I met
Cliff Wong at Burbank Junior High in 1959 when I was a 7th grader. Cliff
knew my parents and so did Mr. Dwight who was the principal of Burbank at that
time. I was a fearful child - I was never in trouble and I was scared of my
shadow. I went on to Berkeley High and graduated in 1965. I got a scholarship
to college and graduated in 1969.
I
started teaching P.E. In 1969 at Berkeley High. Cliff, then principal of
Berkeley High, remembered me from Burbank. Cliff always watched over me and
took me under his wing. He encouraged me to teach in Model School A in 1971, an
alternative school to Berkeley High school. I taught there from 1971-1974, and
then he encouraged me to do Student Activities. Cliff always saw more in me
than I saw in myself. I was Student Activities Director at Berkeley High from
1972-1992, Vice Principal at Willard Jr. High from 1992-1994, Vice Principal of
Longfellow Jr. High from 1994-2002, and Vice Principal of Berkeley High from
2002-2006.
I am
sharing my story with you because I am who I am because Cliff Wong took me
under his wing. Cliff taught me how to be tough but to be kind in the process
of doing my job. He taught me to never forget where I came from. He taught me
to be good-humored as I did my job. Cliff always said to treat staff and
students well, and have integrity in whatever I did in the workplace. Cliff
told me I was his adopted black daughter. I was so proud when he told me
that. He also told me how proud he was of me for how I did my job. I
wanted you to know my work journey. I was who I was because Cliff Wong took me
under his wing. When he died I felt like I lost a family member. I
was blessed and fortunate to know such a wonderful person as Cliff Wong.
-
Thelette Bennett, Adopted Black Daughter and Retired Middle School and Berkeley
High School VP
Cliff
was that rare administrator who was beloved by both teachers and students, yet
you mentioned neither. I will speak for myself and I think you should
seek out others for the record. I was President of the Berkeley
Federation of Teachers in the 70’s and served as chief negotiator for the BFT
into the 80s. Cliff was always honest at the table and worked to find a
way to create policy that was acceptable to both sides. I negotiated
against a number of other administrators and lawyers and never found another
who had the integrity of Cliff Wong. A different, but still admiring, view of
him was held by students and teachers when he was principal. Students
respected him, not only
because he had a black belt, but also because he made things work. When he was
principal, BHS had a 10-period day and was tear-gassed during the People’s Park
riots. The school didn’t just survive, it thrived. Cliff needs to
be inducted into the BHS Hall of Fame.
– Judith
Bodenhausen, Former Teacher at Berkeley High and President of the Berkeley
Federation of Teachers
Cliff
Wong was a master problem solver. I worked with Cliff during the time I
was in the Human Resources Department and Cliff was hired as a consultant to
support our office. There are many personnel issues that can be solved
early on and employees and students can experience a supportive environment to
learn and grow. When issues came forward, there were times when a lot of
details or information was missing from an initial report making it difficult
to figure out what was really going on. I would discuss reports
with Cliff and he would generally tell me he would get back to me. Cliff
had contacts everywhere in the District and in the community and was trusted by
almost everyone. I soon found out that he would show up at school sites
or other workplaces and chat with this person and that person and find out what
was really going on. Cliff would then wander into my office with the
smile that only Cliff had with incredible details. We would then figure
out ways to problem solve situations for staff or families at the earliest time
so that success for all was possible. Cliff could go anywhere and build a
trusting relationship in an instant which made a huge difference for the
culture of the entire school community.
- Mary Buttler, Berkeley USD Director of
Human Resources, Retired
Cliff
Wong was unique among education leaders in many respects, but one of my
favorites was that Cliff moved slowly. In my experience, this was not a
function of age, but instead an outgrowth of integrity and care. When
Cliff walked into a room he greeted everyone, he took a moment to connect, to
shake your hand and to look you in the eyes. He asked how you were doing,
and genuinely cared about the response. In a conversation he would take notes,
but you knew he was listening because every once in a while he would look up
with those piercing eyes and ask an equally piercing question. Something
that made you stop and think and sometimes realize there was an aspect of the
situation you had not thought about. And he would wait for the answer and
ponder it before perhaps asking another hard question. In a world full of
emails, phones ringing, texts buzzing and deadlines abounding, you always had
the feeling that the issue you were there to discuss was the most important
thing, and the only thing on Cliff’s mind. He had such a big picture view that
he could play the role of staff person to the principals’ union, and, at times,
Acting Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources equally well and with equal
positive outcomes. What informed this big picture view? In my
experience, it was values like honesty, integrity and seeing all sides in a
situation, and then looking for a solution that best served students.
When Cliff was in HR and I was leading the teachers’ union we worked together
to resolve complaints and grievances. Cliff treated everyone at the table
with respect and dignity, even when the situation, or an involved individual,
was escalated. He did not exacerbate the atmosphere, but he also did not
downplay the seriousness of some of the complaints being investigated.
Nothing got past him, but he showed compassion as well. He was like that
wise judge we all wish we had when a conflict needs resolving. I learned
a lot from watching his calm resolve, his ability to speak the truth when
needed and his firm moral compass. Cliff made more contributions to
Berkeley public education than can be listed, and often in ways that were never
seen. He will be missed.
– Cathy Campbell, BFT president, Retired
As an employee of Berkeley
Unified School District for 40 years, serving as both teacher and administrator
(Malcolm X School Principal for over 20 years), Cliff was not only my uncle,
but my mentor and confidant throughout my life and career. Not knowing him, one
might be forgiven for thinking that he might have given me, his niece in the
district, extra attention or a helping hand. But Cliff was tough on me, perhaps
tougher, because he wanted and expected the best from me.
As long as I can remember,
from my earliest childhood to the present, I have always admired and respected
Cliff for his leveled-headedness and deep experience in the district. Cliff’s
ability to show good judgement followed him throughout his entire career.
Whenever I was at a critical juncture where I needed to make an important
decision, I would call him up for guidance. The conversation that I
remember the most was at a very pivotal time in my career. I was already
Principal of Malcolm X School for around 15 years, and I sought out Cliff’s
advice on whether I should move on to middle school administration. He strongly
advised me not to move because he felt that there was so much more I could
accomplish if I remained at Malcolm X School. He was right! The district
was moving towards major reconfiguration from K-3, 4-5, 6-9, to K-5, 6-8, high
school. Malcolm X was in the position of having to build our reputation to grow
from an already solid 4-6 intermediate school to a solid K-5 school. There were
so many positive achievements our team would have missed in my career if I
moved. I can still hear Cliff’s booming voice now, going up several decibels,
but always giving me thoughtful and relevant advice along with a witty
rejoinder. He always ended our conversations with kind words, letting me
know how much he supported me.
Many of our conversations
were rich and passionate, as we both shared a loyalty to BUSD. Cliff
would approach everything with humor making wisecracks, leaving many of us
rolling our eyes and laughing our heads off. Cliff had a huge impact on my
life and career and I will forever cherish our relationship. He was most
definitely one of a kind and I loved him deeply. He will be missed.
- Cheryl Chinn, Niece, Former UBA Board President and Retired Malcolm
X Principal
I
remember meeting Cliff when I was hired in 1988 and he was the Associate
Superintendent of Instructions at Berkeley Unified School District. I remember
collaborating with Cliff on two major issues: the California State Department
of Education noncompliance on services to students whose first language is not
English and a lawsuit from parents of the same English as a Second Language
(ESL) students that went to trial. There was a lot of work to do to get into
compliance and you encouraged and advised me on how to approach the more challenging
school principals. After many intense long work hours, we were found in
compliance with the California State Department of Education and the school
district won the lawsuit.
I
observed the special long relationship you had with your secretary Eva Hayes. I
saw the two of you as the dynamic duo. You showed your loyalty, compassion, and
support to her when her husband passed away and then her daughter and son
passed. You took care of her estate as she aged and you found live-in home
caregivers for her and oversaw all her affairs with such devotion and care.
I had
the honor of continuing our precious friendship after both of us retired from
Berkeley Unified. We enjoyed staying connected with our lunch gatherings and
special family celebrations you were able to attend. I cherished our close and
special friendship throughout the 35 years and I appreciated very much how much
you provided me guidance and support.
- Lori Chinn, Retired Manager of the
BUSD Bilingual Education Program
Cliff
didn’t appear charming right away but, once I got to know him, I appreciated
his friendly gruffness. I first met Cliff at Berkeley High when I was starting
up their ESL program. I came from San Francisco which was more conservative and
I was a little taken aback by his casualness and kidding around. I was a little
shy and Cliff had a booming voice which projected, so I wasn’t sure how to
approach and talk to him. The halls were a little narrow so I would even walk
sideways down the hall to avoid bumping shoulders with him. With time, I
realized that, behind the gruffness, he was kind and concerned. He would
encourage me to explain my thinking, and listen quietly when I answered his
questions. We would bat around different ideas and I became comfortable asking
for things. I adopted some of Cliff’s style to help the kids be comfortable. I
learned to help shy kids by drawing out their needs and listening like Cliff
did. At the same time, I could banter with the gruff kids to help build
rapport. I miss his friendly gruffness.
- Marcelle Ching, Retired ESL Teacher at
Berkeley High and Elementary
Cliff
Wong was the Associate Superintendent of Curriculum when I met with him as a
parent. I came away from the meeting thinking that he put students first. Years
later, when I was a school board director, Cliff came back to the district from
retirement to be the Interim Superintendent. The transition from one
Superintendent to another was seamless because Cliff knew the school community
well,having served in many positions over his long career. Employees throughout
the district loved, admired and respected Cliff. The Berkeley Unified School
District is like a family. Cliff was the proud father of us all leading with
optimism and encouragement. Cliff put everyone first.
- Pamela Doolan, Former School Board
Director
Mr. Wong was my friend,
mentor and encourager - I’m old school and could never call him Cliff. He
was my supervisor when I was a Clerk in Personnel who was responsible for
calling substitute teachers. I would start calling substitutes at 6. Instead of
requiring that I go into the office so early, Mr. Wong had a phone installed in
my home so that I could call substitutes the evening before or in the early
morning from home until 8 am, and then go into the office to finish up. He was
a compassionate leader and looked out for his staff. Sometimes he would get
someone from another department to cover our department so that he could take
us to lunch as a treat. He was supportive of people in the office which was
important because working in Personnel can be stressful at times. One time a
teacher didn’t notify me on time that he would be absent, so there was no
teacher in his classroom. I was upset and Mr. Wong talked to me and asked if
the teacher had called in on time. When I replied “No,” Mr. Wong told me to lighten
up and that it wasn’t the end of the world.
He encouraged me to apply
for other positions. These positions required a test to be administered – I
knew the material, but I didn’t test well so I hesitated to apply. Mr. Wong
called me into his office and asked if I wanted the particular position.
“Can you do the job?” he asked. When I replied yes, he said, “I also believe
you can do the job, so apply for the position. What are you afraid of?” I
replied, “Nothing.” Because of his encouragement, I applied for the position
and was selected.
Mr. Wong was always very
approachable so I was comfortable going to him for advice. He was always
truthful. I didn’t always like his answer, but he was usually right. I always
knew he would be honest with me, and so I always had to ask myself if I really
wanted the truth before talking to him. He wasn’t demeaning or condescending,
he would just say “Well, I don’t think that’s for you.” He had confidence in
people’s strengths and he always supported me. He also would call you out on
something if he thought you were out of line. He didn’t sugar-coat the truth
but was compassionate. He told you the truth so that it would improve you.
That’s why I call him my friend, mentor and encourager.
-
Queen Graham, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and
Board of Education, Retired
My life
expanded when Cliff Wong joined the Executive Board of the Union of Berkeley
Administrators (UBA) as our consultant/negotiator. I soon felt a deep sense of
connection to him, I think due to his openness and wry, often irreverent sense
of humor. I’d sat on both sides of the table during prior negotiations which
were often unproductive. In contrast, when Cliff led our team, his intelligence
and depth of knowledge of BUSD history coupled with his humorous and selfless
tone engendered feelings of cooperation and collaboration to the whole room,
making it a safe place for us to accomplish the hard work that needed to be
done. When I think of Cliff, I see him smiling with his head tilted back
as he laughed, often at our own follies but always with the care and kindness
that were an integral part of him. I feel so lucky to have known Cliff but I
find the world a lesser place without him.
- Susan Hodge,
Principal of Emerson Elementary School and UBA Member, Retired
I
attended Berkeley High School and graduated in 1971. During this time,
your father, Clifford Wong was our principal. My memories of this period
are quite vivid. The United States was in the midst of the Civil Rights
Movement and Berkeley was a focal point not only for our community but for the
country. Integration and bussing had begun, and the Cal campus was the
hub for the Berkeley Free Speech Movement led by Mario Savio. Often,
demonstrations would begin on the steps of Sproul Hall and move from the Cal
campus to City Hall marching right through the Berkeley High Campus.
Needless to say, we had our share of civil unrest.
With
social discontent as a backdrop, Principal Wong was able to lead a racially
diverse student body through very difficult times. He had assembled a
talented faculty that was able to teach essential subjects while having the
flexibility to adapt to the chaos that often interrupted our studies. I
found Principal Wong to be a man of quiet strength who seemed to have the right
answers to our youthful questions. I think if you were to poll the
members of my 900+ graduating class the majority would say Clifford Wong had
their respect. What a great legacy to have left following an amazing
career!
I was
a member of an undefeated BHS basketball team comprised of a racially diverse
group of players. I have always thought that our team’s ability to work
together not only as basketball players, but as people, helped the student body
as well as the Bay Area community become more accepting. Mr. Wong was
such a great supporter of our efforts that I will always be grateful! He
will be missed but wonderfully remembered!
- John Lambert,
Former BHS Student, Professional Basketball Player and VP/Financial
Advisor at Morgan Stanley, Retired
Cliff
served as advisor and chief negotiator for Union of Berkeley Administrators
(UBA) for many years. He was an invaluable mentor. His encyclopedic knowledge
of BUSD history was unmatched. In all of his interactions—-whether in district
negotiations or in guiding UBA leadership—-he maintained a sense of warmth,
humor, and integrity. He was a tough negotiator who always walked away from the
table with a handshake and a kind word. Cliff continued to care deeply about
the leadership of BUSD for decades after his retirement. I could text or call
any time and he always started by asking questions to understand the nuance of
the issue, listened attentively, and then offered sage advice which often
included one or more BUSD historical references to provide context to his
advice. And then he ended the call asking me how I was doing, always taking a
personal interest in each of us. He will be missed!
- Janet Levenson, Former King Middle
School Principal and UBA Board Member
I am full of gratitude for
Uncle Cliff’s loving guidance in all aspects of my life. I grew up in
Berkeley, attending Franklin elementary school when he was a teacher at Burbank
Jr. High. He made it a point to attend my annual Halloween parades on San Pablo
Street and would wave at me each time. I was shy and embarrassed and hid behind
my costume, but appreciated how Uncle looked out for me and made me feel
important.
Every Monday night was my
mom’s day off from a local Chinese Restaurant and, because he was taking an
evening class in Berkeley, my mother would make home cooked Chinese meals with
his favorite dishes. The pattern was so obvious, my father would jealously
comment, “This must be Monday night and your brother Cliff must be coming
over!”
In 1972, I got my first
teaching job in Berkeley Unified School District. For 33 years thereafter,
Uncle Cliff mentored me as I rose through the ranks, ultimately taking on his
previous position as Assistant Superintendent. I remember him handing me his leftover
business cards with the same title four years later!
Berkeley Unified has
always been in the forefront of change and questioning the status quo, and
Uncle Cliff was always the steady captain guiding the ship. I spent 22 years
attending principal meetings in which he steered and guided us through huge
challenges…desegregation, grade configuration, negotiations, the passage of the
first parcel tax, bilingual education. His agendas were linear, with time
specific allocations. Whenever someone was going over their time, he would
always find a way to intervene. With the persistent “Cheung hay-ers
(Long-winded people in Cantonese),” I could tell that he would coach them
offline by giving them “the look” as a signal. His relationship with the
teacher’s union leadership was uncanny….cantankerous at times, but always with
deep mutual respect. As the chief negotiator of all three (which grew to five)
unions, he masterfully addressed proposals and articles that an outsider would
perceive as nontraditional and bordering unreasonable.
Uncle Cliff’s
unconditional guidance and sense of humor will always live in my heart, and I
will always be grateful for him giving his best even during the worst of times.
He’s earned those heavenly Chinese meals that I know my Mah had ready for him
when he arrived to join her and our other loved ones.
- Chris Lim, Niece and Former Associate Superintendent BUSD
I grew up in Berkeley and
knew Cliff Wong was my principal at Berkeley High, but I mostly saw him at
functions with my mom (Ramona Maples) who worked with him for 34-35 years in
the school district. Mr. Wong and I always spoke cordially to one another. I
never had to go to the Principal’s Office because I played basketball and had
to behave and keep my grades up to be on the team. That was when Berkeley High
was big in basketball and the team participated in the annual regional
Tournament of Champions at the Oakland Coliseum every year from 1966-75 (won
championship in 1970 and 1971), starting with Phil Chenier. Talking with the
other kids, there were no bad vibes about Mr. Wong – he was cool.
-
Roland Maples, former Berkeley High School Student, USPS
Customer Service Supervisor, Retired
Cliff,
aka “Trout,” was about 8 years older than me. I idolized him as a youth, worked
with him at the Berkeley Schools, and played poker with him for over 40 years.
We grew up in San Francisco Chinatown back when Chinese people rarely left the
neighborhood due to discrimination. Trout, his brother, Tuna, and their
brother-in-law Pete Lum all played basketball for the San Francisco Saints.
When they played twice a week at the Rec Center, it was truly like “The Saints
were Marching In.” Forget about homework and mundane chores! The Saints were
coming to town! They were my superstars long before the Rick Berry’s and Steph
Curry’s. To watch their games at the Rec Center was a gift. Trout, the “All
City” diminutive point guard graduate from Commerce High and teammates
triumphed over many bigger opponents. In my world, the Saints never lost.
In my
professional career, nobody was more tough (yet fair) on me than Cliff. When I
started, I learned that Cliff was the “big-bad” P.E. teacher at Burbank Jr.
High. Rumor had it that baby taps on the fanny were his effective disciplinary
modes. No one could prove it, but comments from many of his former students
praised Mr. Wong for instilling quality standards on their lives. Cliff
ascended the leadership ladder and became Principal of Berkeley High School
which was renown for having the most comprehensive curriculum in the
nation. As a first-year Principal, he managed the grueling task of adding
six new school-within-a-school subsets on campus in addition to the traditional
high school. Throughout his career from teacher to Interim Superintendent,
he was a hell of a role model – great listener, pragmatic, honest, practical,
fair, firm, and full of life. He made you “better.”
We
started playing poker over 40 years ago as part of a Friday night crew to
de-stress after long workweeks. Cliff was often called “Mr. Lock,” a label
anointed to him by all the players. It meant Cliff had a high probability of a
winning hand and would call or even re-raise a bet. He seldom bluffed and when
he called or raised, you better be on your toes. The few times he got away with
bluffing were jovial moments of him crowing and laughing like an insane
rooster. When he made involuntary sounds like grunting through his throat or
swishing his tongue like a cow chewing on its cud, he had a locked hand. As
time passed, the Friday night games sadly ended. However, we played poker
online, and we’d play together regularly at some of the Card rooms. He was sharp
as ever - knowing when to bet, when to fold, and when to walk away. He won
regularly and seldom lost much and he sure loved his poker. His
discipline and his joy of life was huge. I salute Cliff and celebrate his life.
He is Mr. Lock, The Rock, and man for all seasons. I miss his friendship.
- Don Mar, Master Teacher of Graduate
Interns - UC Berkeley/BUSD
I first
met Cliff Wong when I was first hired as the new VP at Berkeley Adult School
(BAS).
We were
at a union party and Cliff (I was to learn later) regularly attended these
gatherings. Our Union President called upon him to act as an advisor or chief
negotiator for us.
Around
my 3rd or 4th year at BAS, I ran into some challenges, and Cliff somehow got
wind of the issues. He took one look at me and said, "LaRanda, I once knew
a VP who did all the work at her school.” He smiled as he continued, jabbing me
with his know-it-all finger, “Don’t let that happen to you!”
I think
back to his advice, and smile. Yes, Cliff hit the bullseye, and he really did
it without a whole lot of information from me!
The
ancient Egyptians had a beautiful belief about DEATH– When your soul gets to
the entrance of Heaven, the guards asked two questions. And the answers
determined whether you were able to enter or not: Q #1 “Have you found
joy in your life?” and Q #2 “Has your LIFE brought joy to others?” In Cliff
Wong’s case, I am sure his answers were YES and YES, and he is up there now,
looking down on us.
Cliff,
if you’re listening, I miss you!
Thank
you for your selfless service and your devotion to us at Berkeley Unified.
- LaRanda Marr, Vice Principal Berkeley
Adult School
I had
heard about Cliff Wong and about all his different roles in the district but
had never met him. The way people talked, I imagined a big ol’ guy so I was
surprised by how small he was. I introduced myself to him in HR and he already
knew who I was (I’m not sure how). I found him to be very pleasant and
reassuring, and he really knew his stuff. We both worked in HR when he was
subbing for Lisa Udell. He would give me pieces of advice like, “If a principal
emails you, get back to him/her that day or the next depending on what it’s
about. They are your number one client.”
The
other thing I learned from Cliff is that, when negotiating, everybody should
get the same percentage raise no matter their role. You can never give one unit
more than another. This is how we can say everyone is getting the same
percentage. When negotiating, you always think about how much you have
and how much you can give. One time we were negotiating and met the
superintendent to find out how much money we could give – What was the absolute
limit we couldn’t go over? Once we got that figure, we negotiated and told them
we couldn’t go over that limit. They said, “No, you have more and we want more”
but we told them, “No, this is all we were approved for.” They later met with
the superintendent and got more money. Cliff was pissed and said, “Now we don’t
have power anymore because they can go to the superintendent and get more.”
I
always knew he was really tough. However, when we were done negotiating with
people, they’d often ask if we wanted to go out for a beer. He would
always go because he knew how important it was to keep interpersonal
relationships. One thing I always remember was how he liked Diet Coke – he
drank tons of it. He always had a joke about something and always made
time for people. Nobody was more important than the person in front of him. He
respected others and they respected him. He told me, “I would have liked to
work with you earlier.” I worked with him for 4-5 months in HR and got a sense
of how he was with everybody. He was just a true person and a human
person that we don’t see anymore. Now people come and go, and they don’t
build up trust like Cliff did.
- Francisco Martinez,
Admissions Manager for BUSD
In
public education, we sometimes have a surplus of philosophers and a shortage of
people who actually get things done. Cliff was the latter, someone whose caring
and commitment was expressed through actions and genuine service.
In our
relatively short time working together he became one of the most influential
people in my career. My work ethic, as well as my negotiation and management
skills all got better because of Mr. Wong.
He was
in his late 70s when we worked together and his energy reserves were deeper
than most 30 year olds I know now.
- Pasquale Scuderi, Former BUSD
Associate Superintendent
Cliff
Wong and I developed a very strong bond when I first worked for him, one that
we maintained for more than 30 years.
In 1989,
Cliff was the Assistant Superintendent, and he hired me to be the principal
of King Middle School. At that time, there were major challenges at the
school, and through them all, Cliff mentored and supported me. In an era before
cell phones, I would so often call Eva Hayes, his administrative assistant, to
have her relay my request for Cliff's help. Cliff would always get back to me
within an hour – with his wise insights and counsel. He was extraordinary in
his ability to analyze each situation and identify possible responses. I
greatly admired him, and I like to think he appreciated me.
I was so
proud of my relationship with him that whenever we were with others, I would
comment that he was the person responsible for my coming to BUSD. He never
failed to respond, “That was the biggest mistake of my career.” It became our
routine. And I loved him for it.
– Neil Smith, Retired BUSD
administrator
Uncle Cliff wasn’t my
boss, but he’d come by the offices for celebrations and I met him through my
friend Cheryl Chinn (his niece) and some other folks. He was instrumental for
me applying for the Assistant Superintendent of HR position. He held a mock interview
with me and dispensed advice. Uncle Cliff would pepper me with questions he
thought the panel would ask, then give me advice like, “Girl, you have to slow
your roll. You’ve gotta say it a little different.” He would also share
different perspectives with me because he held so many different roles with the
district, with historical context. I have a tough veneer and he told me, “I’m
glad I talked to you because I didn’t know you had a knack for interpersonal
skills.” He told me that I needed to soften up and “be a good listener and
listen to what they’re not saying (through body language, inflection, etc).” He
said, “People need you to feel what they feel.” He also said that it’s
important to have thick skin and he said he thought that I had that as we both
grew up in San Francisco under tough circumstances. However, he also told me
that not everyone is out to get you. He advised me to talk more so that people
know I care. He said, “You have empathy, you need to show it.”
He was easy to talk to –
not just about the district, but about our personal lives, basketball, poker
and other interests we shared. I always felt I could confide in him. Even when
he wasn’t working for the district, he would come by my office to see how I’m
doing and chat about work, life and even family members. He had compassion for
people, was passionate about education, and had empathy about your wellbeing.
He’s well regarded by the people he worked with because he built on his
relationships well after he retired. He was straightforward, enthusiastic and
motivating. Even if there were times we agreed to disagree, we were still
friendly afterward. He’d give me that look, point his finger at me, say “What
are you talking about” and laugh. It put a smile on my face when he
walked through the door.
- Evelyn
Tamondong-Bradley, Assistant Superintendent of Human
Resources, Retired
.jpg)
