Up Coming PTSA Events
- Friday, December 6
- Saturday, December 7
- Sunday, December 8
- Monday, December 9
- Tuesday, December 10
Founders Day nominations open on Friday, November 1st
and will close on December 1st
PTAs throughout California give Founders Day awards "in special recognition of outstanding service to children and youth."
The LCHS 9-12 PTSA Founders Day Awards celebrate the achievements and dedication of LCHS staff members, parent volunteers, and community members.
If you'd like to recognize a deserving teacher, staff member, parent, or community member who has gone above and beyond in their service to the school, please complete this nomination form -https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdgRemfET2NWhZ8wM7Jwp-5CvWZX3OT8qI5auX9fPRFjUqeow/viewform?usp=sharing
The awards will be presented at the District office on March 13th, 2024.
Please contact Caroline Anderson, foundersday@lacanadapta.org, with any questions.
WINNERS FOR 2023-2024
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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, 6th grade play and 6th 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)
Above and Beyond:
Jonathan is a 12 year veteran teacher, 5 of which have been spent in the La Canada School District. He has served as a LCHS basketball coach for 4 years, as varsity head coach of the girl's program this year and regularly chaperones school events. Jonathan has been a club advisor and class advisor for numerous LCHS student organizations. He has created remarkable connections with his students who describe him as teaching with confidence, clarity and unwavering optimism, and creating an atmosphere where students feel included and safe. In fact, past students regularly seek him out to share their accomplishments both in math and their lives in general.
Life Highlights:
In his off time, Jonathan enjoys watching sports, playing golf, traveling, and incorporating mindfulness practices.
Cindy Calm
(LCHS Mathematics Teacher / Math Department Chair)
Above and Beyond:
Cindy is a long-standing cherished teacher at LCHS. She has been a member of the math department at LCHS for 21 years and currently serves as Math Department Chair as well as faculty advisor for the Math Club and Math Valkyries. She is the advisor for the Class of 2022 and has worked with four other graduating classes throughout the years. For several years she has helped with Proms, Homecoming parades and dances, Monte Carlo events, grad nights, senior class trips, and numerous fundraising events and was especially instrumental in pulling off Prom during a pandemic. She has served as ASB class advisor several times, as faculty advisor for and Juniors for Seniors Clubs as well as Pep Squad advisor for six years. Students, staff and parents alike describe her as someone who always finds a way to give extra time and energy to making LCHS a better experience for all students, even with her own busy home life.
Life Highlights:
A graduate of LCHS herself, Cindy has three children, Alexis (7th grader at LCHS 7-8), Margaux (2n grade at LCE), and Miles (Lighted Window Preschool). She enjoys baking and cooking, reading, and making crafts with her children, as well as family trips to Disneyland.
Mijung Konakov
(LCHS Staff / Parent Volunteer)
Above and Beyond:
Beyond her amazing work with students at LCHS, Mijung as served as President of KAPA, the Korean American Parents Association at LCHS and Co-Chair of Korean Outreach at PCY from 2019 - 2021. She posts school information on KAPA social media, translates school documents from English into Korean and organizes parent volunteers to support teachers and students at LCHS. Mijung served as a committee parent member of the secondary school reopening committee, LCUSD June 2020 - May 2021 where she researched how overseas schools cope with pandemic crisis and provided valuable information regarding schooling in South Korea during COVID-19 pandemic, and provided informative messages from committee to Korean parents group in Korean translation. Mijung also serves as a
Paraprofessional II at LCHS and an Instructional Assistant supervising students in specialized programs, assisting students in performing school daily routines, taking notes and completing homework.
Life Highlights:
Mijung has 2 children at LCHS and 1 child at PCY. She enjoys sewing, crocheting, reading, hiking with dogs, and making balloon animals for children.
Wayne Page
Life Highlights:
Wayne has 2 daughters at LCHS, Emma Page (12th grade) & Grace Page (10th grade). Outside of being a Dad and LCUSD and community volunteer, he is a multi-EMMY Award winning Producer, Writer, Director for Film & TV, and a Marketing / Branding Consultant for his company Compelling Entertainment. I’ve been a writer and musician my whole life, and love writing sketch comedy, TV shows, Movies and currently a historical drama epic. He plays guitar, tennis and golf, and especially loves cooking. His favorite hobby through the years has been being a spectator at his daughter’s soccer, basketball, softball games, swim meets, gymnastics, dance, theater and clarinet, flute and piano performances.
Past LCHS 9-12 Founders Day Award Winners
(Honorary Service Award unless otherwise indicated.)
Year | Winner | Award Type |
---|---|---|
2021 | Justin Luthey | |
Brent Beaty | ||
Marybeth Henry & Harrison | ||
Tamar Tujian | ||
Jack Mackenzie | ||
2020 | Kelly Armaly | |
Sun R. Chung | ||
Maria Videla Juniel | ||
Jeremy and Julie Milbrodt | ||
Bill Lively | ||
Rachel Zooi | ||
Alice Hastings | ||
2019 | Justin Valassidis | |
Laura Deans | ||
Susan Moore | ||
Frances Delgatty | ||
Judy Kwon | ||
2018 | David Haxton | |
Bob Huson | ||
Mike Kauffman | ||
Natalie Kouyoumdjian | ||
Lori Moody (Haxton) | Golden Oak | |
Chris Roberts | Continuing Service | |
2017 | Sarah Beattie | |
Sonia Bradley | Continuing Service | |
Christie Clarkson | Continuing Service | |
Laura Strametz | Golden Oak | |
Victor Torres | ||
2016 | Leanne Forshager | |
A.J. Jones | ||
Ian McFeat | ||
Rosanne Morrison | ||
Linda Richman | Continuing Service | |
Merissa Sadler | ||
2015 | Maureen Borland | Continuing Service |
Carlos Martinez | ||
Vineda Mitchell | ||
Lucy Pelletier | ||
Kathy Seuylemezian | ||
2014 | Reda Hanna | |
Kathy Harb | Continuing Service | |
Samantha Heer | Continuing Service | |
Celina Lew | Continuing Service | |
Gayle Nicholls-Ali | ||
Vicki Schwartz | ||
2013 | Justin Eick | |
Jennifer Herzer | ||
Deena Keys | ||
Lori Moody (Haxton) | Continuing Service | |
Joy Smith | ||
Jason Stone | ||
2012 | Christie Frandsen | Continuing Service |
Becky Lankey | Continuing Service | |
Jamie Lewsadder | ||
Jackie Luzak | Continuing Service | |
Sue Wright | Continuing Service | |
2011 | Jeff Brookey | |
Shelley Buck | ||
Linda Kimball | ||
Anne Tryba | ||
Steve Zimmerman | ||
2010 | Paul & Cindy Gilbert | |
Mo Hurlbutt | ||
Rick Mohney | ||
Cayce Sheppard | Continuing Service | |
Sally Spangler | ||
The 2009 LCHS Grad Night Committee | ||
2009 | Claudia Alequin | |
Damon Dragos | ||
Hilary Gregg | ||
Cynthia Roye | ||
Daniel Yoder | ||
2008 | Christine Burrows | |
Jim Cartnal | ||
Karen Mathison | Golden Oak | |
Deputy Todd Samms | ||
Tom Traeger | ||
2007 | Jim Harvey | |
Michele Listo | ||
Linda Matchie | ||
Randy Strapazon | ||
Beth Waas | ||
2006 | Joanne Davidson | |
Susan Fleming | ||
Laura Hicklin | ||
Melinda Horwith | ||
Joanne Lew | ||
2005 | Jean Kawakami | Continuing Service |
Mike Leininger | Continuing Service | |
Mary Motia | Continuing Service | |
Tom Reynolds | ||
Lorie Marie Rios | ||
2004 | Judy Cosgrove | |
Rita Harwood | ||
Christine Kim | ||
LCHS Music Parents | ||
Aileen Peterson | ||
2003 | Kim Beattie | |
Cathy Geisbauer | ||
Mary Jane Hufstedler | Continuing Service | |
Kathy Kumagai | ||
Morgan Spiecker | Golden Oak | |
2002 | Terry Engler | |
Jan Guerrero | ||
Vicki Ho | ||
Karen Kiefer | ||
Lindsay Ward | Continuing Service | |
Tanya Wilson | ||
2001 | Linda Fors | |
Myrna McCune | ||
Karen Mealiffe | Continuing Service | |
Bob Miller | Continuing Service | |
Ginny Wetzel | ||
2000 | Craig Franzen | |
Kathryn Mayer | ||
Georgia Moses | ||
Wes Seastrom | ||
Richard Weld | ||
1999 | Debra Dane | |
Phil Despard | ||
Lindsay Epstein | Continuing Service | |
Mary Lou Langedyke | Continuing Service | |
Javier Rocha | ||
1998 | Randy & Mike Bayard | |
Michael Carney | ||
Anthony Dicks | Very Special Person | |
Julie Miller | ||
Wendy Nicoll | Continuing Service | |
Hope Ricewasser | ||
1997 | Pat & Harold Henderson | |
John Kelsey | Continuing Service | |
Julie Miller | ||
Carol Mollet | Continuing Service | |
1996 | Patty Compeau | Continuing Service |
Mary Ruth Dicks | ||
Carri Pollock | Continuing Service | |
Dallas Raines | Honorary Life | |
Mimi Song | ||
Lani Wile | Continuing Service | |
1995 | Sherrill Carbonetti | Golden Oak |
Kavitha Krishnan | ||
Nancy Pickett | ||
Elizabeth Rose | Continuing Service | |
Mary Walsten | ||
1994 | Jinny Dalbeck | |
Cappy Mieding | ||
Ellie Slack | ||
1993 | Louie Bilowitz | |
Carol Brown | ||
Martha Osher | ||
1992 | Charlene Cundey | |
Mary Jane Huffstedler | ||
Carol Pollock | Continuing Service | |
Margo Walter | ||
1991 | Marina Chahine | |
Tema Halpern | ||
John Siegler | ||
Cynthia Smither | ||
1990 | Doug Coe | Continuing Service |
Bonnie Falin | ||
Tom Hofman | ||
Noreen Kukkonen | ||
Carol Liu | ||
1989 | Evie Aguilar | |
Nancy Evans | ||
Susan Hamre | ||
Fred Hansen | ||
1988 | Mr. & Mrs. Robert Bender | Certificate of Appreciation |
Elizabeth Rose | ||
Dede Whitney | ||
1987 | Voytek Dolinski | |
Becky Gelhaar | ||
Mary Lou Langdyke | ||
Karen Mealiffe | ||
Rosalie Plowaty | ||
1986 | Liz Argue | |
Tanya Beglitsoff | Certificate of Appreciation | |
Jane Cooney | ||
Don Hagen | ||
Julia Hastings | ||
Gary Lievre | ||
1985 | Jan Downhower | |
George Madatian | ||
Margaret Pankratz | ||
Don Schaafsma | ||
Lourene Vail | Continuing Service | |
1984 | Iris Douglas | |
Karen Johnson | ||
Don Miller | ||
1983 | Mary Ann Andrews | |
Glen Perrin | ||
George Wartenberg | ||
1982 | Jane Malmgren | |
Clover Moffat | ||
Nancy Palermo | ||
Wealthy Slattery | ||
1981 | Marilyn Colyar | |
Jim Harvey | ||
John Lusche, Sr. | ||
Donald Nydam | ||
Barbara Roberts | ||
1980 | Nancy Francis | |
Marilyn Pieroni | ||
Dennis Sanchez | ||
Thelma Stanley | ||
1979 | Jerry Klocek | |
Carolyn Northern | ||
Wesley C. Seastrom | ||
Helen Smith | ||
1978 | Silsby Eastman | |
Joseph Kidushim | ||
1977 | Sue Schechter | |
Richard Wilkinson | Continuing Service | |
1976 | John Beger | |
Lois Brough | ||
1975 | John Kelsey | |
Mr. & Mrs. Elmer Larsen | ||
1974 | Mary Jane Ellis | |
James McDonnell | ||
1973 | Rahla Hall | |
1972 | Anne Christopher | |
Robert Hoagland | ||
1971 | Sally Moore | |
John Murphy | ||
1970 | Gerry Bittner | |
Fred Hansen | ||
1969 | Richard DeGrey | |
1968 | Virginia Frank | |
1967 | Douglas Coe | |
1966 | James Eaton | |
1965 | Ruth Lindegren | |
1964 | Jane Hogle |