Denise Matsumoto

Party: Nonpartisan

Age: 47

Job: Director of Children's Ministry, Island Family Christian Church.

Born in Springfield, OR. In Hawaii since 1983, arrived from Springfield, OR

Lives: Palolo Valley

Contact: 732-4496, dmofboe@aol.com

Job history past 10 years:
2000-2008: Kama'aina Kids Moanalua Preschool, Teacher. 1999-2000: Moanalua Community Church Preschool, Preschool Teacher. 1995-1999: Kaimuki Community Church Preschool, Preschool Teacher.

Ever run for public office? When? Outcome?
I am currently serving my 5th term on the Board of Education.

Other civic experience or community service:
I serve as Vice President on the Board of Directors for Hawaii Helps Multiple Sclerosis.

Anything else you'd like voters to know about you?
Married to husband Mitchell Matsumoto for 23 years. We have one daughter, Lacy who graduated from Moanalua High School in 2002.

1) Why are you running for office?
As a Board member, I have initiated and seen many policies implemented that have made a positive impact for our schools and libraries. I have the vision, knowledge and experience to know what it takes for all our students to succeed. I want to continue to work and see innovative ideas and programs that will make a difference for our schools, and most importantly, our students.

2) How should the DOE deal with budget cuts? Where should reductions occur?
We have to take a hard look at existing programs and ccut what isn't necessary for student programs and come up with creative ways for schools to choose assistance from the state and complex and eliminate those programs not really required by schools. We should apply a type of Weighted Student Formula at the state and complex level. Reductions must be made farthest away from the classroom.

3) How should the DOE modify its school funding formula to more fairly distribute money to schools?
The Weighted Student Formula can't be fair as long as there isn't enough money for the regular students. Everytime we have adjusted the weights for other students, we've had to take away from the base for regular students. More funding needs to be made available for the base before adding anything to any weights, either through redistribution of existing funds or additional allocations to the DOE.

4) How should a teacher drug-testing program be administered and funded?
It must be fair and administered through trained administrators, whether it is random testing or for reasonable cause. Any new programs must be adequatly funded through addition allocations, not taking away from the current budget. If there isn't enough revenue to fund all drug testing, a higher priority should be given to fund a reasonable cause testing program, including necessary training.

5) How many children do you have, and did they attend public or private school?
We have one daughter, Lacyann, and she attended Palolo Elementary, Hokulani Elementary, Jarrett Middle School and graduated from Moanalua High School in 2002.

6) What's the No. 1 initiative you would pursue in 2009?
Graduating all our secondary students fully equipped for college and/or training programs. I want us to adopt and fully implement a strategic plan for redesign of our high schools into high achieving schools that graduate all students. Providing all schools with the staff, professional development, rigorous course offerings, classroom resources, increased instruction opportunities for students.