Littlerock High School Principal Honored for Leadership

When Jeffrey E. Foster was hired in 1989 as principal of Littlerock High School in the Antelope Valley, his academic domain was, literally, an open field.

Even before the new high school building opened in the spring of 1991, when Foster and his staff had to use portable classrooms to teach 350 ninth- and 10th-graders, his integral role in the school’s growth was obvious to all. That is partly why Foster was selected as one of 10 honorees for Educator of the Year by the California League of High Schools’ L.A.-area chapter, group officials said.

“I think most administrators, if you get a chance to open a school from Day One and put your own stamp on it, [would feel] that’s an incredible opportunity and honor,” Foster said Thursday.

All 10 instructors received plaques during the 3-year-old organization’s second annual awards ceremony Wednesday in Universal City.

The organization’s local chapter, Region 8, represents the counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Kern and parts of San Luis Obispo. All the honorees this year were from Los Angeles County. But Region 8 President Keiko M. Hentell, assistant principal at Van Nuys High School, said she expects schools in other counties to participate in the future.

Other educators honored included Ann Lobb of Van Nuys High School, Valerie Beidelman and Doris Lang of Burbank High School, Raymond Schaefer of the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, Carol Hatsell and James Gibson of Glendale High School, Anne Faisant-Vallejo of Crescenta Valley High School in Glendale, Rachel Koel of West Covina High School, and Bob Turner of Bonita High School in La Verne.

Foster will represent Region 8 at the California League of High Schools’ third annual conference next week in Anaheim, along with representatives from the group’s 11 other branches.