By Danny Diaz
On Saturday night over 100 members of the Saugus community honored Bill Bolde, former principal of Saugus High School, at a retirement celebration.
Bolde has been with the William S. Hart Union School District for 37 years. He started out at Canyon High School as an athletic equipment manager where he worked up to the position of assistant coach for the Canyon Baseball team. Bolde, however, went on to pursuing business management in the construction field but returned to Canyon when he realized he missed having the opportunities to influence student athletes.
Later, Bolde went back to school to finish his teaching credential and started substitute teaching at Canyon. He moved onto a long-term substitute teaching opportunity at Saugus and went back to Canyon to be an assistant principal. Bolde, a determined person, wanted to advance and applied for the position of principal at West Ranch and Golden Valley. However he did not receive any of those positions but he was offered the position of principal at Saugus High School instead.
Saugus High School welcomed Principal Bolde with open arms in 2003 and Saugus became Bolde’s home for the next 14 years.
The retirement celebration symbolized Bill Bolde’s relationship with Saugus and the Hart District. Individuals including Head Counselor Marty Fricke, past Saugus graduates, elected officials, and more were among some of the dignitaries featured at his ceremony. The festivities also included performances by Saugus’s band, choir, cheer, dance team and theater programs.
The event was a moment to reflect on all that Bolde has done for Saugus as well as the community.
“To show you how much he really does care about the students, every year in the fall, he and Jody and Faith put together a care package—a care package for all the graduating students who are going away from school for the first time” said Steve Youlios, Jersey Mike’s manager that often donates time and food to Saugus High School.
Although Bill Bolde is now retired, he plans on keeping involved in Saugus activities and events as well as spending more time with family and constantly learning new things in life.
