HONOLULU — Waimea High School Principal Mahina Anguay wrote a letter to the state Board of Education in support of the BOE naming Waipahu High School Principal Keith Hayashi interim state Department of Education superintendent.
The matter was on the BOE meeting agenda last week, though Chairperson Catherine Payne said no decision will be made until two weeks from now.
“I have had the privilege of working with and learning from Mr. Hayashi for many years, and have always been impressed with his ability to not only see the current ‘big picture’ of education but to also see and clearly communicate his vision of what the future ‘big picture’ could be for Hawai‘i public schools, students, families, faculty and staff,” Anguay wrote.
Hayashi has a wealth of knowledge of Hawai‘i’s public education system via his work over the years as a teacher, resource teacher and school/complex and state-level administrator, Anguay said.
“He has an excellent understanding of post-HS opportunities through his work with the UH system, WorkForce Development, Chamber of Commerce and other business and community organizations,” Anguay said.
“Under his leadership, Waipahu High School has received numerous national awards and recognition, and he helped to establish and organize our Hawai‘i Academies consortium of local high schools seeking to re-think our students’ high-school experience.”
Anguay said Hayashi knows what schools and complexes need to help students succeed, and has built strong relationships with his peers across the state to ensure this happens.
Readying for next year
Meanwhile, outgoing DOE Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto presented the DOE plans for opening schools in the 2021-22 school year.
Kishimoto covered distance-learning options, the process for implementing updated guidance from state Department of Health, status of board metrics on health and safety that include personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, social distance and classroom ventilation.
She also covered the DOE’s plans to support schools to address requirements on board metrics on health and safety.
BOE board member Margaret Cox of Kaua‘i, after hearing testimonies of parents against their children wearing masks, asked Kishimoto where the DOE stands with students wearing masks outside during recess or playing sports.
“We review the guidance, including what happens when your outside,” Kishimoto said. “Each county is working through it as well. How many can be gathered together in order to be together without a mask also is considered. We want consistency in the guidance. We’ll have further guidance in the next few weeks.”
As far as distance learning devices, Kishimoto confirmed that the DOE will continue to provide devices for the next school year. However, Kishimoto said the next conversation should be on the replacement of devices and how they will find the funds for those.
“Otherwise we may find ourselves short and also taking into consideration the timeline for purchasing and receiving those. An important question for the board: Do we want to say that when you’re in a public-education system, a device like formally a textbook will be provided, and does the board need to advocate for that funding or allocate funding and put a full, multi-year, refresher program in place so that we’re ready to do so?”
Kishimoto concluded, “I think that is an important equity-of-access policy question for the board to think about as the next step as we get beyond the crisis, beyond next year.”
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Stephanie Shinno, education and business reporter, can be reached at 245-0424 or sshinno@thegardenisland.com.
