Issue date: September 15, 1999
By Hal Urban
Each September at Woodside High School, we see more and more young faces. And I'm not talking about the freshmen. I'm talking about the new teachers. We took in 20 this year. Almost two-thirds of our staff now consists of people with six or less years of teaching experience. And that's good! These young people bring vitality, talent, creativity and new ideas to our campus. We welcome them with open arms, even if we do, on occasion, want to ask them why they're in the hallway without a pass.
With so much change and so many new teachers, you might wonder what cements things together. I'd like to believe that the veteran teachers do. They still bring their own vitality to the campus every day, and with it they bring years of experience and a sense of history regarding both the school and the district. As I read the names of the new teachers in the paper every year, I keep thinking the "Golden Oldies" ought to be put in there also. Then it dawned on me that I could put their names in, and at the same time share the joy of working with them. Here are the Woodside teachers who have passed or are approaching the 30-year mark:
Janet Johnson - A social studies teacher with a very tough assignment: freshman world studies and special classes for English language learners. Jan arrives at school every day well before 7 a.m. in her 1968 Chevy, also known as the "Yellow Bomb." In addition to serving as a mentor teacher for many years, she's served on countless district and school committees. She's also been an invaluable counselor and friend (on her own time) to thousands of kids, many of them with heart-wrenching problems. Her room is always full, even when she's not teaching. Jan seems to have some secret formula for always looking like she just stepped out of a Nordstrom catalog. Besides being the best dressed teacher, she's full of energy and can be outrageously witty. She even makes department meetings fun.
Mary Jean Onorato - A math teacher who's taught many different courses, age groups and ability levels. She has probably served on more district committees than anyone and was a mentor teacher for several years. Mary Jean has been both Woodside and district teacher of the year, and is even better now. People admire her for both her teaching skills and her "extras." She devotes an enormous amount of time to helping young people - both students and teachers. There's always someone in her room seeking help, and she's always there giving it. She has time for everyone.
Dixie Lynch - A physical education teacher who still loves her job and laughs when she hears other teachers complain about classes with more than 30 students. One of her classes this year numbers 58. Dixie also recently served as a mentor, was a key member of the task force that brought the block schedule to Woodside, does a lot of fund-raising for her department, and serves on the school social committee. If you ever meet Dixie, ask to see her key chain -- rubber chicken and all, or her car -- the hottest one on campus. She is both fun and young in spirit.
Arlene Kolber - A science teacher and the head of her department. I think Arlene's middle name might be Woodside, and I've often suspected that she lives on campus. No one has done more things or put in more time for the good of the school. Another former district teacher of the year, Arlene, in addition to her teaching and department chair duties, has been our budget director, head of the site council, and has been involved in virtually every effort to improve the school. The list is too numerous to spell out. To put it simply, Arlene does it all - and has for many years.
Paul Williams - A special education teacher and head of his department. Paul's been in the district since his teenage years, having been a student at both M-A and Ravenswood. After a few years away at Cal, he came to Woodside as a social studies teacher. Always the champion of the underdog, Paul developed a passion for helping students with learning disabilities, and has done an outstanding job with them for 20 years. Paul is in many ways the "voice" of Woodside High. He speaks up as a union leader, as a faculty senate member, and as a teacher -- always with the best interest of others in mind. More people (students and teachers) turn to Paul for advice and comfort than anyone on the staff. He isn't just the voice of Woodside. He's the heart, the soul, and the conscience of the school.
Gary Thurston - Another social studies teacher with a tough assignment: five classes of freshman world studies. Gary graduated from Woodside in 1962, and came back six years later to join the faculty. Another former district teacher of the year, he gets better with age, and has lost none of his enthusiasm for his job. When I ask my seniors for the name of a teacher who taught them a lot, made it interesting, worked them hard, and helped them succeed, Gary's name always pops up. How does he feel about his exhausting job after 32 years? "It's one of the most fun things I do," he says.
Dick Camera - An art teacher and head of his department. Dick, a Sequoia High graduate, is probably the most talented and versatile person on the staff. Here's a partial list of his contributions to Woodside: gifted artist, great teacher, softball coach (his team won the league championship last year), outstanding softball player (his senior team recently won the world championship), head of the yearbook, chair of the plant utilization committee, and father of two more excellent Woodside High teachers - Lisa Pomi (this year's district teacher of the year) and Leslie Camera. In addition, the hours of unpaid artwork Dick does for the school and staff members can probably be measured in the thousands. We marvel at his work and appreciate his generosity. We also love his wacky sense of humor. He lightens our load, he helps us survive, he always makes us laugh.
Ben Stein - A computer applications and keyboarding teacher and head of his department. Ben still remembers the old days when he taught kids how to use a thing called a typewriter - manual, no less. No one on the staff has seen his job description change more over the years. As our technology has exploded and confounded us, Ben has been there every step of the way, making sure Woodside students are up to speed. I'm often amazed at my students' computer skills. Where did they get them? The most common answer I receive is, "Mr. Stein taught me." The kids and staff alike admire him for both his high-tech knowledge and his gentle and humble manner.
Paul Martini - A science teacher who's taught just about every course in his department. When Paul came to Woodside 30 years ago he taught science, home economics (sewing) and a debate class. In more recent years he's been specializing in biology, especially human biology. Want to know a body part or function? Ask Mr. Martini. In my years at Woodside I've shared more students with Paul than anyone. I always hear the same things about him: knows his subject, makes it interesting, really cares about his students, loves his job, funny, snappy dresser, hot car. Paul also devotes countless hours of volunteer time to the social committee. He's devoted to meeting the human needs of his colleagues. He's also a wonderful friend.
These nine teachers have seen enormous changes in technology, the media, demographics, economics, societal values, and family life. They've also seen the effect that each of these has had on our young people. Suffice it to say, it's made their jobs tougher. But they're there every day giving their best, adjusting to the times, and meeting the needs of our kids. There's an old expression that advises us to "go the extra mile." These incredible people, with their 302 collective years of service, have gone millions of extra miles. They give and give, and then give some more. While they deserve far more accolades than can be expressed in this short article, it's a honor to share my admiration for them. And it's a joy to work with them.
Hal Urban teaches at Woodside High School and is a member of the Almanac's Panel of Contributors.
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