Statewide School Board - Board of Education

FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Aina Haina Elementary School third-graders Jianna Baron and Jeremy Giangarra write answers on their white boards as teacher Gail Yap poses a math problem. Elected members of the state Board of Education help set policy for the public schools that impact youngsters’ learning in the classrooms.

One of the three at-large seats that are up for grabs is uncontested, and one member is stepping down

There will be at least one new face in the 14-member state Board of Education next year.

Former U.S. Rep. Cec Heftel, who came to the school board in 2004, has not filed for re-election, leaving one of three Oahu at-large seats that are up for grabs uncontested.

Heftel, 83, could not be reached for comment, but school board members said his health has been worsening and noted he has missed several meetings this year.

Five other school board incumbents will try to fend off challenges from 13 candidates in the Sept. 20 primary. Leeward member Breene Harimoto will have a free ride to another four-year term because he is unopposed.

Members hoping to hold onto their seats include Herbert Watanabe, who represents the Big Island, Maggie Cox of Kauai, Denise Matsumoto of Honolulu and at-large members Lei Isa and Garrett Toguchi.

Among the contenders for the three at-large posts are Randall Yee, a past school board chairman who served from 2002-2006, as well as former state legislator Terrance Tom, who made an unsuccessful run for the school board in 2006.

Watanabe, a former school principal and vice principal, will face Paul Bryant, a writer and farmer, William “Bill” Sanborn, a self-employed property manager, and Patrick Walsh, a therapeutic foster parent who says teachers are overwhelmed with students’ behavioral issues.

“We have to make the classrooms more conducive to learning,” Walsh said. “If we introduce more discipline, more control, more resources into the classrooms, we will engage our students a lot more.”

The Kauai seat will be decided between Cox, a former school principal, and Lawrence Fillhart, a carpenter. Meanwhile, Matsumoto, who has been on the school board for two decades, will compete against math tutor Malcolm Kirkpatrick and former teacher Carol Mon Lee.

The school board, which includes one student representative, oversees the state Department of Education and sets policy for Hawaii’s 283 public schools. Some of the issues before the board this year have included consolidation or closure of schools with declining enrollment and adjustments to the so-called Weighted Student Formula, which allocates money to schools based on student needs.

Ways to help students meet escalating testing goals set under the No Child Left Behind law is another key topic, especially since a record number of schools are being restructured this academic year for failing to hit federal progress benchmarks.