New faces are in the running for three district seats on the Board of Education.

On Nov. 2, incumbent John Penebacker will go head to head with newcomer Valzey Freitas, a program coordinator with nonprofit Parents and Children Together, for the Windward Oahu seat.

Meanwhile, there are no incumbents for the Maui and Leeward Oahu seats.

Facing off for the open Maui seat are retired public school teacher Ray Hart and Leona Rocha-Wilson, an entrepreneur and longtime education advocate. Maui member Mary Cochran, first elected in 2002, did not seek re-election and made an unsuccessful run for Maui County Council this year.

Three candidates are running in a winner-take-all special election for the Leeward Oahu seat vacated by Breene Harimoto, who was elected to the City Council on Sept. 18. They are:

» James Arola, 42, a disaster recovery coordinator for Central Pacific Bank and active parent volunteer at his children’s schools. One of his children attends private school, and one attends public school.

Arola said if elected, his first order of business would be taking a critical eye to the Department of Education’s budget.

"Knowing where the moneys are spent, to me, is a big thing," he said. "We have to start somewhere."

» Maralyn Kurshals, 61, a quality assurance specialist at Leeward Family Guidance Center.

Kurshals said both of her adult children attended public schools and that she has been helping families and children for more than 30 years through her work with nonprofits and volunteer groups.

Kurshals, who was also briefly a substitute teacher, said she supports an independent audit of the department to pinpoint where education dollars are going.

"I don’t think we should spend a lot" on an audit, she said. "At the same time we need to take a careful examination of where the moneys are being appropriated. Why is it that teachers still have to buy their own supplies and equipment?"

» David O’Neal, 43, is self-employed in e-commerce, and his wife is a public school teacher. Two of his children attend public school, and the third goes to Kamehameha Schools.

O’Neal, who has been active in his children’s schools, said he also believes board members and the public deserve to get a better understanding of where funding is going. "I’d like to look at the budget myself," he said. He added, if elected, he would try to work closely with legislators and schools, and help support reforms under way.

IN THE WINDWARD Oahu race, incumbent Penebacker, former special assistant to the state librarian, is running to hold onto his seat. Penebacker has served on the board since 2006, and previously from 1980 to 1988.

The 64-year-old said the department is on the path toward improvement, with planned reforms for struggling schools. But he added that he supports a comprehensive audit and would like to see more emphasis on technology, standards-based instruction and help for at-risk kids.

Penebacker said his children attended public schools and now his grandchildren do.

Freitas, 35, Parents and Children Together program coordinator, said she is running because she believes the board needs a parent voice. She has two teens in public school and also has teaching experience.

"We have a lot of smart people on the board but no one there who really just wants to be a parent," she said.

Freitas added that teacher furloughs last school year highlighted the need for more parent involvement. Furloughs "just sort of illustrated that we didn’t have our students and families first when we were making those choices," she said.

Freitas also said that, like her opponent, she supports an independent audit. "Our families would benefit from knowing where and how the resources are utilized," she said.

ON MAUI, BOTH candidates said the education system needs some major work.

Hart, 68, the retired public school teacher, said the board should have an educator’s voice.

"There needs to be a teacher on the board," he said, adding that members should also do a better job of building relationships with schools. "I think they need to broaden their perspective."

Hart taught for 40 years before retiring, and has long been active in the community, serving on the South Maui Learning Ohana and the Special Education Advisory Council.

Rocha-Wilson, 73, said she is running to improve student achievement. One of her major concerns is the high school dropout rate.

She said one way to help students is to bolster the department’s vocational track.

"The kids that are dropping out of school are not stupid," she said. "We need to address the curriculum. We need a two-path system. We need the path for college. We need the path for vocational studies."

Rocha-Wilson, a retired entrepreneur, also has long been active in education on Maui. She and her husband fund scholarships through the William P. and Leona Rocha-Wilson Foundation. She has also served on the Hawaii Community Foundation advisory council and other boards.