I'm excited about the opportunities to set clear strategic vision and direction to make sure that we have easily accessible data to understand not only our progress but also our challenges. the opportunity to build up a strong board structure that maximizes our ability to advise to direct and provide recommendations to EOLE on how to improve not just qual quality but availability and coordination of programs. These are all exciting opportunities in the next three years and I look forward to how to work with EEL on the training that will help not only their staff succeed but help our board be effective. In the 12 years I have been in Hawaii, I have learned invaluable skills or invaluable lessons about myself, this place, and what it means to work alongside communities and other stakeholders. And should you choose to recommend me, I will bring that same passion for learning, for equity to this work along with an open mind to diverse perspectives, experiences, and context, and an orientation to possibility and curiosity.
So, thank you again for your consideration. Thank you, Stephanie. Members, any questions? Senator Richards, thank you. Uh, thank you for agreeing to step up. Couple of questions. You said Kiki, so why may uh all over they have programs all over. So, the my daughter attended the program in Kaneoh. Okay. And they just opened a Kyua campus and that's the one my son and I go to on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I think they have one. They do. Yeah. And in Pearl City, we'll be at their Pearl City campus tomorrow learning about the water system. And then I saw you listed Mahina. She's my friend. So, um question now. Um, you've heard some of the the comments that were made in previous candidate geographical concerns, but also something that Senator Kim brought up concerning family structure and regional, I guess I'd call it regional family structure versus being spread out because of jobs or whatever the case may be.
What are your thoughts on all of that? So for one of the things I've appreciated that the the preceding board has implemented, it seems like they've made a lot of space for voice. Whether that's multiple opportunities for public input within the same meeting agenda or making sure that they're always asking the question of whose voices haven't been represented here and how can we incorporate those voices. I think that's something that is an opportunity for the new board to continue to explore. How are we making sure that not just our perspectives or the perspectives of the folks leading organizations are included, but also how are we getting out into communities where we represent in order to hear what's happening on the ground, what's happening in classrooms, what's happening for families, so that all of that can inform our decision-m. Um, and then to your question about family structure, you know, my we have been fortunate enough that we've been able to sort of cobble together different types of child care.
My daughter was born at the height of lockdown. Um, we didn't make it to the hospital in time for her to be born because we were so worried about the restrictions about who could and couldn't be in the room that she ended up being born in our shower, thankfully without any complication. Um, and so, and that's a story for another time, I'm sure. Um, but we've been privileged that I was able to step back from from work when it was too much having two children under the age of two. That I can attend these programs with my children that, you know, we could work from home and work remotely, that we have somewhat of a support system. But I know that that experience isn't true for all of the families here. And I think what's important for the early learning board and EOLE to consider is how do we make sure that not having those privileges is a barrier to quality education.
How do we make sure that every child regardless of where they live at least has access to quality learning or early learning opportunities? And if we can hold that central, I think it can help us to look beyond not just the education system, but what are the other things that need to be in place to support families to be able to make those choices. Okay. Um, and I'm agreeing with you. One of one of the premises that I've had concerns is that we all work so many different jobs that we lose the family structure and we backfill it by having early childhood care etc. shortterm we're okay, but I worry about the long term because I don't have that family structure. And something Kurt um Senator Favlla was talking about having those support structures because, you know, um teen suicide and all those demographics that maybe were missing.
And I think if we can get a good crack at it early on, maybe we can solve some of that. So, I appreciate you willing to do it. I have nine-year-old twins, so I get it. I get the part about being tired. And I will say I have been so grateful for programs like Kikioina and the work happening at Papahan Kuola where I can go with my children. We can learn together and I can build relationships with other parents that are kind of in it with me as our our kids are going through similar stages. Um so I think those types of programs in the ecosystem alongside public preschool and other things are just invaluable. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you chair. I want to uh build on what he said um on the long term because as serving on this board early learning you tend to only focus in on the early learning aspect of it.
But that's just the beginning of the journey that they take and that's the foundation. And uh it concerns me that I have not seen as much demand as I have recently uh last so many years and not only with CO but before CO the need for mental health therapists, the need for mental health services and it makes me stop and pause and and ponder what might be causing that in our young people. I think some of it is being more aware, but the other is there seems to be a lot of pressure on our our our young people to start them early in school, get early learning, and then when they get into school, you know, the competition, and then um declaring what your pathway is going to be, and then early college, uh stressing me out right now. Yeah. Early college, and you're not even through with high school, and you're thinking about getting credits because you want to be ahead of everybody else.
So, you don't enjoy your college life. You don't enjoy the sports and the elected electives. And I know I I was on the yearbook staff and stuff like that and on the pep squad and because everyone's pressuring them out that they have so many credits so they have their associate degree by the time they graduate from high school that the pressure on some of these kids and I've had them work for me in my office and they're bright and they're quick but there's some issues that they they have and they have to go see a therapist. So, I hope that that's something that and that's why I speak on balance because we really need that. I mean, the push for everybody to to get through and these kids see the other kids do it and they want they don't want to be left behind and some of them are can handle it, but others can't, right?
So, um that's something I hope that you consider. Um, I have one child, he's obviously 34 now, but I know how difficult it is and with two and that young age that you have, um, I'm wondering as far as time, do you have the time to put in to service and you not um, short change your children because of your service to to to government? Yeah, that's a great question. I appreciate you asking it. Um, I'm very fortunate that we have a strong family structure here. You know, my dad looks forward to his grandpa days on Monday and Wednesday with my son. Um, my daughter is in preschool right now. And so, when we made that decision as a family for her to start preschool is because we could see that she was looking for more social experiences. She was so advanced in terms of her language skills that I knew I was doing a disservice to her to kind of keep her home with me all day.
Um, so that was a really long conversation we had. I cried a lot. We dropped her off. Um, and she's thriving there. And I know I look at my son and I know he will do the same this fall, but I know that's not true for all students and for all young people. Um, my son will be there in the fall and so that opens up a lot of time on on my plate. I I also resigned from my sort of full-time professional career last May because I wanted to be more intentional about how I spent my time. I carved out a section, a chunk of time that would be for things that I care about, that I'm passionate about, that I can see will have impact. Um, this is one of those things. So, I've done the equations to figure out, you know, what is it my children will need for me?
How can I be the parent that I want to be for them and be present to the things that I care about? So, we've we've talked about it as a because as they say, if you want something done, give it to a busy woman, too. But luckily, yes. But luckily I had a good system um support system my mom and dad and and so I went to work you know knowing that they were he he was well taken care of and that allowed me to serve as well. So congratulations to you for helping that. Questions about I get I get questions. I get questions. I love hear you say my question is do we have carryovers for this early learning board after the term over? No, I think Oh shucks. We better put that in then anyway cuz 2027 is too too too short. Um but what what what I seen over here of course you're not going to catch my eye cuz I'm a graduate of James Campbell High School.
So I want to ask you the question. So you was at James Campbell High School um and you was working with the human services academy advisory board. Mhm. So how was that? How was that with because I know we're doing all of thesemies and stuff like that. So what what what year was that? And how how was it for you? Oh gosh, you're asking me to remember years. Um it was pre-children. So it was BC before children. Um I'm going to say it was in 20 18 or 2019. It was when um Lord Ryan Lazardo was just starting it up. I'm not sure if you're familiar with him. He's he's at Chamber of Commerce now. Was um a teacher at Campbell High School for a long time. He was a returning alum who returned to the school to teach and he was the one who helped start the academy program.
Um, my experience with that was they did an incredible job bringing in community members and finding the right community members to dig into different questions about the types of curricular approaches and policies at their school that would help move it forward. I was there for the very beginning stages of it, so I haven't seen how it's come to fruition since then. Um, but at the time it felt like they were asking the right questions, bringing in the right people, and trying to just be really curious and innovative in what they did. Yeah. Cuz I was working at Campbell at that time when they first started the academy. My custodian, I was the bathroom by the cafeteria. That was my area. Just listening to what you give. The reason why I say this chair is is that being for Campbell. No, no, no more Campbell. Sorry, Sabers.
Anyway, the the the bottom line is that what what you guys are bringing with the previous person and yourself is not the knowledge, not only the knowledge that you have as being a parent, but knowing the value of having that and how you know that get other kids and other families out there that don't have what you have cuz sometimes the disconnect is that what you mean? What you mean your kid cannot do this? my kid doing see what I heard from both of you guys. you guys connect to that and that's what we need really need in Ernie Learning because it's hard when you get teachers or people try to push policies and procedures that don't connect with the families and the kids because that's the problem you know and then ex exactly what Senator Richard said you know my concern is deeply and I'm going to share this again is our youth's suicide you yeah during co in my district.
I'm not going to say my district, but my district that falls into a big district area. I'm not going to say where we lost three teenagers, not more than 17 years old by suicide during COVID. And we want to do everything that we can to address these things. Again, I think early learning, what you guys are sharing with the chair and the rest of the committee, I think we're on a on a on a great path, but we can do more as uh chair said to to really recognize the the need for mental health in in the early learning stages so that they can be productive uh citizens. So, thank you for your service. Appreciate you. Okay. I don't mean to cut anybody off, but one of our members have to plane. So, we're going to depart from the norm and uh vote on the first two because he doesn't want to miss all four votes.
So, uh just remember we're doing this for appreciate members consideration. So, I'm just going to go right into decision- making on the first two GMs for the early learning uh board uh for GM589 um for the confirmation of Sum Gandhi. The recommendation is to advise and consent.
Any discussion members? Hearing none. The chair votes I. Chair votes I. Senator Hashimoto I. Senator Favlla. Yeah. I and I vote I. Chair, you have four in favor. Motion is adopted. And for GM590, this is for the consideration confirmation for Stephanie Shipton. Uh the recommendation is to advise and consent and chair votes. The motion is to advise and consent. Chair votes I. Senator Hashimoto I. Senator Richards votes I. Senator Favlla I. Chair you have four in favor. Motion is adopted. So we're going to go on to GM522. And I know that Senator Hashimoto would would love to stay but because of other commitments he has to leave. Uh so that's nothing against the two nominees that are coming up. Okay. Uh with that we are on GM522 submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Hawaii Teachers Standard Boards Guban Gubanatorial nominee Deo Matsugura for a term to expire 6:30 2026 and testifying is Osatoule from HSTA.
Anybody here testifying in person? Seeing none, uh let's see. We have testimony written from Sean Sha Wong and from Susan Roco, both in support, uh principal of Roosevelt High School, Shawn Wong. So, anyone else wishing to testify on this nominee? If not, uh Dale, if you to come forward, okay, you're welcome to give opening remarks about yourself and why you want to serve. Thank you very much. Um, good afternoon, Vice Chair Kim and members of the education committee. My name is Dale Masura and I'm a student services coordinator at Roosevelt High School. Um, I've been in the DOE for over 23 years um between Kana Nakoa and Roosevelt High School. I served as a special education um reading and science teacher and then a curriculum coordinator and then now finally in my role as a student services coordinator. Um I have three children in the DOE system.
Um a a second grader at Monoa Elementary, a middle schooler at Stevenson Middle, and um my son attends Roosevelt with me. And so, um, I'm glad to answer any questions. How is that having a child at the school? Um, I see it on TV a lot. Uh, I think that's more a question for him. But it's good for me. It's like they ask me how is it having your son here in the same building with you. It's different. Okay. Members, questions. Just just get one question. depending of what they say I might come. But anyway, what I like to see that you know that um you know especially with your special education background um what what do you think the challenges are as a special education teacher now um as um in the previous past. Reason why I say that is because I I know when I was going to school the special education um system was different.
The kids had classes that they would be in all day and then you had a homebased teacher. You had a uh special education coordinator that overseeing all the teachers. Now it's inclusion, you know. Can can you share your experience on the inclusion and how you know it differs than than going um like before? Um so I believe that the inclusion I'm an advocate of um inclusive education to the um greatest extent possible and that um allows the students an opportunity to get rigorous instruction um as best they can alongside their peers. Um I this is you know this push um in Hawaii is somewhat more recent. Um and I know schools at Roosevelt we do offer um a lot of inclusion classes uh as compared to many other areas we um I and I do think in the high school you just have more funding you have more student body um size so that you have the opportunity to do that in the high school setting.