The Coast News, June 14, 2013

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A8 THE COAST NEWS JUNE 14, 2013 Teacher steps down after four decades By Rachel Stine CARLSBAD — Thomas “TR” Robertson will be leaving a legacy behind at Carlsbad High School when he retires at the end of this school year. Students and staff know him by the movie posters strewn across his classroom walls, his hundreds of ties, his easygoing chuckle and his curled mustache. And he has had plenty of time to leave his mark. Robertson has been teaching at Carlsbad High School for the past 44 years. “He’s a great teacher, and he’s fun to be around, and he is Carlsbad High School,” said senior Emma Rudolph. Replying to her praise, Robertson laughed, “I’m old.” Robertson began as a student teacher at Carlsbad High School in 1968, and was hired on fully the following year. He has taught multiple generations of students from the same Carlsbad families and has had students, that in later years, have returned to Carlsbad High School to teach or coach. “I just did weird stuff here and (the administration) liked it,” he said of his year of student teaching. “I taught poetry classes at lunchtime, analyzing the poetry of the day because most of it was peace and love and freedom and antiwar...I offered (the classes) to the students in the library and packed the house with it. And so (the administration) thought it was pretty strange and creative, so they ended up offering me a job.” And with the exception of when he was drafted from 1971-73 to serve in the Navy during the Vietnam War, Robertson has taught ever since. Throughout his career, Robertson has taught English classes, advised the school newspaper, and served as athletic director. His domain has been ASB and yearbook for the past 38 years, and in recent years he has also taught sociology. He said his favorite part of every year is the first pep rally and home football game because of all of the excitement that comes with it. Though he counts bringing airbands and Lancer Day, the school’s homecoming celebration, as his top accomplishments. He designed airbands, a competition where students lip synch and perform popular songs, in 1983 and initiated the first competition Thomas "TR" Robertson helps senior Jared Morr with some make up work less than two weeks before the school year ends and Robertson retires. He’s been teaching at Carlsbad High School since 1968. Photo by Rachel Stine Eager to engage students, Robertson wore costumes on occasion throughout his 44-year teaching career at Carlsbad High School. Photo from the Carlsbad High School 1976 yearbook between Carlsbad High School and El Camino High School. Airbands became so popular, “Before you knew it, we were being sponsored by Pepsi Cola and other people, and we were holding the finals down in the Rimac Center in front of about 6,000 people,” he said. As for the school’s homecoming celebration, Robertson has helped develop it into a full day community event. Lancer Day consists of a half-day of classes, followed by a school assembly elaborately decorated according to the year’s homecoming theme, a parade with floats representing schools and clubs throughout the city, a huge halftime dance performance during the football game, and the dance the next day. “We’re the only school in the state of California that does this,” he pointed out. But at 67 years old, Robertson said he is getting worn out by the big school events and teaching full time. “The only reason I’m retiring is I’m getting a bit tired,” he said. “I feel good about it, I’m sad. But it’s time. I’m ready to slow down a bit and do some other things.” He said he looks forward to traveling with his wife and playing more with his two dogs. Plus, he is excited about new leadership taking over his classes and bringing in new technology to enhance school events. Furthermore, he said he will have more than enough reason to visit the school because one of his sons, Chris Robertson, will continue teaching history at Carlsbad High School. He said that he will of course miss his students and all that they have taught him, including patience. “I think you achieve by working hard. So a lot of times students can get a little lazy, and so I’m constantly on them on working and doing and striving and things like that,” he said. “But they’ve taught me that they’re kids, that they’re going to make mistakes and that they’re going to have great accomplishments some days and other days it’s just going to be in the toilet. But they also taught me just how incredibly creative they can be.” And as 44 years of teaching at Carlsbad High comes to an end, he said that he never regrets pursuing other career paths. “I just knew I wanted to teach and that’s all I ever wanted to know. Never wanted to do anything but that.” Oceanside has looked at establishing a continuous quiet zone along its five coastal rail crossings since 2006. The city is working with Amtrak and SANDAG to make rail improvements in preparation for future quiet zones. Photo by Promise Yee Oceanside on track to establish future rail quiet zones By Promise Yee OCEANSIDE — NCTD presented plans to conduct a coastal corridor study to establish a continuous quiet zone along North County rail lines at the City Council meeting June 5 at the request of Councilman Gary Felien. NCTD invited Oceanside to buy into the study. Quiet zones establish upgraded railroad crossing safety measures to warn vehicles and pedestrians that a train is approaching without the train sounding its horn. Currently there are 44 train trips chugging down the coastal rails a day. By 2030 there will be an estimated 76 trips a day and a horn blast at every crossing that is not a quiet zone. The idea of establishing quiet zones is welcomed by Oceanside, however, the city has already taken initial steps to establish a continuous quiet zone along its five coastal rail crossings. “We’ve been looking at quiet zones for some time,” Councilwoman Esther Sanchez said. Oceanside funded a diagnostic study in 2006 and another one in 2007 to look into establishing quiet zones. “The study would be covering what we have already done,” Scott Smith, city engineer, said. “I don’t know how beneficial it will be since there’s no money to go along with that study.” The studies previously conducted by Oceanside conclude that the Federal Railroad Administration would likely OK a continuous quiet zone through Oceanside if safety, environmental and maintenance criteria were met. The project is currently on hold due to lack of funding. The idea of establishing an assessment district to fund initial costs of creating a quiet zone was turned down by property owners in 2009. In the meantime the city is working with Amtrak and SANDAG as opportunities arise to make rail improvements in preparation to establish future quiet zones. “We’re incrementally addressing these crossings,” Smith said. “We have encouraged them to help supply the safety measures. We’re actually getting close.” Next steps will be to secure funding to outfit quiet zone crossings and reach a memo of understanding with NCTD on crossings design and maintenance. Felien said he was not aware of what the city had already done toward establishing quiet zones and thought the information presented by NCTD might be relevant. “It may not be necessary for us to participate in the study if we’re that far along,” Felien said. “I’m excited we’re a lot farther along than I was aware of.” “The main issue is to move ahead,” Felien added. “The key is to get as much outside funding as possible.”
JUNE 14, 2013 THE COAST NEWS Please join your Encinitas Neighbors and Community Leaders and Vote ... YES on PROP A LEUCADIA Sheila and Don Cameron - fmr. Encinitas Mayor/Engineer Dolores Welty - ret. Educator Doug Fiske - fmr. Editor "Surfing Magazine"-- Steve & Sheila Locko - Investment Manager Dennis Holz - Attorney & frm. Mayor of Encinitas Dennis and Karen Kaden - Medical Instrument Sales “ When we incorporated this City, we did not intend 27 years later to have it trashed by the developers and special interests who now oppose Proposition A. Vote YES on A! ” — ORIGINAL INCORPORATION MEMBERS: BOB BONDE, PAM SLATER-PRICE, ROBERT ANDERSON, GAIL HANO AND JOHN ELDON Frank Dennison - Attorney Janet and Stan Neill - Home Designers & ret. Teacher Joan and David Hershkowitz - Environmental activists Ron and Nicola Ranson - ret. UCSD Professor; Filmmaker & Yak Wrangler Keith Harold - Accountant Susan Turney - Communications Manager Karen Young - Leucadia resident Marty, Chriss Brumfield - General Contractor Robert Anderson - Communications Consultant Stewart Walton - long time Leucadia resident Robert MacFarlane - Attorney, Mediator Becky Cohen - Photographer Richard and Wendy Horowitz - Gallery Owner/Educator Dr. John Eldon - Engineer Lance Dickes - Architect Mary Fleener - Artist Fred Caldwell - Businessman, Artist, Co-Founder Leucadia 101 Mainstreet Assoc. Bob Aronin - Marketing Director Kathleen Lindemann - ret. Teacher Dean Turney - Aerospace Engr. & Officer in Camellia and Begonia Societies Elizabeth Gilpin - Resident David Smith - Fire Fighter, Engineer, EMT CARDIFF Bob Bonde - Father of Encinitas Brad Roth - Engineer & Founder Cottonwood Creek Conservancy Jerry Peters - Realtor Marie Dardarian - Educator Dr. Dietmar Rothe - Research Scientist Peter Stern - Attorney Janet and Bill Goff - long time Cardiff Residents Andrew Audet - Manager, SeedLab Managing Partners Susan Willhoit - long time Cardiff resident/Animal Rights Advocate Jon and Nance Robertson - Teacher/Fitness Trainer Elena Pitt - Resident Gerald Sodomka - Agricultural Consultant Bob Holt - Cardiff Tennis Association Debra Taramasco - Downtown Merchant Dennis Cole - ret. Sheriff's Captain Susan Schein - Businesswoman Jane Schmauss - Surf Museum Founder HISTORIC ENCINITAS Gail Hano - frm. Encinitas Planning Commissioner and Mayor Gina Kouma-Renteria - Encinitas resident Paul Kouma - Encinitas resident Laurie Michaels - Downtown Merchant Harry Couglar - Investment Manager Carolyn Cope - Community Activist & Business Owner Dr. Bernard Minster - Professor of Geophysics C.J. Minster - Sr. Instructional Designer Jim & Linda Hornung - owners First Street Gallery Bert & Tonna Swaim - Third Generation Encinitas family Jim Kydd - Coast News Publisher Sandy Boss - longtime Resident Ian Thompson - Businessman & husband of Maggie Houlihan OLIVENHAIN Bruce and Beth Ehlers - frm. Planning Comm. & V.P. Olivenhain Town Council Bill and Marguerite Butler - Olivenhain residents Mark and Ellen Bramson - Olivenhain residents Robert Campbell - frm. Senior Commissioner Molly Olbertz - Olivenhain resident Nancy Sorro - Olivenhain resident Mr. & Mrs. Lou Obertries Dr. Daniel and Julie Graboi - Engineer/Teacher Richard Porritt - President & CEO of DR Systems Tinker Mills - parts distribution driver Valerie Thorpe - Olivenhain resident Karen Haubrich - Attorney “ On March 27 City Staff told Council Members that remodels and additions are NOT affected by Prop A, nor are election costs, but council and developers continue to Lie. ” — SHEILA S. CAMERON, FORMER MAYOR OF ENCINITAS Dr. Rob Wilder - UCSD Adj. Professor, Environmental Sciences Bob and MaryJo Nortman - longtime Olivenhain residents Ellie Troester - Olivenhain resident Babs and Hal DeMasters - Olivenhain Residents/Trails members Forrest Rose - Olivenhain resident Mr. & Mrs. William Grant Wheatley, Jr. - Olivenhain residents Fred Frumin, M.D. NEW ENCINITAS Olivier Canler - Chief Financial Officer Virendra Mohan Sood - Engineer JoAnn Hoffman - Business Owner Jeff Ryan - Owner/Operator/Graphic Designer, Graphics Under Pressure Denise Keough-Udrasols - Homemaker & Community Volunteer Yuriko Spiess - M. D. & Ph.d. Psychotherapist Denise Martin - Homemaker, Girl Scout Leader Linda Arth - Grimes Mortgage Broker Cheri Sheridan - Marketing & PR specialist Usha Dhupa - Poet/Writer Duff Pickering - resident New Encinitas Deana Ryan - Biotech QA Manager Jill and Paul Hacker - Retired Linda Durham - frm. Teacher Mark Gensler - Business Manager Ben Laubbacher - Home Builder Tim and Diana Campion - Retired Teri McFarland - Realtor Druv Dhupa, M.D. Ronnie Steinau - Animal Rights Activist Isabella Breasted - Photography Artist Chitra Saxena - Realtor Jugesh Saxena - Engineer Michael Grimes - Home Inspector Usha Singhal - Ret. Lab Technician Joachin Spiess, M.D. & Ph.D. Neuroscientist Bryn Hamson - Homemaker & Girl Scout leader Jane Cartmill - President, Animal Advocates Bryan Ziegler - Sr. Deputy County Counsel VOTE YES on Prop A - Tuesday, June 18th “the Right to Vote Initiative” YOUR VOICE - YOUR VOTE www.EncinitasRightToVote.com Political Advertisement Paid for by the Encinitas Project - Committee for Proposition A “ There is no basis for the claim that the California Coastal Commission will need to certify or delay the effective date of Proposition A. I can’t recall a single case where a proposition was ever brought to the Coastal Commission for Review. ” — SARA WAN, 15 YEAR MEMBER OF THE COASTAL COMMISSION AND FORMER CHAIR A9
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The Coast News, June 14, 2013

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