Roper leaves a long-lasting legacy

Huntington Beach Union High School Supt. Susan Roper has the right

idea.

When Roper announced that she will retire in June after 15 years

with the district, having run the show during the last five, she

shared her philosophy about retiring.

“I think everyone should retire when they are young and healthy,”

she said.

Roper may not look or act her 67 years, but the knowledge and

wisdom she showed in her tenure as district superintendent betrayed

her age.

At the district, Roper came aboard at the tail end of a momentous

change in the district’s student population, which took a big dip in

the mid- to late 1980s and forced campuses to close. That was soon

followed by the recession of the early 1990s and cuts to programs and

classes.

Then, she took the helm.

In her short time as superintendent, Roper helped the district

develop a five-year strategic plan with precise goals and objectives

that should help an incoming superintendent weather the looming

budget crisis.

She fought for the school facility repair bond that voters failed

to pass, and yet still gained funds for the much-needed campus

improvements.

She has run the $100-million-a-year district as the business it

is, but has not failed to treat the 14,000 students, 5,000 adult

students and 1,200 employees as people.

Student test scores have, for the most part, shown consistent

improvement throughout the district under her direction, most notably

Ocean View High School, which has made remarkable gains in the last

several years.

Roper has established mentoring programs for students and

developed and maintained strong ties to the business community.

Parents, teachers and students are indebted to administrators like

Roper who never stop trying to make local schools the best they can

be. While she will be missed, we’d like to take this opportunity to

wish her all the best.