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Updated May 3rd, 2007
Donna Robinson Celebrates
Two Decades As School Principal
 Paradise Canyon Elementary Principal Donna Robinson has the
charm to make students smile.
By CHRISTINA HAMLETT
LCF Outlook
Donna Robinson, principal of
Paradise Canyon Elementary, saw
her destiny written on a chalkboard
when she was just a little girl.
“I always wanted to be a
teacher,” Robinson begins her story.
“I stayed after school as a child to
help the teachers clean up the room
or prepare for the next day. When I
was in the eighth grade, a principal
named Mr. Fickewirth talked to me
about eventually becoming a principal.
Many years later, I was the principal
for his granddaughter!”
Her career as an educator began as a kindergarten teacher in 1970.
From there, she went on to teach first,
sixth, seventh and eighth grades. The
job of full-time assistant principal,
followed by that of principal at
schools in El Monte, groomed her
well for the exciting possibilities that
awaited in her family’s relocation to
La Cañada Flintridge. At the end of
this year, she will celebrate her 22nd
anniversary as a school principal,
seven of which have been at PCY.
“I have learned so much during
these years as a principal. I am so
grateful that I get to work at a job that
not only really counts but one that is
also so enjoyable and rewarding. I
love this job, my students, my staff
and my parents. They make my job
meaningful.”
She enthusiastically defines PCY
as the “perfect” school. “It is a
school where the staff, parents and
students feel like a team. It is a place
where creativity thrives and where
diligence is rewarded. It is a place
where mercy and kindness abound. It
is a place where children are nurtured
yet challenged. It is a place where the
principal gives and receives hugs.”
Enrichment programs — available
at all LCUSD sites -– are a cornerstone
of what she believes makes
neighborhood schools such as PCY
so special. “The Educational
Foundation and the PTA support
many programs such as Spanish, art,
music and drama. At PCY we have a
program called Junior Great Books,
which involves parents leading discussion
groups on literature. Our students
become very good at verbal
expression because of this program.
We also have a program where sixthgrade
students become buddies of
kindergarten students. The sixthgrade
students each have a kinder
buddy whom they help with various
projects during the year. This year
we began two choruses, one for the
younger students and one for the students
in grades four through six.”
She cites small class sizes as beneficial
to ensuring each child
receives enough attention. “In grades
K through three, we have class sizes
of 20 with one teacher. In grades four
through six, we have about 31 students
to one teacher.”
Parental involvement, she adds,
is a welcome and much appreciated
bonus. “One of our PTA positions is
charged with signing up parent volunteers
to assist with small groups
and individuals. Our volunteers help
prepare for special projects in the
class, read aloud, and talk about their
jobs. We also have a lot of JPL parents
who help teach science.”
She pauses to reflect on the
changes that technology has
brought to the 21st century classroom.
“It has definitely made the
teachers’ jobs easier by giving them
the capability of producing written
work faster and more effectively.
The invention of e-mail has made
communication easier, too, but has
also burdened all of us with a constant
flow of messages! Media in
general has made information so
available that we put pressure on
ourselves to know more. Just like our
students — who have become very
good at researching — we enjoy
learning and creating as a result of
what we’ve picked up from the
Internet.”
Like any good teacher, Robinson
delights in the simple wisdom the
younger generation has to offer on
how to get the most out of life. Among
her favorites: “Take joy in learning
new things. When in doubt, smile and
try to look cute. Work hard. Listen to
your teacher. Play hard at recess. Be
honest and fair. Do your homework.”
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