Teachers, administrators to retire
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

MOVING ON- Left, Arlene Broussard, who began teaching in Las Virgenes Unified in 1969, is stepping down from her most recent post, teaching advanced placement art at Calabasas High School. Right, Lindero Canyon Middle School child nutrition services staffer Sherry Falkner is retiring after 17 years with the school district.

Thirteen teachers, administrators and classified employees will retire from the Las Virgenes Unified School District this year. District officials conducted a celebration in their honor May 22 and provided a forum for the soontobe-retirees to trip down memory lane.

"Tonight we are celebrating more than 386 years of service to children here in the Las Virgenes Unified School District," said Dan Stepenosky, assistant superintendent of personnel. "These administrators, teachers and classified staff have dedicated their time in contributing to the education of our students."

Calabasas High School will be losing many talented and beloved teachers, including math instructors John Wells and Ellen Kailin.

Wells, who has worked at the school since 1994, launched his career at Agoura High School in 1972. A recipient of many honors during his career, Wells was once honored three times in one year. He won the "Most Inspirational Teacher" award, the "Golden C" Award, and was chosen for the dedication in the yearbook.

Stepenosky requested that each honoree fill out a form describing favorite memories, funny moments, retirement plans and songs that describe their careers.

Wells said on his form he plans to exercise more, but at "reasonable hours" now that he's made the decision to retire after 35 years.

Adopting her daughter from Romania in 1991 was Kailin's favorite memory. "The district office was very supportive," she wrote. "The faculty and staff at (Calabasas High) gave me a huge baby shower and luncheon where my 5-month-old daughter was the star attraction." Kailin chose "If Ever I Would Leave You" as her career song.

When Arlene Broussard launched her career in the district in 1969, she worked half days at A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas. She "opened" Calabasas High School, and said she taught some students for six straight years, since she moved with her students from middle school into high school.

Broussard's early days in the district hark back to the days of mandatory home economics courses- sewing, cooking and child development were required for female students. Today, Broussard teaches advanced placement studio art, including ceramics and stained glass courses. She said her students are "great artists."

John Kilpatrick's career began at Agoura High School as a drama assistant in 1976, and after 31 years he'll be leaving his post as drama department chair with a slew of happy memories, including his certainty that many of this year's crop of Agoura High drama students will become "stars."

Bonnie Barazani, a science teacher at A.E. Wright, will play more tennis and join the senior swim team when she and her husband move to Tucson, Ariz. Barazani is retiring from the district after 18 years.

Colleagues of Ingrid Domin, the cafeteria manager at Lindero Canyon Middle School in Agoura Hills, who launched her nutrition career with the district 30 years ago, chose a song for her- "Whistle While You Work." Domin plans to travel, garden, read and spend time with her family when she retires.

In all, 13 employees were honored, including:

+Victoria Davidheiser, office manager at Willow Elementary (17 years)

+Sherry Falkner, director of child nutrition services (17 years)

+DeRoy Johnson, office manager at Round Meadow Elementary (20 years)

+Judy Larson, department chair for special education (13 years)

+Ted Mattock, assistant director of maintenance (34 years)

+Ann Eklund, director of elementary education (38 years)

+Joe Nardo, assistant superintendent of education (41 years)

Stepenosky offered several retirement sentiments to the guests. In one, he said, "Retirement is waking up in the morning with nothing to do and by bedtime having done only half of it," he joked.