Last week’s William S. Hart Union High School District governing board meeting saw teachers, administrators and classified employees from across the district be honored in a retirement ceremony.
The district also honored Oluwadara Falodun, a senior at Golden Valley High School and the student board member for the past year, as well as College of the Canyons Chancellor Dianne Van Hook and Santa Clarita Community College District trustee Joan MacGregor for their longtime service to the community.
Retirement ceremony
A total of 26 teachers, one principal and a district administrator were honored for their service to the district.
Collyn Nielsen, assistant superintendent of human resources, said in a prepared statement that these people have helped to “shape the fabric of our school district.”
“Today we gather not only to express our deepest gratitude, but also bid farewell to these extraordinary professionals who have become an integral part of our family,” Nielsen said. “To our retirees, please know that your incredible contributions have left a permanent mark on the hearts and minds of all those you have touched. You have shaped the future, inspired greatness and transformed countless lives.”
The longest-serving teacher who is set to retire is Dan Cota, who spent 35 years with the district, including 34 of them as a physical education teacher at Placerita Canyon Junior High. He said the best part of teaching is interacting with the students and creating relationships.
“I had one of my ex-students come up to me today, he’s living in North Carolina and he is now training USA weightlifters. And he came up, just wanted to congratulate me on my retirement,” Cota said. “What he does now, he trains American weightlifters, it all started in the Placerita weight room 22 years ago. So, just the relationships you have with these kids, it’s great. I just loved every minute of it. And I’ve been blessed.”
John Minkus, president of the Hart District Teachers Association, thanked all of the employees for their contributions. He made sure to also thank Kathy Hunter, who is set to retire from her position as assistant superintendent of student services, safety and wellness after 25 years with the district.
“I’ve known you since our first days at Valencia, and you’ve just been a great partner in education and a friend, so thank you,” Minkus said. “Next, I want to express our appreciation to all the retirees who have contributed their time, knowledge and passion to our school community. Your legacy will always remain a part of the fabric of the Hart district.”
Mia Reed, president of California School Employees Association Chapter 349, which represents classified employees in the district, congratulated the retirees and thanked them for their service. A total of 21 classified employees are set to retire at the end of the school year.
“I’d also like to extend a congratulations to all the 2024 retirees for their service to our students,” Reed said. “Because of them, we have made every student opportunity ready.”
Governing board President Linda Storli taught in the district for 30 years before taking up a role on the board following her retirement. She said it was amazing to see teachers move on who have been with the district for such a long time.
“I was with the teaching part of this for 30 years, and now it’s almost 40,” Storli said. “It’s a great school district to work for, and I think our retirees are going to do well.”
COC honorees
Joan MacGregor has been serving local school boards for more than 51 years, the last 31 of them helping to govern COC. She and Van Hook, who took over as chancellor of the college 36 years ago on Thursday, were honored as the latest recipients of the One Hart Award.
MacGregor served as a Sulphur Springs Union School District governing board member for 20 years prior to moving to the COC board.
“I want to thank the Hart district,” MacGregor said. “I’ve enjoyed the partnerships that we’ve had with the college, and with Sulphur Springs.”
Storli said MacGregor has helped the Hart district first by working with one of its elementary feeder districts before then helping Hart district graduates.
“Joan MacGregor, a friend of mine for many years, not always for the school board, but for other things that we’ve done,” Storli said. “She also started the SCV Trustees Association, which allows the trustees in this area for both the elementary school districts and the college district and the Hart district to get together and share and help each other with something that somebody’s already solved. So, it’s a great way for us to get together and go forward with our students in this district.”
Van Hook spoke of the many partnerships that COC and the Hart district have had over the years. One of the more well-known partnerships is Academy of the Canyons, a middle college high school that allows students to get associate degrees at the same time they are enrolled in high school.
“There’s nothing better than anything that we can do individually as districts, or together, to help students believe that they can do it,” Van Hook said. “And when you give students an opportunity to put one foot in college and one foot in high school and realize they can ride that wave at the same time and still stay afloat, they build in a confidence that enables them to tell themselves that they’re possible. And I think that has been such a joy to be able to do that with our district.”
Hart district board member Erin Wilson said she originally wanted to honor Van Hook in March as part of International Women’s Month, but that being able to do it on the eve of Van Hook’s anniversary and along with honoring MacGregor worked out just fine.
“Dr. Van Hook has dedicated herself to fostering a hopeful and can-do environment within the community college system,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s students, staff member, friend, colleague or a person with a dream, she invests in people.”
Edel Alonso, the president of the COC board of trustees who was present for the presentation of the awards, said both Van Hook and MacGregor have been great assets to the community.
“I’m so proud of our college district, and I’m most proud of how well we work with the Hart (district),” Alonso said.
Student board member honored
The final honor of the night went to Falodun, who has spent the past year working with the governing board as the representative for the district’s student body.
Falodun, joined by her family, received a plaque with her official portrait as well as a certificate of recognition for her service. The soon-to-be UCLA Bruin has also been serving as the Golden Valley Associated Student Body president.
Board member Joe Messina said Falodun has not simply been present for meetings, but has taken an active role, specifically in helping him and board member Cherise Moore in reviewing some of the district’s board and administrative policies.
“We’ve being going through policies every meeting, and she is reading them and she is understanding them and she’s giving us input on how to deal with this,” Messina said. “So, it’s nice, it’s refreshing … She actually does the work and that’s really impressive.”
Superintendent Mike Kuhlman joined the governing board in thanking Falodun for her service.
“I think you have been an outstanding example of a student board member,” Kuhlman said. “I know how seriously you have taken your work. I know you have spent time gathering the input of your fellow students and I think you have done a fantastic job.”
