In his first meeting as the new chair of the state Board of Education, Warren Haruki said Monday that he believes the board is poised to bring about significant progress at the islands’ public schools, and urged strong leadership and changes so that more graduates can stay in Hawaii.

Haruki was speaking publicly as BOE chair for the first time after a controversial shake-up in June by Gov. Josh Green to replace then-chair Bruce Voss.

He indicated a commitment to carry out the board’s new six-year strategic plan for Hawaii’s 258 regular public schools. The plan was created under Voss’ leadership over the past year, and stresses three priorities: “high quality learning for all,” “high quality educator workforce in all schools” and “effective and efficient operations at all levels.”

Haruki, who spoke in a subdued tone near the start of a special meeting in the boardroom of the Queen Lili­uokalani Building in Honolulu, said to board members that he is “looking forward to working with each of you as we tackle this incredible responsibility, our kuleana to our students.”

“The strategic plan and implementation plan are done by the prior board. But now for us the tough work is right upon us. And the results that we achieve can be very, very impactful,” Haruki said.

“Our collective efforts will have a significant long-term effect or impact on our students, their future and, really, our state’s future by providing them with the knowledge and experiences so they’re able to live here and to make this beloved state their home, to then have them raise future generations of children while always preserving and perpetuating our very rich culture — (these) are very important cornerstones of our kuleana. So let’s all work together to strive for these goals.”

Haruki — who has been chair since July 1 but has not responded to Honolulu Star-Advertiser requests for an interview — said later in the meeting that the board intends to have state schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi report at each general meeting on progress on the three priorities of the strategic plan.

The BOE sets policy for Hawaii’s statewide public school system, which includes 156,500 students and nearly 40,000 full- and part-time employees, and works under an operating budget of $2.6 billion and a capital improvement budget of $576 million. The board also supervises the Hawaii state librarian, who heads the state’s 51 library branches, and the Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission, which oversees 37 public charter schools statewide.

Only one public testifier addressed the abrupt change in board leadership. “I say shibai,” Susan Pcola-Davis said to Haruki in testimony. “You have about six months before the Legislature comes back into session to confirm your appointment. The public is paying attention.”

Monday also was the first meeting for new board member Kahele Dukelow, who is dean of arts and sciences at the University of Hawaii’s Maui College. Haruki, Dukelow and Shanty Asher of Honolulu, a continuing BOE member, were named by Green in a new round of BOE members considered interim appointees pending legislative approval in the next session in 2024.

The board also unanimously approved Haruki’s proposal for leadership of the board’s committees. Their leaders will be:

>> Student Achievement Committee: Chair Bill Arakaki, Vice Chair Lauren Moriarty.

>> Finance and Infrastructure Committee: Chair Ken Kuraya, vice chair to be determined.

>> Human Resources Committee: Chair Asher, Vice Chair Makana McClellan.

>> Commission Outcomes Committee (for the commission overseeing the state’s charter schools): Chair Kaimana Barcarse, vice chair to be determined.