[ BOARD OF EDUCATION ]
4
Central
Grace Turner Dixon
Age: 74 Job: N/A Past: Boards, Protection and Advocacy Agency, Friends of Wahiawa Library
What qualifies you to be on the Board of Education?
My life experiences and my education and my determination to be pro-active.
What is the greatest problem facing Hawaii schools and how would you fix it?
There should be a professional teacher and quality curriculum in every classroom. I would visit every school in my district.
How can the board help improve standardized math and reading test scores for Hawaii students?
As a board member, I would push for sufficient support from the governor and the Legislature to support the DOE to meet their mandate. Again, I will be pro-active.
Oliver Lunasco
Age: 60 Job: Foster parent Past: Ex-state representative; ex-member, North Shore Neighborhood BoardWhat qualifies you to be on the Board of Education?
As a former member of the Legislature, I have the experience and background. While a member of the legislature, I served as chairman of the Education committee, worked closely with the DOE, BOE, PTA and concerned citizens. My concern is if we have a problem, fix it ...
What is the greatest problem facing Hawaii schools and how would you fix it?
Our greatest problem facing our schools today is that we are allowing our schools or district to do their own thing. We don't have a standardized system and from what I've seen, we are wasting a lot of monies doing nothing. ...
How can the board help improve standardized math and reading test scores for Hawaii students?
Most of us older parents learned to read and do math under the old system. Trying to help our kids now is a problem. My foster daughter has a problem if she doesn't have her five-finger calculator. 1+1=2 and I don't have to drive around the island to know that. Of course, I was educated under the old system.
Shirley Ann Robinson
Age: 51 Job: Former bank employee Past: Aiea Neighborhood Board; Ex-officer, Hawaii Democratic PartyWhat qualifies you to be on the Board of Education?
I am a 22-year resident of Hawaii and have educated two children in Hawaii's private and public schools. I have contributed actively in our community as a leader, volunteer and political candidate. I can bring people together for common causes and I am ready to do more.
What is the greatest problem facing Hawaii schools and how would you fix it?
Getting agreement among our leaders, educators and citizens as to what the major problems with our school system are and creating a strategic plan that all can adopt and support.
How can the board help improve standardized math and reading test scores for Hawaii students?
By creating a forum that promotes supporting our local educators in creating realistic goals and adopting tried and proven benchmark solutions for implementation in Hawaii's public school system.
