What is Founders Day?

PTAs throughout California give Founders Day awards “in special recognition of outstanding service to children and youth.” The LCHS PTSA Founders Day Awards celebrate the achievements and dedication of LCHS staff members, parent volunteers, and/or community members. 

If you'd like to recognize a deserving teacher, staff member, parent, or community member who has gone above and beyond in his or her service to the school, please complete the 2023-2024 LCHS 9-12 Founders Day Nomination Form. A link to the form is coming to this space soon, nominations open on November 1st, 2023.

The deadline for submitting nominations is December 1st, 2023. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in the Spring of 2023. 

If you have any questions please contact Caroline Anderson at anderson9207@gmail.com put “Founders Day Nominee” in the subject line.

WINNERS FOR 2023

Here are the winners for the 2022-23 school year:

Cindy Hofman

Cindy has been volunteering behind the scenes coordinating schedules, completing purchase orders, organizing team events, supervising and working at snack bars, organizing team banquets, and ordering uniforms since her husband Tom began teaching Special Education and coaching basketball at LCHS in 1984. It’s been 39 years, and if you look up in the stands at any varsity game, you’ll still see Cindy filming the game. Cindy feels very fortunate to have combined her love and support of her family while working with young people and their families and contributing to the fun and excitement of LCHS basketball.  

Life Highlights: Cindy has been married for over 50 years to Tom, whom she met in high school when she was on the pep squad, and he was a standout basketball player. Their children attended PCY, LCE, and LCHS, and all played basketball at LCHS. Cindy taught at Burbank Unified School District for 38 years before retiring in 2013. She now works part-time at one of La Canada’s most treasured gift shops and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and granddaughter. 

                                      ----------------------------------------

Sandy Miller

Sandy started working at LCUSD in 2006 as a paraprofessional at PCY, then at PCR and LCE, before taking a position in the Business Office in 2012. She is the Lead Accounting Analyst and enjoys working with the Business Team. Sandy can also be found on the high school campus going above and beyond to support the LCHS Marching Band and Instrumental students. She has been affectionately named “Momma Miller” by the students in the band. She is always available at rehearsals and performances and even travels with the band to competitions to ensure the students are taken care of and have everything they need. She organizes parent volunteers, supports Mr. Stone, and even sews costumes. This year she made 65 jackets for the band. 

Life Highlights: Sandy has three children – Peter, Alyssa, and Matthew -- all of whom are graduates of LCHS. Sandy is a marching arts geek and enjoys all kinds of marching performances, including traveling every summer to Indianapolis for the Drum Corps International Championships. She enjoys spending time with her kids, sewing, and reading.

                                      ----------------------------------------

Brian Mendoza

Leading the La Cañada Engineering Club, Brian organizes everything from the Club's website and sign-up process and is present at every robotics meeting and competition. Parents involved in the Club marvel at Brian’s commitment and are in awe of his skill in managing the complexities of high school students. Brian can be found daily in Room 604. He gets to campus by 2:30 p.m. to beat the carline and prepare for an afternoon and evening of multiple robotics teams working in "the shop."

Life Highlights: Brian is a Mentor with For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, a non-profit running robotics league for K-12 students. For the past six years, Brian has been a mentor who has constantly nudged students to be better engineers, teammates, and human beings. His son, Harold, has since graduated from LCHS and is studying Industrial Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

                                      ----------------------------------------

Genna Kern

Eighteen years ago, Genna’s career evolved from teacher to mom. A Room Representative and mad scientist guest presenter, Genna, lent a hand when the PCY PTA was in need. Genna has helped students through Gold Awards, Eagle Scouts, and graduations as part of leading Cub Scout Dens and Girl Scout Troops. At LCHS, Genna concurrently advised the Science Olympiad Club and La Cañada Engineering Club. In addition, she has served on the Music Parents Association Board for the past 5 years. She has led the support crew at football games, supported off-campus field shows and assorted music performances, including those requiring out-of-state travel.

Life Highlights: Genna prefers to spend her free time in remote wilderness areas, enjoying the calm serenity of nature. With Bradley now enjoying engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Addie about to design her journey, Genna has yet to learn what her future holds. She looks forward to some free time to figure that out with Brian, her husband and volunteer wingman of 20 years.

                                      ----------------------------------------

Mona Massabki

Since Mona’s children started attending PCY in 2006, she jumped in as Room Representative. She enjoyed volunteering in the classroom and library and working with the students and teachers. She sewed endless smocks and ballerina skirts for the 6th-grade play “Annie” and “Cinderella.” Her LCHS volunteering started with the choir as Wardrobe Chair, and she has outfitted 5 choirs with over 300 students. Her PTSA involvement started with Senior Activities in 2019 and included planning the “Grad Bash” and the Senior Brunch and Raffle. She continued as Hospitality Chair for 2 Years and returned for an additional year when needed. She has planned events for LCHS teachers and staff and provided hospitality for New Parent Socials, Registration, and all PTSA meetings. She has enjoyed all her volunteering and met and interacted with many parents, students, teachers, and administrators, enriching her experience and her children’s.

Life Highlights: Mona (an LCHS alumnus) has been married to Raffi for 27 years. Her son will graduate from LCHS, and her daughter will graduate from the University of San Diego in 2023. She enjoys reading (especially biographies), cooking, traveling, and the arts.

Winners for 2022

Here are the winners for the 2021-22 school year, announced on February 14, 2022:

Kelli Kunkle-Day

(Honorary Service Award)

Above and Beyond:

Kelli and her family moved to La Cañada 11 years ago and she immediately stepped into volunteering where she could actively engage in her daughters’ schools. At PCY she was Art Docent for 4 years, Harvest Festival Co-Chair for 1 year, Holiday Teacher Luncheon Co-Chair for 4 years, on the PTA Executive Board for 2 years, Book Fair Assistant Chair for 3 years, and Room Rep twice. She was also on the planning committees for the Country Fair, Colonial Day, 6^th grade play and 6^th grade Fun Day. At LCHS Kelli served on the PTSA Executive Board for 4 years as Recording Secretary, as VP Programs and on two separate nominating committees. Kelli helped the Senior Planning Committee and administration navigate a Rose Bowl contract for graduation and serves as Team Mom for the LCHS Girls Water Polo Team.  Within the community, Kelli has been a Girl Scout Leader and an active member of the local National Charity League, Inc. Glendale Chapter. She led this organization of 300+ members as President from 2020-2021 during the difficult first year of the pandemic.

Life Highlights:

Kelli has two daughters, Kadyn a sophomore at LCHS and Jayli a 2021 LCHS graduate and currently a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Kelli and her husband John will have been married for 30 years this summer!  Kelli is an artist and graphic designer. Kelli enjoys painting, her daily walks/hikes, exploring new neighborhoods and restaurants, seeing live music, traveling, reading and cheering her daughters on at their sporting events.

Jonathan Saveedra

(LCHS Mathematics Teacher)