A new principal has been hired for Waimea Middle School to replace the one whose departure was abruptly announced in February, setting off a firestorm of protest from community members.

Matt Horne, who most recently was a school improvement administrator for Ontario High School in Oregon, steps into his new job at the public charter school on Hawaii island July 1.

Ho‘okako‘o Corp., the local school board for Waimea Middle and two other public charters, caught the community off-guard in February when it announced Principal John Colson’s departure, without explanation. It later said Colson had resigned.

Parents came out in force to protest, saying Ho‘okako‘o had not provided any reason for Colson’s departure and that the school was losing a strong advocate. Ho‘okako‘o confirmed Colson had not done anything morally or ethically wrong.

Colson is chairman of the Charter School Review Panel. He was appointed to the body in July 2011.

Megan McCorriston, executive director of Ho‘okako‘o, said in a news release that Horne has experience in boosting student achievement and will "allow WMS to meet its potential to become a community school of choice."

Two selection committees that included Waimea Middle faculty and members of the community identified Horne as the leading candidate.

Horne said, "The thing that impresses me most about Waimea is the overwhelming community interest in the middle school and doing what’s best for kids. I’m really excited to work with that energy."