the following findings.
Research question one asked, “What role does the elementary, middle, and high school
principal display to stimulate leadership practices amongst faculty and staff?” Through the
interviews, it was very apparent that school principals were able to fortify strong connections
with members of their school who they felt elevated the experiences for students and brought
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about better situations for their entire school environment. Allowing such individuals to be more
autonomous and collaborative will continue to bring about positive changes in the school and,
therefore, create opportunities that will naturally create leaders.

Figure 17: Instructional Leadership Survey Responses

Research question two asked, “What are the most commonly used practices of leadership
skills that promote school collaboration amongst faculty and staff?” All principals surveyed
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
I am actively engaged in the continued improvement
of the school's instructional program.
I set and adhere to high performance standards for
instruction.
I model desired behaviors.
I give priority to instructional time.
I engage in classroom observations (2 or more
formal observations that are longer than 30 minutes.
I engage in weekly classroom walkthroughs (5
minutes or less).
I use student performance on standardized tests to
develop goals and drive instruction.
Instructional Leadership
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indicated that they agreed they try to promote school collaboration amongst faculty and staff;
however, the consensus was not as strong for all those principals surveyed. Some principals
were not as strong agreeing with what they do and what they are given in order to evaluate
leadership skills for, more can be done.
Research question three asked, “What current practices used by principals promote
leadership skills to encourage leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable
principals?” Through the interviews, principals felt they did not have total control over
establishing who would succeed them. However, principals interviewed did mention that they
naturally promote leadership opportunities within the school. Principals promote professional
opportunities guided by the Diocese of Honolulu to create connections such as enrolling in
administrative forming classes at nearby universities or determining which individuals within the
school are reliable, competent and able to take risks for the benefit of all members of the school.
It is noteworthy to add that there is faith upon whomever hires a new principal, that continuing
with spiritual formation and guiding students to become vital individuals, strong in Catholic
identity as required by the heads of the Catholic Church is integral for a school principal. There
were no actual plans that were demonstrated in any school however, nor was there a sense of
actual control coming from principals on determining or having created an effective principal
succession plan.
Research question four asked, “What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst
Hawaiian school elementary, middle, and high school level principals?” Principals did have
high averages in relation to transformational leadership, servant leadership, and instructional
leadership. Servant leadership did receive high averages that were considered and compared to
other leadership styles. It is also important to note that another leadership style did arise which
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was that of being a spiritual leader, important and relevant in a religious school type of
environment.
Chapter five includes a summary of the research study and recommendations for further
research.

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CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
Hawaiian Catholic schools play a vital role in determining various leadership styles and
further more on determining outcomes of planning effective leadership succession guidelines.
This chapter is a compilation of this study examining leadership succession in Hawaiian Catholic
K-12 schools. Included in this summary is the statement of the problem, purpose of the study,
research questions, methodology, and findings. The limitations to this study and
recommendations for further research are also discussed in detail.
Statement of the Problem
There is a limited amount of research that is available on Hawaiian Catholic K-12 schools
pertaining to effective principal leadership succession. The study centered on what leaders are
doing now, or have done in the past, to create an effective plan on principal succession for
overall school transition and leadership capabilities. As there could be some struggles in
creating an effective plan, it is necessary to think about the positive outcomes schools can benefit
from.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to look deeper at the different educational perspectives in
Hawaiian K-12 Catholic schools and how leadership was fostered within such organizations.
The Catholic school’s difference in educative instruction is unlike the rest of the nation as there
are cultural and administrative pressures to maintain and create a 21st century practice in a
climate where odds tend to be against them (Canavan, 2013). The perspectives of these unique
schools allows a greater viewpoint of structure and focus for schools trying to evolve, center, and
connect not only students but teachers allowing them to generate a greater array of leadership
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opportunities and to cultivate leadership sustainability in Hawaiian schools. Discerning how
administrators in Catholic schools increase focus on leadership succession, there would be
greater opportunities for teachers themselves to carry on traits that were acknowledged,
practiced, widely accepted, and effective for this particular state. There also is a great sense of
cultural significance that is undoubtedly highlighted and unique to Hawaiian schools.
Highlighting these unique features would greatly extend the greater outcome of leadership traits
that bring about positive results.
Research Questions
The following questions guided this study:
1. What role does the elementary, middle, and high school principal display to stimulate
leadership practices amongst faculty and staff?
2. What are the most commonly used practices of leadership skills that promote school
collaboration amongst faculty and staff?
3. What current practices used by principals promote leadership skills to encourage
leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable principals?
4. What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst Hawaiian school elementary,
middle, and high school level principals?
Methodology
This study employed a mixed-methods approach to collect data from 26 Hawaiian
Catholic K-12 schools throughout the island chain. The survey was created using Qualtrics an
online survey software that allowed for easy distribution through the main contact,
Superintendent of Catholic Schools across the Hawaiian Catholic K-12 chain of islands. From
the returned surveys that principals filled out there was a contact from the surveyor to further
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interview the principals who had indicated interest. Traveling to the islands was then completed
in the fall of 2017 using face-to-face interviews with various principals across the schools.
Principal A described that there is a lot that schools do in Hawaii to be able to generate strong
leaders; for the most part, however, there is a pooling of candidates that are forwarded by the
Superintendent that have had the necessary experience of having been in an administrative or
strong leadership positions such as dean, closely working with administration, and have had the
appropriate amount of expertise both through schooling and actual hands on practice. Mostly
these leaders that rise up have been closely watched by community members, faculty, staff, and
parents as well as by the Superintendent; they have compiled a great resume and outlined clear
attainable goals for becoming principals and leaders of schools. Principal B noted that leaders
rise up naturally as was in the case where indicated by the school’s WASC accreditation team of
leaders where teachers were able to develop and take reigns of various actual tasks the school
was in need of, triumphant in the process with the close communication of the principal.
According to Principal B, this took the pressure off in an administrator point of view because the
teachers themselves were transformed to bring about change and be autonomous in the decision
making for the best outcome within the school. Principal C denoted that current principals and
administrators need to take a chance on their faculty to help sustain the school and create co-
leaders, able to be trustworthy, strong, and assured of various tasks and responsibilities. Doing
this would bring experienced results even, if at times, some decisions were not the best, as long
as it did not detrimentally hurt the school, this experience enables those candidates seeking
higher positions to have a sense of experience worthy of their time and makes the pool of
candidates for administration that more effective. Finally Principals D and E coincided with
granting opportunities for other members seeking principal positions but ultimately it begins with
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them as strong servant leaders capable of involving others and to lead future schools, including
their own. All of the principals who did participate were informed that their responses were to
remain confidential and anonymous including names of specific islands within the Hawaiian
chain due to limited number of Catholic schools within the small island.
The survey included the demographic information and 54-likert scale statements asking
principals to rate each statement on a 1 to 7 scale with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 7 being
“strongly agree.” The Superintendent of Catholic Schools in Honolulu emailed the survey to all
26 Catholic K-12 school principals on behalf of the researcher. From there an interview of four
questions was composed including follow-up questions to probe for further clarification.
Quantitative data was analyzed using Qualtrics while qualitative data was examined for specific
themes that may be related to the four research questions guiding this study.
Findings
Research question one asked, “What role does the elementary, middle, and high school
principal display to stimulate leadership practices amongst faculty and staff?” Stimulating
leadership is imperative in establishing a strong succession line within the school system. It is
what helps mold and create sustainable and viable leaders. All principals felt they did something
to help mold and provide leadership opportunities for those they saw fit within their school but
some did more than others. Principal C indicated that the vision he had was to focus on those
that went far and beyond their duties to be committed to the school, students and the community.
He also invited those strong potential leaders to collaborate and bring input to important
decision-making opportunities, to be able to gauge new ways, propel ideas, or even have those
individuals be part of an important process. By engaging such individuals, he felt there was a
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strong sense of constructing together a sturdier school and elevating others to have buy-in into
the school’s mission and vision.
Principal A added that the Archdiocese of Honolulu and the Superintendent naturally
helped in establishing the role to create more leadership practices amongst its teachers and
faculty. Principal A added that Chaminade University does a lot to stimulate growth and create
programs for aspiring administrators. It was also indicated by Principal A that it is not up to the
school to completely create such opportunities and that the Diocese already does a lot with such
viable programs that carve out more rigor and establish stronger opportunities. However,
Principal A demonstrated that it is up to each individual school to focus on what is up and
coming with changing educational practices, technology and science; younger individuals keep it
fresh and it is imperative to have someone on the team to help facilitate and bring vibrancy to the
school for long-lasting effects.
The second question asked, “What are the most commonly used practices of leadership
skills that promote school collaboration amongst faculty and staff?” Interview responses
indicated that all principals did something unique to help promote school collaboration amongst
faculty and staff including creating departmental leaders to help promote academic rigor
throughout the school. Principal B described what was truly beneficial in her school was to have
professional learning communities within her school (PLCs). What this did was to improve
skills within learning communities and engage teachers to have dialogue, create reports, and
establish a strong focus on everything they do as educators that is particularly different in their
school. Service opportunities were yet other ways in which principal B felt the school embodies
collaboration to create ways that are unique to a Catholic institution and sets them apart from
others.
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Principal C established that having teachers who demonstrated strong leadership
capabilities sat on principal’s council, a team that helped form decisions on the everyday
dealings of the school. This team would meet on a monthly basis and would even help in the
hiring process in the late spring or early summer to help narrow down the candidate(s) that
would be welcomed into the school. Principal C felt that by horizontally delegating he would
help establish a strong foundation and allow teachers to have a stake hold in the decision-making
process for the school. Principal C described that if it was not for previous principals helping to
think administratively and focus on the school’s future dealings, he would not have been able to
be a strong principal today. Principal C never thought of how important being a leader was for
setting standards for the school in the long-run and how impacting it was to have a strong
principal.
The third research question asked, “What current practices used by principals promote
leadership skills to encourage leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable
principals?” All principals felt that sustainability was an integral part of the leadership process
at each school; however most principals were honest to mention they seldom think about the
process and its actual long-term effects that would help focus strategies and create shared value
towards achieving sustainable leaders. Responsibility ultimately lies on current administrational
processes that would in the end affect the long-term operations of the school. Principal A
discussed those priorities in the school re-focused on students coming first and to providing a
structured and sound curriculum for the school. Paying close attention to leadership succession
should be a priority but it is ultimately not very well thought of to create strong improvement
plans to include succession plans. Principal A did state that in the effent of transitioning out as
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administrator, there would be leadership impulses that would be determined by the Diocese and
the Superintendent.
Principal B indicated that with it being an already very complex world, it is unfortunate
that the process of succession really does not begin with the current principal. Principal B added
that it is imperative to actually implement a plan of action for such an accomplishment as schools
who are privileged and involve a large number of members on staff and as alumni want to
guarantee the type of education and practices in a school, it should be no different at a smaller
scale. Sustainability for effective leaders begins with networking and creating a pool of sturdy
resources that are valid and supportive for filling the needs of new leaders. However, given that
it is the Hawaiian islands, these resources are somewhat limited, many do not want to gamble on
the restricted amount of school opportunities there are on the islands and looking from within it
is the only resource schools have to create strong leaders; there needs to be more however.
Schools are obliged to promote leadership positions when the time is needed for them to
be filled naturally. Principals interviewed want to be able to create an ideal leadership
succession plan but there is failure to do so as a governing board if any, the Archdiocese and or
Superintendent that guides the system, dictates the organization and fills positions. The schools
do their best to mold and create future leaders from within and in the process many go on to
become great principals but working on these goals must be put forth to create a strong legacy
that promotes Catholic schools, talented and dedicated to last and prioritize what is important.
Research question four asked, “What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst
Hawaiian school elementary, middle, and high school level principals?” The strongest
leadership style was that of being a servant leader, followed by a transformational and
instructional. Through the returned surveys, it was found that being a lifelong learner and being
70

service as the central issue of what principals do was important. Delegating to develop leaders
however might not completely be in a principal’s forethought but more so a way to lessen
pressures that come with administrative practices.
According to the surveys, principals monitoring leadership was not as strong as having a
vision for the future of the school. It was also important to note how this lowest averaged
question in the survey, dealing with monitoring leadership is directly related to being a
transformational leader and tends to contradict with having a vision for a school.
The third highest leadership style amongst Hawaiian Catholic K-12 principals was being
an instructional leader. The surveys demonstrated that being actively engaged in the
improvement of the school was important nonetheless, using actual student performance and
analyzing standardized tests that would help in the driving of instruction was not as strong in the
results of such surveys.
Through interviews, it was highly evident and not noted in the actual disbursed survey
that a spiritual leader was vital to maintaining the kind of school that embodies itself with
instilling religious and moral values upon its students and community. Principal A defined that
being a spiritual leader is vital and a principal should model that. Principal D described that
there were times in the past that the religious were the individuals who instilled these values and
love for God. As time passed by it is the current administrator, the principal who must take a
lead and continue to form and demonstrate such important values, which is what ultimately sets
Catholic schools apart from all other schools.
Limitations
Digital surveys were issued to 26 Hawaiian Catholic K-12 school principals with the help
of the Superintendent of Catholic Schools of Honolulu. The number of school principals in the
Honolulu Archdiocese is small with there only being 26 actual schools spanned across all of the
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archipelago. Twenty-six principals were issued surveys and 12 responded. Of those 12
responses, which was less than half of the sample size indicates that results were skewed. The
results of this study were reflective of the Archdiocese of Honolulu and may or may not be
applicable to the diocese across the country.
Recommendations for Future Research
There is a need for future research in the area of Hawaiian Catholic K-12 leadership
sustainability. The following suggestions are proposed for further research:
1. A greater participation pool would result in wider generalizable results. The study could
not expand due to the limited amount of schools in the state of Hawaii.
2. A deeper, in-depth look at how spiritual leadership in Hawaiian Catholic K-12 schools
provide achievement in leadership practices and how it affects faculty and staff, students,
and ultimately families.
3. A greater focus on Hawaiian and Catholic identity and the school’s ability to stand on
their own separate from the rest of the nation.
4. How diversity, leadership, and isolation from the rest of the country brings forth a variety
of systems that create a unique establishment of island leadership, unique to the rest of
the country, and beneficial to that of the Hawaiian Islands.
Conclusion
The majority of principals who were interviewed naturally support leadership
sustainability, while limited, they are committed to being servant, transformational, and
instructional leaders that bring in an aspect of spirituality, unique to their type of expertise given
their strong Catholic identity. All Principals interviewed were supportive in engaging others to
become leaders and promote conditions within their schools to help co-lead on making strong
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decisions in their schools. All principals provided their faculty with the necessary materials and
equipment for teachers to affect student achievement and make choices that directly impact the
school community including creating a school culture that is geared toward building leaders.
One of the foundational theories is to create a school that constructs relationships with teachers
that are collaborative and respectful toward networking and growing which includes delegating
tasks as a way to develop people who have leadership potential.
Although principals are actively involving themselves to help encourage and inspire new
leaders from within their ranks, no real implementation succession plans were noted by this
researcher in any of the schools identified. This study is a small contributing aspect that would
help in this innovative process to aid and promote more sustainable leadership to enable and
prosper the kind of complex and diverse Catholic schools Hawaii contains. Focusing on the
vision and mission of the school should also include a strong leadership succession program that
would carry along with it a long-lasting legacy that would help move Hawaiian Catholic schools
far into the future.

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References

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Appendix A: Principal Leadership Succession Survey

Gender: Male Female

Ethnicity: Hawaiian, African-American, Asian, Caucasian, Latino, Native-American
Other_____

Age: under 30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61+

Total Years as principal: ____________

Years at current school site: _____________

Total Years in education: ____________

Level of Degree: Bachelors Masters Doctorate

Additional degree’s or Credentials:______________

Type of school: parish diocesan private independent public

School size: under 150, 151-200, 201-250, 251-300, 301 or more

Catholic: Yes No

Member of a religious order: Yes No

Consider each statement in terms of your own leadership at your present school site.
Please Respond to each statement.

1 strongly disagree, 2 disagree, 3 somewhat disagree, 4 neither agree nor disagree,
5 somwhat agree, 6 agree, and 7 strongly agree

1) I provide leadership opportunities for my faculty and staff.
2) I provide necessary materials and equipment for teachers to affect student achievement.
3) I embody the mission of the school.
4) I have goals that relate leadership achievement.
5) I clearly articulate the goals to the faculty and staff in leadership positions.
6) I assist teachers in interpreting, monitoring and evaluating their leadership skills.
7) I create a school culture that is geared toward creating leaders.
8) I create a school culture that is supportive of leadership.
9) I maintain open and effective communication with staff members.

77

PRACTICES OF CATHOLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

10) I create a safe environment for students.
11) I build relationships with teachers that are collaborative and respectful through
networking.
12) I have strong moral beliefs.
13) I help my staff even if it involves personal sacrifice.
14) I stand up for the rights of people in need.
15) I assign power to others.
16) I delegate tasks as a way to develop people who have leadership potential.
17) I listen to what my staff has to say with respect.
18) I am compassionate.
19) I encourage my employees to be lifelong learners.
20) I believe service is at the core of what I do.
21) I believe “an organization can only be as effective as its members.”
22) I talk about my vision for the school in terms of the potential of my staff.
23) I have a vision for the future of the school.
24) I seek to develop the greatest good for the greatest number of people at my school.
25) I think enthusiastically about what needs to be accomplished.
26) Change is at the core of what I do.
27) I believe I inspire others into action.
28) I demonstrate beliefs that are consistent with my actions.
29) I lead with integrity.
30) I believe I tremendously impact the students and educators at my school.
31) I believe I positively impact my employees.
32) I maintain a strong Catholic identity in my school.
33) I feel adequately prepared to be a religious leader of my school.
34) I am actively engaged in the continued improvement of the school’s instructional
program.
35) I set and adhere to high performance standards for instruction.
36) I model desired behaviors.
37) I give priority to instructional time.
38) I engage in classroom observations (2 or more formal observations that are longer than
30 minutes).

PRACTICES OF CATHOLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPALS
39) I engage in weekly classroom walkthroughs (5 minutes or less).
40) I use student performance on standardized tests to develop goals and drive instruction.
41) I meet with teachers to discuss student progress and teacher effectiveness.

Short Answer
42) How do you create a culture of high expectations for all students?
43) How do you foster your school’s Catholic identity?

If you would be interested in participating in a 45-minute interview, please enter your name and
number.
78

Appendix B: Interview Questions and Protocol
Date: _________________________________________________________________
Time: _________________________________________________________________
Location: ______________________________________________________________
Interviewer: ___________________________________________________________
Interviewee: ___________________________________________________________
Release Signed? ________________________________________________________

Information for Interviewee:

Your participation in this study is much appreciated.. Your input will be recorded and
valued for this study and will help in this professional educational practice dealing with
leadership. The approximate length of the interview will be 30-45 minutes in which there will be
about 5 questions not including some follow up.

Purpose of Research:

The focus on this study is to add to the already sustained research in educational
leadership and management research practices. This study will look deeper at the different
educational perspectives in Hawaiian K-12 Catholic schools and how leadership is fostered
within such organizations. The Catholic school’s difference in educative instruction is unlike the
rest of the nation as there are cultural and administrative pressures to maintain and create a 21st
Century practice. The perspectives of these unique schools would allow a greater viewpoint of
structure and focus for schools trying to evolve, center, and connect not only students but
teachers allowing them to generate a greater array of leadership opportunities and to cultivate
leadership sustainability in Hawaiian schools. Therefore, this study will focus on principal
leadership traits and their fostering of future leadership succession in Hawaiian K-12 private
Catholic schools throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

Questions to Interviewee:
1. What role does the elementary, middle, and high school principal display to
stimulate leadership practices amongst faculty and staff?
a. Response from Interviewee:
b. Follow up questions to Interviewee:
c. Reflection by Interviewer:
2. What are the most commonly used practices that promote school collaboration
amongst faculty and staff?
a. Response from Interviewee:
79

b. Follow up questions to Interviewee:
c. Reflection by Interviewer:
3. What kind of current practices and concrete examples could you provide where
you promote leadership skills to encourage leadership amongst faculty and staff?
a. Response from Interviewee:
b. Follow up questions to Interviewee:
c. Reflection by Interviewer:
4. How would you characterize your leadership style?
a. Response from Interviewee:
b. Follow up questions to Interviewee:
c. Reflection by Interviewer:
5. If you decided to leave the school through retirement or change in position, how
do you view the change in leadership transition and the future for this school?
a. Response from Interviewee:
b. Follow up questions to Interviewee:
c. Reflection by Interviewer:
Closing:
• Thank the Interviewee
• Permission to follow-up
• Other information:

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to add to the already sustained research in educational leadership and management research practices. The study looks deeper at the different educational perspectives in Hawaiian K-12 Catholic schools and how leadership is fostered within such organizations. This study determined: (a) What role did the elementary, middle, and high school principal play to stimulate leadership practices amongst faculty and staff, (b) What were the most commonly used practices that promote school collaboration amongst faculty and staff, (c) What kind of current practices, to promote leadership skills are principals using to encourage leadership amongst faculty and staff to create future sustainable principals, and (d) What is the most prevalent leadership style amongst Hawaiian school elementary, middle and high school level principals? This study implemented a mixed-methods approach with 12 Hawaiian Catholic K-12 school principals completion of a survey, five of those surveyed participated in a structured interview. The study’s findings indicated that all principals did something unique to help promote school collaboration amongst faculty and staff including creating leadership positions to help promote academic rigor throughout the school and that distributed leadership was influential and wise in the implementation of new leaders. The study’s findings also indicated that by promoting and seeking leadership sustainability, which includes a strong Catholic identity, and promoting a kind of spiritual leadership is essential in determining which leaders take greater roles. The cultural significance unique to Hawaiian schools extends the greater outcome of leadership traits that bring about positive results and unique areas for growth that could be carried out in Hawaiian Catholic K-12 schools.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Solis, Miguel Alejandro (author)

Core Title An examination on educational management and the fostering of leadership sustainability in Hawaiian Catholic K-12 schools

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 08/01/2018

Defense Date 04/30/2018

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Catholic schools,Educational Leadership,educational management,Hawaii,K-12 schools,leadership,leadership skills,leadership styles,OAI-PMH Harvest,principals,succession,sustainability

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Castruita, Rudy (committee chair), Garcia, Pedro (committee member), Hinga, Brianna (committee member)

Creator Email mikesolis23@yahoo.com,msolis@shsmaui.org

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-45950

Unique identifier UC11670951

Identifier etd-SolisMigue-6589.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-45950 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-SolisMigue-6589.pdf

Dmrecord 45950

Document Type Dissertation

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Solis, Miguel Alejandro

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Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

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