Old Lindero classrooms come tumbling down

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers SMASH HIT—Las Virgenes Superintendent Donald Zimring swings a sledgehammer to start construction in room J3 at Lindero Canyon Middle School, where he used to teach. Las Virgenes Unified School District Superintendent Donald Zimring said goodbye to his old social studies classroom at Lindero Canyon Middle School—with a sledgehammer.

On Feb. 4, Team Concept Development Services, a company managing the renovation of the Agoura Hills middle school, invited Zimring to take the first whacks at the classroom demolition.

Room J3 was where the former teacher taught social studies for four years at the beginning of his career.

"I kept telling everybody this was my room," Zimring said. "It's not easy."

The room was decorated with big signs and photos of Zimring from the 1970s.

"I had hair. . . . How sad," he said.

Zimring shared stories about his days as a teacher and then took the sledgehammer and swung at the wall.

Three middle school buildings will be demolished to make room for a new, twostory science building and a library. Five classroom buildings and the administration building are also being modernized as part of the $34-million project.

Don Blake, head of Team Concepts, said the project is "on time and on budget."

The most challenging part of the job will be juggling construction "while 1,000 kids are still here," Blake said.

Zimring started in the Las Virgenes district in 1975 as a social studies teacher at Lindero Canyon. By 1979 Zimring was promoted to administrative assistant to the superintendent, and in five years landed the principal's position at A.E. Wright Middle School. Zimring served as assistant superintendent of business services for 12 years before becoming the deputy superintendent, a position he held for 10 years before landing the top spot as superintendent.

About 30 people attended the farewell party to room J3. Lindero Principal Ron Kaiser said he met Zimring in 1976.

"I do know that I had applied for a position that Don ultimately got," Kaiser said.

Bob Hensley, principal architect with WLC Architects, a Rancho Cucamonga firm that has designed many schools in Las Virgenes, said the Lindero project is expected to be completed in 2012.

"It's amazing how people stick around this place," school board member Gordon Whitehead said about Zimring's longevity with the district.

Zimring agreed. "A lot of good teaching went on in this place," he said. "This school has a lot of good traditions."