Posted on: Friday, September 3, 2004

Shon chief of charter schools

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The state Board of Education last night selected former Democratic state Rep. Jim Shon as executive director of the state's charter schools.

Shon is associate director of the University of Hawai'i-Manoa-based Hawai'i Educational Policy Center and has been closely involved in educational issues.

Board chairman Breene Harimoto said Shon was informed by telephone of the decision. He was not present at last night's BOE meeting on Kaua'i. Harimoto said Shon was selected by the board from a list of nominees provided by charter schools.

He will replace interim director Steve Hirakami, who was named to the position when previous director Dewey Kim resigned June 14. Hirakami is the principal of the Hawai'i Academy of Arts and Sciences in Pahoa, Hawai'i, and former president of the Hawai'i Charter Schools Network.

Harimoto said Hirakami has agreed to stay on to help Shon with the transition.