Tehachapi Union School District welcomes new staff, bids a fond farewell to retiree
Tehachapi Union School District welcomes new staff, bids a fond farewell to retiree
By: Connie McCullough
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Posted by editor Wed Sep 6, 2006 16:06:07 PDT
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0 responses 0 comments New staff at TUSD are becoming acquainted with their new responsibilities as some personnel begin to share their experience and knowledge before retiring. Some of these people are being profiled here as part of an ongoing series.
Mr. Ed Cheek
Tehachapi High School recently welcomed Ed Cheek as a new vice-principal. A tall, rugged man with a quick smile, Mr. Cheek brings a breadth of training and depth of experiences to Tehachapi.
He was raised in the small town of Hardwick, northwest of Hanford. While studying criminology at CSU Fresno, Cheek worked for the Calif. Dept. of Forestry as a fireman for four years.
He then joined the Clovis Police Department and was assigned as the school resource officer (campus cop) for the local high school as part of his beat. After 12 years, and with the strong support of the high school principal, Cheek returned to college and secured his teaching and administration credentials in addition to a Masters in Education from Fresno Pacific University.
He taught at a junior high continuation school for 12 years and was successful in obtaining grant funding for Camp Self Esteem, a program that utilized volunteer Fresno police officers to mentor at-risk kids. Notably, the youth were unaware of the professional status of their mentors until some time later.
Cheek is delighted with the mountain winds and friendliness of Tehachapi.
“These students are the neatest bunch I've ever known,” he said.
He also applauds the school staff as one of the best he's worked with in many years. He indicates that the parents are friendly despite sometimes being upset with the difficulties at the beginning of a new school year.
His long term goals for THS include promoting school safety and a safe haven for the students; to increase involvement in activities to least 90% of the student body; to bring parent involvement to an all-time high; and to encourage innovative programs at the high school that will motivate the students “to want to be here.”
Cheek believes, as his father once told him, “If you have an education, you can go anywhere. Without an education, the trip is short.”
While clearly devoting a significant portion of his day to education, Cheek enjoys riding his Gold Wing motorcycle as a stress reliever. He is married and has four adult children.
Miss Pat Thomas
Within two weeks of being “discovered” at a meeting by TUSD Superintendent Dr. Marian Stephens, Miss Pat Thomas had a contract to become the new principal at Golden Hills Elementary School.
Born in Oxnard, she has not strayed far. She grew up in Lompoc, attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and received a Masters in Education from Cal State University Bakersfield.
With 34 years of school experience, 22 of those years in administration, Thomas comes to Tehachapi very well qualified.
She served in various capacities at Kernville Elementary for 19 years, then again in a variety of positions for the Muroc Unified School District.
Her friends predicted the course of her future since she was the type to be “always filling in.” She has also been known to drive a school bus.
Thomas was the recipient of 2000’s Administrator of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators, an award she treasures because of the recognition from her peers.
Since she has lived in Tehachapi for over four years, it was an easy decision for her to accept the employment offer.
Thomas quickly noted that the staff at Golden Hills Elementary is great and very supportive.
“They want what is best for the students,” she commented.
She has observed that the parking lot is full on weekends with the cars of staff who go in on their own time to work.
When asked what her goals are for the school, she paused, then said, “While there is always room for improvement, I'll have to look very hard since this is such a fantastic place.”
Mrs. Donna Schmidt
TUSD is sadly bidding farewell to Mrs. Donna Schmidt, a very dedicated individual who has served the District for an amazing 30 years.
She has lived here since she was three years old, graduating in 1967 from THS as valedictorian. She left the area only to attend UCLA and teach English and P.E. at Webster Junior High, near Santa Monica, for four years. Donna's two “wonderful” sons also attended TUSD schools.
Upon her return to Tehachapi, Schmidt taught English and P.E. at the junior high for 12 years, then became the counselor for 12 years before she moved to Wells Elementary as the vice-principal. She then became the Dean of Students at THS, before serving as vice-principal at Jacobsen Junior High and, finally, in her most recent position at the District Office, she is retiring as the Curriculum Coordinator.
She is proud to have served on the safety committee and to have been a trainer for SASI, the School Administrative Student Information computer program.
Schmidt was contemplative when asked about her most memorable experience with TUSD. She responded that she has enjoyed the whole working experience.
“It's the people working together to do what is right for the kids.”
Her parting wisdom to the entire staff is “to support each other and communicate with each other.”
Schmidt plans on doing some traveling, visiting England, Scotland, and Ireland in September as well as a visit with her children. She will also be available to help in education as needed.
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