De Modderman closes books at Menlo Park school district De Modderman closes books at Menlo Park school district (February 11, 2004)

She continues as business manager fulltime for Las Lomitas district

By Marjorie Mader

Almanac Staff Writer

The only thing that De Modderman, the unflappable business manager of both the Menlo Park and Las Lomitas school districts for the past 22 years, hasn't done, she says "is drive the school bus."

Ms. Modderman has climbed onto school roofs with custodians, supervised bus drivers and checked maintenance at the six elementary schools, in addition to handling the more usual responsibilities of a business manager for the two elementary districts

A flip of a coin led her to the Peninsula. While driving with her husband Vern from Iowa, a coin toss determined the Moddermans would head west to California instead of south to Houston, Texas.

Relocating in Redwood City, Ms. Modderman landed a job in the Menlo Park district in the fall of 1970 as a library clerk, working at Encinal School.

"I took the job as a temporary move," she says, "but the wonderful people in the district office played a huge part in my continuing to stay in the district."

She filled a variety of increasingly important positions and moved into the district's business office.

Her mentors, she said, were widely respected Menlo Park Superintendent Franklyn White and Business Manager John Richert.

In 1978, the Menlo Park and Las Lomitas districts combined resources to form a joint business office, based at the Las Lomitas District office at 1011 Altschul Ave. in Menlo Park.

Ms. Modderman, at her last Menlo Park school board meeting January 15, was declared a "Community Treasure" in a resolution unanimously adopted by trustees. She was honored for her "extraordinary contributions" during her "remarkable 34 years" in the district.

"De has worked with six scintillating superintendents and dozens of meddling trustees, endured countless budget cycles, contract negotiations and assorted crises" and "has always faced these many tribulations and triumphs with a grace, poise and calm, usually reserved for heads of state or members of royal families," the resolution read.

While Ms. Modderman has resigned from the Menlo Park district, she is continuing as business manager fulltime for the Las Lomitas districts. The districts concluded that a change in the joint business office model was necessary due to the increasing intricacies of school budgeting, the inclusion of parcel taxes and bond measures in each district, and the increased demands from the state for accounting.

Since February 2, each district has had its own business office on site, but the two districts will continue their cooperative agreement for special education, maintenance and transportation.
Tributes

Former Menlo Park superintendents Martha Symonds and Judy Rogers Bianchi, past and present board members, administrators, teachers, staff and parents came to the recent board meeting. They honored Ms. Modderman with glowing tributes, a perfect rose and "sweets for the sweetest person."

"No one has worked harder and longer than De," said Ms. Symonds, superintendent from 1979 to 1989. "She has been a valued partner, giving accurate information to evaluate options during the district's difficult financial times after passage of Proposition 13. ... Her contribution to the district is incalculable."

Ms. Rogers Bianchi, who followed Ms. Symonds as superintendent in 1989, said she quickly realized that Ms. Modderman was a person she could rely on. She used a series of adjectives -- dedicated, efficient, loyal, organized, reliable, unfailing and selfless -- to describe Ms. Modderman. The first letter of each word spelled her first name, Delorus.

Karen Canty, trustee on the Menlo Park board for 12 years, spoke about Ms. Modderman's accuracy in financial matters and her integrity that boards relied on over the years and that teachers and staff trusted.

Speaking for the teachers on behalf of the Menlo Park Education Association, Lynne Murphy cited their appreciation for Ms. Modderman's "tremendous knowledge" of the district, "highest integrity" and her "never failing to get people through all the paperwork."

"De was everything in the district -- business manager, facility manager, cost estimator -- representing all aspects of the district," said David Coldoff. A former district trustee and later a consultant for the district's $22 million bond building and renovation projects, he worked with her on almost a daily basis for seven years.

Speaking on behalf of the Laurel School staff, Principal Nancy Hendry said, "We're sad to see you go and with gratitude thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

"Education has always been dear to my heart," said Ms. Modderman.

She said she considered going into teaching after graduating with a degree in home economics from the University of Northern Iowa before taking that "temporary job" in Menlo Park 34 years ago.

"I'll definitely miss all the contacts in the Menlo Park district, but I'm looking forward to new challenges," said Ms. Modderman.

Will she have some free time now that she only has one board meeting a month, one annual budget to prepare, fewer state reports to file?

She said she hopes to catch up on some reading, get back to sewing, and visit the family farm in Iowa, but she's realistic: "Something else always comes up to fill the time."

E-mail Marjorie Mader at mmader@AlmanacNews.com

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