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Kathleen Hawing named SVHS vice principal

Kathleen Hawing, the popular and hard-working head of the Sonoma Valley High School’s busy College & Career Center, was named the school’s new vice principal/academic coordinator, replacing retired vice principal Kathy Summers. The appointment is pending board approval at the Oct. 9 Sonoma Valley Unified School District board of trustees meeting.

Hawing has been a teacher for more than 25 years. Between 1985 and 1996, she taught elementary grades K, 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Lennox School District, the Ventura Unified School District; and Spanish at Ventura Community College. She also served as the bilingual teacher specialist for the Ventura Unified School District.

She came to Sonoma in 1997, and her first assignment was as a bilingual fourth grade teacher. She was then the site Title VII Coordinator for the Dual Immersion Program at Flowery. Hawing moved to the high school in 2003 to teach Spanish. She has also served on site council and the school reform design team.

Most recently, she has worked closely with hundreds of students every year as the school’s work experience teacher and the College & Career Center coordinator.

Hawing joins vice principals Paul Tuohy and Andrew Ryan, and [rincipal Dino Battaglini, on Sonoma Valley High’s administrative team. In her new role, she will provide academic support and guidance to students, staff and parents, as well as collaborate with staff and students around the school’s focus on maintaining a safe and secure campus for all students while preparing them to be both college and career ready upon graduation.

Battaglini said, “Kathleen’s experience, knowledge, expertise, bilingual skills and incredible work ethic will make her an invaluable addition to our administrative team and the Sonoma High community.”

Superintendent Louann Carlomagno added, “Kathleen has always been and will continue to be an advocate for all SVHS students. My own daughter directly benefited from Kathleen’s support, as have hundreds of students in the Valley. She is a role model and an exemplary educator.”

Hawing earned bachelor of arts degree in economics and in Latin American studies at UCLA. She also received a master of arts degree in Latin American studies from UCLA and spent two years studying abroad in Mexico and Brazil. She possesses a multiple subject bilingual/cross cultural emphasis teaching credential; single subject Spanish and economics teaching credentials; and an administrative services credential.

Hawing’s husband, Camerino Hawing, served on the SVUSD board of trustees for seven years and continues to be active in district and community activities in support of Sonoma youth. He resigned over the summer because his wife’s application for the vice principal position could not be considered if he was a sitting board member, due to state regulations.

Hawing said she is excited for her new position, explaining, “I look forward to working with the administrative team to support students, staff and the SVHS community as we work toward helping all students to be both college and career ready upon graduation. I am thrilled with the opportunity to be at Sonoma Valley High School as I continue my career in my new role.”

Hawing will be sorely missed in the College & Career Center as she is widely credited with expanding the office’s programs and offerings. She offered assurances, however, that the office would continue to be able to provide the critical support students require during the current college application season.

Hawing said, “We have already set in place all of our regular programming and support systems to be able to offer the same level of services in the College & Career Center during this transition period. Support staff, counselors and administration will continue to work together, with assistance from outside agencies and volunteers.”

The district has announced that it will be posting a certificated position for the new College & Career Center Coordinator.