|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Flags are flying at half staff at all Pleasanton schools this week in honor of Juanita Haugen, president of the Pleasanton school board, who died Monday. She was 69.
She had been battling cancer for more than two years. But even with periodic treatments and chemotherapy that occasionally required hospitalization, she frequently bounded back to an incredible active life in education circles. As recently as last fall, she was on trips to Sacramento and Washington, D.C., where she served on state and national boards dealing with school and curriculum issues. Late last year, the Pleasanton school board established the Juanita Haugen Civic Responsibility Award, which will be presented for the first time this spring.
Born on Nov. 17, 1937, in San Francisco, Juanita Sakajian was the only child of Louina Juanita Seligman and Harry Sakajian of Fresno. She graduated from the University of Southern California and maintained a lifetime loyalty to her alma mater. It was at USC that Juanita was introduced to Gilbert Haugen, who became her husband.
Juanita and Gil moved to Pleasanton in 1970. Juanita was best known for her role as a local school board member, first for Amador Valley Joint Union High School District, then–following the 1988 unification election–for Pleasanton Unified School District. Juanita was the longest-serving trustee in the history of the local schools, with her first term beginning in 1979. She was still in office at the time of her death. Juanita received the 2005 Community Service Award from the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce. Besides her school trusteeship, Juanita was the founder of the Pleasanton Youth Collaborative; she was one of the charter members of the board of directors for Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation; and she founded the Pleasanton Community of Character Coalition. Juanita served on the Chamber’s board of directors and also on the government relations committee.
On December 9, 2005, the Pleasanton Weekly announced that Juanita Haugen had been selected as “Woman of the Year.” Last Fourth of July, she was presented with the Ed Kinney Community Patriot Award.
Besides these local awards, Juanita was honored as the Association of California School Administrators “Friend of Public Education” for Alameda and Contra Costa Counties (1999); University of Southern California “Outstanding Alumni” (1997); Soroptomist International of Pleasanton “Woman of Distinction” (1990); and California 15th Legislative Assembly District “Woman of the Year” (1989).
“Because Juanita had such boundless energy and passion about public education, she was involved with organizations and issues across the nation,” said John Casey, Pleasanton school superintendent. “What that provided for Pleasanton was a unique perspective. As we celebrated our successes and faced our challenges, we could always count on Juanita to provide us with the latest information and contacts.”
Always enthusiastic about lifelong learning, Haugen went from being a volunteer in her daughters’ classrooms to being a respected voice for public education at the local, county, state and national levels. In 1997 she was elected president of the California School Boards Association (CSBA).
Former CSBA President Luan Rivera said, “Juanita [was] a tireless and passionate advocate for children…The children of Pleasanton, California, and the United States will continue to benefit from Juanita’s leadership, commitment, and boundless energy … She strived to provide a high quality education for all children.”
Juanita was appointed by two governors to serve on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. She also served as president of California Suburban School Districts Association (1991-93). In 2005-06, she was president of the non-partisan California Elected Women for Education and Research, which promotes women in government.
At the national level, Juanita was one of three school board members elected to the board of directors of the National School Board Association (NSBA). Former NSBA President E. Jane Gallucci said, “Juanita’s commitment to the schoolchildren in her district and throughout America put her in a class by herself. She devoted her lifetime to education. Her more than 25 years of service set an example that we at NSBA all strive to achieve. Juanita [was] a role model, a compatriot, and a friend.”
She was appointed by President Bill Clinton’s Secretary of Education Richard Reilly as the only school district trustee to be a member of the governing board for National Assessment of Educational Progress. Juanita also was appointed by California governors to the Education Commission of the States, which serves in an advisory capacity for the national associations of state governors, legislators, and superintendents of public education. Juanita traveled frequently to Washington, D.C., to attend meetings and to speak to legislators on behalf of school children.
Juanita’s volunteer work also included serving on the boards of directors of Tri-Valley YMCA (since 1984), Classical Philharmonic, and Valley Community Health Care Center (now known as Axis — 1991-97).
Even during the time Juanita was getting radiation treatments and chemotherapy in her long battle with cancer, she prepared for school board meetings, which she participated in by telephone.
“Juanita was able to keep up with the materials and issues the whole time,” said Superintendent Casey. “About the only thing she missed were her visits to schools.”
Until the last months of her life, Juanita kept up an active e-mail correspondence with hundreds of people across the community, throughout the nation, and around the world, sharing humor, inspiration, and candid discussion of her battle with cancer. Those privileged to know her remember her as a warm-hearted person who laughed often and befriended many.
Juanita credited her student years at University of Southern California as shaping her for a life of community service. She pledged Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and served on the student senate. Juanita was chairman of the USC Alumni Scholarship Committee in 1965 and has been an active participant ever since.
Juanita is survived by her four daughters and sons-in-law: Heather and Chris Rizzoli of Livermore; Heidi and Bruce Peart of Davis; Holly and Mark Morello of Brentwood; and Hilary Haugen of Pleasanton, who is engaged to be married in July 2007 to Jeffrey Dito of San Francisco.
Although she knew her cancer was terminal, she was determined to live to see her first grandchild born–and she did. Giovanni Sebastian Morello, son of Juanita’s youngest daughter Holly and her husband Mark Morello, was born Jan. 5 and was a frequent visitor to spend time with his grandmother during the last nine weeks of her life.
Other survivors include Juanita’s late husband’s sister and brother-in-law, Jeanne and Charles Bacon of Southern California, four nieces and many grand nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband of 29 years, Gilbert Haugen, who died in 1990.
Services are pending.
-
Her pride and joy for the last two months of her life, Pleasanton school board president Juanita Haugen, who died yesterday, holds Giovanni Sebastian Morello, her first grandchild who was born Jan. 5 to her youngest daughter Holly and her husband Mark Mor -
Juanita Haugen in 2005 with her daughters and sons-in-law (left to right) Heide Haugen-Peart, Chris and Heather Rizolli, Hilary Haugen and Holly and Mark Morello. Heidi’s husband, Bruce Pert, took the picture. -
Juanita Haugen celebrates her 68th birthday in Los Angeles with Dr. Willa Olsen. The two were sorority sisters in Alpha Omicron Pi at the University of Southern California. -
Flag flies at half-staff in front of Vintage Hills Elementary School in Juanita Haugen’s neighborhood. Schools are honoring their long-time school board member and president, who died Monday.
