Mailbag: Linda Evans will be missed at CV
For 36 years, Linda Evans has given her time, energy and creativity to make Crescenta Valley High School one of the best public schools in the country (“CV High principal to retire,” April 20).
Crescenta Valley High School has been and continues to be the heart and center of our community. Over the years, we have celebrated and rejoiced in the accomplishments of our students and supported each other during times of sadness and loss. It is often said that the strength of a community lies in its schools, and this is certainly true of Crescenta Valley High.
Evans returned to her alma mater to teach English and in time became the chairwoman of the English Department. A few years later, she moved to an administrative role as dean of students and then advanced to assistant principal before assuming the responsibilities of co-principal.
Working from a solid foundation, she built Crescenta Valley High School to a school that was recognized by U.S. News and World Report as being in the top 3% of all U.S. high schools, and Newsweek rated the campus in the top 5% nationwide.
Evans’ focus has always been to prepare students to meet the rigorous requirements for admission to a four-year college or university. Under her leadership, students were challenged to take a take a wide range of advanced-placement classes.
Her passion for teaching excellence has been the driving force in hiring some of the most professional and highly qualified teachers in the area. Her team approach has fostered great loyalty and dedication, many faculty members have chosen to work their entire careers at Crescenta Valley High School, and many former students have returned to become teachers.
Evans has been a strong advocate of the Community Service Learning Project. For more than 16 years, students have volunteered thousands of hours of community service each year. Evans saw the importance of not only educating their minds, but also their hearts. She inspired students to look beyond the school walls and be of service to the community.
In the community, she served on the YMCA executive board and spoke passionately about the importance of providing as “many baskets,” or opportunities, for youth as possible. This philosophy was evident on campus with the wide array of extracurricular activities for students, including clubs, sports, orchestra, drama, choir and robotics, to name just a few.
Evans has been a strong partner with the Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition, and worked with the Glendale Unified to institute a voluntary drug testing program while helping to secure funding for parenting seminars and weekly support meetings.
Our community owes Evans a debt of gratitude. She has enriched and strengthened the fabric of the Crescenta Valley area in countless ways and touched the lives of young people and families for over a generation.
Thank you, Linda, for your visionary leadership — you have left a strong and enduring legacy.
NANCY STONE
La Crescenta
Editor’s note: Stone is a board member for the Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition.
Think of the kids, not the money
In reference to the June 12 article “Age limit for K might rise”: Show me the money, that’s what the school district wants! I have always been against children starting kindergarten when they are 4 years old.
I believe this was started by those whose interest was less then honorable. It has always been about the dollars.
I don’t believe that most children at the age of 4 are ready for school — when a child is even 5, he/she still needs a nap in many cases, and kindergarten has much playtime and not too much learning because many children are not ready.
Single moms who perhaps chose to be single moms are, I am sure, very supportive of starting their children at 4. It’s less costly because they do not have to pay for preschool.
If a married couple or a single mom cannot afford to take care of their children, then perhaps they should think more about having these children.
Children need a mom at home, if possible, when they are little more than toddlers. They do not need to be placed in a preschool or even kindergarten until they’re 5 — even then, some children have a hard time acclimating to school.
I feel so sorry for children who are “dumped” in preschool and then sent off to kindergarten at the age of 4 — it is close to child abuse the way children are shipped around for the mother’s convenience.
Shame on the Glendale Unified School District, as they are not thinking of the children, they are thinking of the money.
MARLENE WALKER
Glendale