Hartman Has Been the Driving Force Behind Breaking Away : High schools: Saddleback Valley District superintendent says area’s athletic teams will benefit.

Paul Howard watched Peter Hartman in amazement.

The two were checking out track facilities in the area to determine what type of surface to install in Trabuco Hills High School’s new football stadium. Howard, whose company was hired to do the work, had been expecting an easy outing--just usher a couple of bigwigs on a quickie tour.

But there was Hartman, the superintendent of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, the head honcho, on his haunches inspecting various tracks. He poked and prodded and asked questions, missing hardly a detail.

It was something Howard had never encountered.

“Actually, that was the first superintendent that had ever come out and looked seriously at what he was buying,” Howard said. “Peter was out there kicking the turf and testing it. I never got the impression that he was a desk jockey.”

In essence, that’s Dr. Peter Hartman. He has a hand in everything concerning his district and, lately, beyond.

For the past year, Hartman has been the driving force to create a CIF-Orange County Section, a move he feels is necessary for the area’s athletic teams.

Hartman organized the county’s other superintendents and pointed them toward the future. His district hired a consultant to look into the feasibility of breaking from the Southern Section.

Now, that not only appears feasible, but close at hand. On Aug. 20, superintendents and other administrators from Orange County will meet to discuss and vote on a proposal to create their own section.

“If it happens, I might look back and say I had a lot to do with their becoming an Orange County Section,” said Hartman, 54. “But that wasn’t my goal. My goal was to represent our district and our students.”

Hartman, the highest-paid superintendent in Orange County with a salary of approximately $171,000, is uncomfortable in the spotlight. He is a power broker but prefers to be a mover and shaker behind the scenes.

His management style has served him well during his eight years as superintendent for the Saddleback Valley District.

Most associated with him say it’s part of his personality. Those who work with him view Hartman as a private, shy man, who lets little of his personality show.

“He’s very unassuming,” Howard said. “I think that’s one of the reasons it’s surprising when he gets so involved with a project. You don’t expect it.”

Hartman has dedicated his life to education, starting as a teacher. He was among the first graduating class from Cal State Fullerton in 1961 and spent four years as a elementary and junior high school teacher in La Habra.

Although he moved into administration after earning his doctorate at Stanford, Hartman still finds time for the classroom. He teaches a class in finance at Cal State Fullerton.

“I was always one of those kids who did everything,” Hartman said. “I’m still that way. It sometimes drives my assistants nuts.”

Hartman has been unassuming, yet effective throughout his career.

Before joining the Saddleback Valley District, Hartman was the superintendent for South Bay Union School District in Imperial Beach, which is south of San Diego.

Alice Arnold, a board member for that district, said Hartman had been hired for his leadership skills. However, when the Proposition 13 crunch hit, he became the district’s financial leader.

“Peter was good at handling personnel; that’s why we hired him,” Arnold said. “We didn’t realize that he had such a strong background in finance. He turned out to be a great help with the funding. Peter made sure everything was taken care of financially and stayed on top of everything.”

Hartman’s meticulous, low-key approach helped the growth of the Hamilton Township School District, located east of Trenton, N.J. As superintendent from 1974-78, he was successful in getting several bond issues passed in a money-conscious community.

“He was very effective of shepherding a building program through a rather cantankerous community,” said Jack Lacy, a city councilman in Mercerville, which is within the Hamilton Township district.

“This is an older community with older people, who felt they had already paid their dues. Peter worked the area well. He went to the Jaycees and Lions Club, all the organizations. He did it in a positive manner and got stuff passed without many people noticing what he had done.”

However, the idea of an Orange County Section and the issues that spawned it were too controversial for a person to remain anonymous. Hartman has downplayed his role as the ringleader of the movement, but he has been the driving force behind it.

Last September, he organized a meeting of Orange County superintendents to discuss forming the section. In November, his district contracted Barbara Wilson, a private consultant, to do a study. He also solicited money from other districts to help pay for that study.

Now even Hartman says he became the “lightning rod” for the entire project.

“I didn’t volunteer for it,” Hartman said. “I could have hid from it, I could have said, ‘I don’t want to be out there.’ But that wouldn’t have been very courageous.”

Hartman, who said he has always been a proponent of extracurricular activities, became more actively involved with the athletic future of his district two years ago.

Then, the question wasn’t whether to form an Orange County Section, but whether parochial and private schools should be allowed to play in the same leagues with public schools.

Most officials from public schools opposed it. Hartman said he didn’t lead the fight, but merely participated.

Others saw it differently.

“He seemed to be leading the charge for the public schools,” said Msgr. Michael Harris, principal at Santa Margarita. “He’s always been polite and gracious to me personally, but he made it clear he didn’t want parochial schools playing in leagues with public schools. Only he can tell you his motivations for that.”

Hartman received some criticism for his role. He said he was even labeled anti-Catholic, a charge he denies.

He said his motives were simple. He was representing his school district.

“It was my job,” he said. “If I didn’t do my job, I should resign and go someplace else.”