50 years of rain and shine

Marisa O’Neil

Former principal John Dean remembers when Harbor View Elementary

School had twice as many students and was surrounded by empty fields

that were home to lively wildlife.

“I came down here one night when I forgot something,” he recalled.

“There was a bright, full moon. I looked off to my left and there was

a skunk up on its hind legs, dancing in the moonlight.”

Dean along with former and current teachers, students and family

members gathered at the school Thursday to celebrate its 50th

anniversary and go through an open house that showed off its recent

improvements.

When Dean took over the school, three years after it opened,

skunks and even the occasional mountain lion made surprise visits.

Now surrounded by multimillion-dollar homes, the school has a

renovated entrance, revamped classrooms and a brand new wall with 200

tiles painted by students, parents and teachers. Tiffany Silverstein,

9, jumped with joy when she found her tile on the wall. She proudly

pointed it out to her father.

“It says: ‘Rain or shine,’ because [the school is] turning 50 no

matter if it rains or shines,” she explained. “There’s grass because

we have grass here, there’s the sun because it’s usually sunny and a

rainbow because sometimes it rains.”

The wall, named in a student contest, is titled: “Forever Young.”

“I love ‘Forever Young,’” said former teacher Linda Wawra, who

retired last year after 32 years at the school. “That’s how we are.

It’s wonderful to see all our old cronies.”

Between them, the 10 or 15 “cronies” have at least 300 years of

teaching experience at Harbor View, Wawra figured. Most of them

taught at the school at least 30 years.

Wawra and fellow longtime teacher Penny Norton, who retired the

same year, still come back and volunteer their time. Both have

children who also attended the school.

“This was like a family to us,” Wawra said. “This was home.”

Thursday’s anniversary celebration included an open house for

alumni and parents to see the school’s recent improvements. After

unexpected problems and delays during its renovation -- part of the

bond-funded, multi-school improvement Measure A plan -- the school is

nearing completion.

For some, like former teacher June Donovan, it was the first time

back at the school for many years.

“It’s nostalgic and wonderful and delightful to see all the young

people and progress the school has made,” Donovan said.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.