RUSD Leaders Take a Stroll Down 'Memory Lane'
By Tracy Rolling

Summer is the season of long days, outdoor activities and smoother commutes, but nothing shouts "summer is here" like the end of a school year.

Just for fun, we asked some local school leaders about their fondest childhood memories, things they did over their summer breaks that were unforgettable.

Here's what they had to say…

Pete Schiff, Ramona Unified School District (RUSD) superintendent, shares that while he has fond memories of family road trips, some of his more vivid memories are of playing basketball in the driveway of his Palos Verdes home with neighborhood kids, his two brothers and his dad.

Schiff adds that most of his summers consisted of playing organized baseball, from the typical Little League experiences through participation on a traveling team. Baseball was a family affair and his summer activities revolved around a promising season.

Shelagh Appleman is the principal at Barnett Elementary School. She said, "Summers for me consisted of climbing trees, running barefoot until the bottoms of my feet were stained green, staying out until the street lights went on, and ending up so tan my grandmother would try to scrub it off thinking my knees and elbows were dirty."

Appleman grew up in the Midwest near several open fields and one summer some of the local kids organized a summer "Olympics," complete with medals and awards. Appleman boasts, "The majority of the children around our house were boys and it was great fun to bring home every gold medal (except one). I loved that summer."

Principal Carol Tennebaum of Hanson Elementary, says that every summer in her San Diego neighborhood meant a new season of "Kick the Can." Equally, she enjoyed playing hide-n-seek with about 25 neighborhood kids on a daily basis. They would wait until late afternoon, when it cooled down, and play until it got dark (or until their moms started calling them in!). Tennebaum says, "It was great fun trying to find that perfect hiding place!"

Paige Schwartz, principal of James Dukes Elementary, summarizes her three all-time favorite memories of growing up in Scripps Ranch. First, there were the root beer floats, which she was recently reminded of when a student brought them in to school. Second, was the hide-n-seek game she would play with neighborhood friends until her 9 p.m. curfew. And, finally, Schwartz enjoyed camping in the backyard with her family. She reveals it's something she continues to enjoy today with her own children.

Principal Theresa Grace of Mt. Woodson Elementary says her fondest childhood summer memories include going to the beach and going to the Del Mar Fair, where she stayed for a week and showed her animals as part of the 4H program.She also enjoyed riding her bike alongside her friends to "Tammie's house," a favorite destination because Tammie had a big swimming pool.

Phyllis Munoz, principal of Ramona Elementary shares, "My Dad was in the Navy and we moved a lot when I was a kid. I was lucky enough to live in several parts of the United States and in the Philippines. One time when we lived in the Philippines, I received a three-speed hand brake bike for my birthday. I never learned how to brake so the only way I could stop was by running into walls.Years later, that's how I stopped the motor scooter a friend was teaching me to drive." Munoz confesses her kids really like hearing this story.

Principal Ellen Burgess of Ramona Community School, recalls growing up in Kentucky and traveling with her family to a private lake in Northern Michigan. Burgess says, "I remember my dad taking me out on the lake in a tiny wooden boat. We would drop anchor over a "crib" where a lot of small fish swam. My dad would bait my hook and I would throw it into the water. Immediately there would be a tug on the fishing line, and a small fish would be on the end of my line. It seemed I could catch fish faster than my dad could take them off the hook and re-bait the line. In the process of about 15 minutes, I caught 35 fish! At 6 years old, I thought I was a champion fisherman."

Linda Solis, Principal of Olive Peirce Middle School, grew up the daughter of an Air Force pilot. She remembers moving around the world during her summer breaks and shares that she moved 36 times between grades K-12. Solis recollects that one summer she and her brother attended an International Ranger Camp in Lugano, Switzerland. "Even though we were the only two Americans who attended that summer, it didn't stop us from waving our American flags and doing the "Hokey Pokey" on that Fourth of July. Solis is proud to have traveled the world making friends from countries like Italy, France, Germany and Portugal, just to name a few.

Gary Tiegs is the principal of Montecito High School. His fondest childhood memories were the summers he spent camping with his family in the California Redwoods. Fishing, hiking, stories by the fire, "it was such a special time and something I always looked forward to," said Teigs, who still enjoys the great outdoors.

Principal Tony Newman of Ramona High School shares, "My best memories include sleeping in late, trips to the beach and road trips across the United States. I still look forward to the same three things even now that I'm a school administrator!"

Our community leaders were brave enough to share with us, how about you? We would love to hear your favorite childhood summer memory so please send in 10 sentences or less to: news@ramonajournal.com or by mail to 709 D St., Suite 201, Ramona, CA, 92065.