Valley Roundup : Woodland Hills : Taft Names Building for Former Principal

The administration building at Taft High School was renamed Tuesday during a dedication ceremony for former Principal Ron Berz.

Students, teachers, staff and Los Angeles Unified School District officials gathered at the Winnetka Avenue campus to pay tribute to Berz, who served as principal for 14 years before retiring last year.

During Berz’s tenure, the school’s Academic Decathlon team earned national recognition and the football team won the city championship in 1998.

Berz began his career in 1961 in South-Central Los Angeles as a teacher at Horace Mann Junior High School. In 1976 he became vice principal at Locke High School.

From 1982 through 1985, Berz served as principal of Monroe High School in North Hills, before taking over the principal’s post at Taft in 1985, officials said.