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Photograph by Dai Sugano
Don Hand has been commuting to Milpitas for years, but his heart was in Los Gatos.
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Los Gatan with ties to LGHS is named assistant principal
By Jason Baker
Don Hand has spent approximately 1.7 years of his life in his car. A conservative estimate by his account, but a long stretch of time by any measure.
In 30 years commuting from the hills above Los Gatos to work in the Milpitas Unified School District, Hand saw the best and the worst of growth as it staked its foothold in the valley. He remembers Highway 237 when it was a two-lane road, kissed during high tide by the waters of the bay. He recalls falling asleep behind the wheel during an infamous 25-car pile-up, awaking with a start more than an hour later to find traffic still halted, with drivers drinking coffee and sharing newspapers from their cars.
And while he enjoyed his students and his career with Milpitas, Los Gatos remained Hand's home. His sons, Kyle and Nathan, both graduated from Los Gatos High School. He and Olivia, his wife of 33 years, are part of the community and the community is part of them. In which case, it's fair to say Hand's being named assistant principal at LGHS is a sort of homecoming.
"There are a lot of things I'm going to miss about Milpitas," he said, "It just that I love Los Gatos. It's like the fulfillment of a dream."
A muggy July afternoon finds Hand already hard at work, arranging his office, going through forms and learning the logistics of his new position. There are calls to make, names to learn and policies to formulate. But despite the new surroundings, Hand says, his goals as an administrator and educator remain the same.
"My job is to help teachers do whatever it takes to make these kids successful," he says. "I'm comfortable with opening my door and letting problems come through to me. I've seen a lot of things and I'm experienced in troubleshooting and dealing with the unexpected. I like to think I have an expertise in that area."
Having been a parent in the Los Gatos community gives Hand another insight into how the school functions.
"It's a tremendous leg up. I think I have a real picture of the collective expectations of the campus," he says. "Having been a parent, I already know many of the teachers. It's a great way to start a new relationship."
Hand also is aware that he steps into the spot formerly occupied by a student favorite, as administrators go. Some 300 students marched out of classes earlier this year when word spread that the then-assistant principal, Craig Heimbichner, might be reassigned to a teaching position, a move that would have amounted to a demotion and subsequent pay cut. Many students and community members showed up at a board meeting to voice concerns. Some students claimed Heimbichner was the only outlet for problems they experienced on campus.
Heimbichner did subsequently vacate his position, opting to remain with the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District as assistant principal of school safety and alternative programs.
Hand says he can fully understand students' connection with Heimbichner and the bond that forms between students and certain administrators.
"Whether we like it or not, we are not just authority figures. We also are role models," he says. "We are dealing with young people who are searching for identity. And during that time, the way people with power relate to you is a defining moment."
While authority figures always have the option of what Hand called "going to power," he thinks there are times when power isn't necessarily the best solution.
"My job is to help deal with what is getting in the way of a student's success," he says. "I don't control them. I may control some of the consequences, but I don't control the person.
"I hope that kids will walk out of my office thinking that I'm someone they can come back to in the future. I hope they'll come in voluntarily."
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
