Donald LaPlante retires from Downey school board

Contributed by the Downey Unified School District

DOWNEY — Donald LaPlante retired this week after 41 years of service to the students, staff and families of Downey Unified. 

This notable moment should have occurred in a venue where LaPlante would have been surrounded by family and those who impacted his career. Yet, due to the pandemic, this once lively ceremony had to be transitioned to a virtual platform where those important to him shared their thoughts and well-wishes via video.

Beginning his career as a Board of Education member in 1979, LaPlante didn’t start his journey in Downey as an elected official. He began as a Downey Unified student, attending Old River Elementary School, albeit not the Old River that you see today located on Old River School Road. He attended the original Old River Elementary School that was located on Quill Drive, which closed in 1962. 

The original Old River Elementary School, which closed in 1962. (Photo courtesy DUSD)

Another school that LaPlante attended that has also closed, is Meadow Park Elementary School. After attending Meadow Park Elementary, he moved on to West Middle School (now Stauffer Middle School) and then graduated from Warren High School in 1972. 

After graduating from Downey Unified, LaPlante found his passion in education where he graduated from USC and ultimately received his Masters in Educational Leadership at Point Loma University.  As a professional, LaPlante taught middle school English and History at Northview Intermediate School in the Duarte Unified School District. He also served as the president of Duarte’s teachers union, providing him a vast knowledge and background of the hands-on aspect of being a teacher. 

One of the longest serving members on a school board in the state of California, LaPlante faced a challenge during his first term that not many other Board members would ever have to face in their careers… to close one of the schools that he attended in his childhood.  “The first recommendation I received from Superintendent Manuel Gallegos was that it is time to close Meadow Park Elementary. That was fun,” LaPlante jokingly shared.  Meadow Park Elementary School closed in June of 1981.

During his 41 years on the Board, LaPlante has witnessed a lot of change, both within the school district and in the City of Downey.  This not only included the opening and closing of schools, but the ups and downs in student population. “We have gone from a having a school district in 1979 that was about 12,000 students and the demographers projected us going down to 8,000, although it didn’t,” stated LaPlante. “We have now gotten back up to the same 22,000 students we had when I was a student at the beginning of the 60’s and I’m proud that we have been able to accommodate all of that student growth.”

LaPlante goes on to share his satisfaction of the work done by all members of the Board (both past and present) and the countless district staff that have led the district forward. The changes in funding, the shifts in demographic makeup and the continuous development in technology would have been enough to alter the level of education provided to students in any other school district; however, LaPlante believes that Downey Unified shifted and grew with these changes and is a better school district because of it.

“I think the biggest accomplishment that Downey Unified has had is that we’ve been able to keep the academic standards of the school district strong throughout these various changes, all while updating our program offerings to reflect the change of the times,” LaPlante began to explain. “We have continuously raised our high school graduation rates and we are providing all of our students the opportunity to attend college or learn the skills needed to begin a career once they graduate.”

Similar to his fellow retiring Board member Tod Corrin, LaPlante goes on to describe the advancements in Downey Unified’s Career Technical Education (CTE) programs that have shifted for the benefit of students. “We’ve gone from offering woodshop and metal shop, to offering industry specific rigorous CTE programs because that’s what the world needs now.”

Since day one, leading the district in a progressive direction with students being the first priority has always been LaPlante’s main goal. “I ran to change the direction of the school district,” shared LaPlante. “And I am proud that we were able to do that. Along with being elected with Mrs. [Margo] Hoffer and serving with Mrs. [Betty] Kilpatrick and Mrs. [Grace] Horney, we were able to change the direction of the school district to be more focused on the needs of the students.”

A student spends approximately 13 years within a school district from the day they first enroll in Kindergarten to the day they receive their high school diploma.  Serving on the Board for as long as LaPlante has, he has seen almost four generations of students move through their educational lifespan in Downey Unified. “After you’ve been on the Board for about 12 years, you realize you are one of the people that is totally responsible for how their education has been… if they spent their whole time within the district,” said LaPlante.

Accounting for students who stay within Downey Unified from Kindergarten through 12th grade, and those who transfer in and out of the district at various times, well over 100,000 different students’ lives have been affected in some way by Board member LaPlante. “You can blame me, or thank me, one of the two. But I can’t say, ‘oh it was some other people who were responsible for your experience.’”

LaPlante has served as president seven times, has work with 18 various Board members and has partnered with four superintendents in his 41 years as a member of the school board.  To many, that may seem like a large number; however, school districts tend to have double that many Board members and superintendents in half the time.  LaPlante credits this as what makes Downey Unified something special. “The great continuity of administration and Board members has allowed the district to focus on what’s important; students, faculty and educational programs… not other side issues.”

Always wanting to be knowledgeable in multiple facets to both represent Downey Unified as well as bring back “lessons learned” to help move the district forward, LaPlante served as the President of the Los Angeles County School Trustees Association for two years and was a member of the Delegate Assembly for the California School Board Association for 25 years and serving as the Regional Director for the last eight years.

Not wanting to lose touch with his deep roots in education, LaPlante was elected to the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization in November and will continue his involvement with local school districts and the county office of education for years to come.

He closed wanting to share some thoughts with his fellow educators and the Downey Unified families amid these challenging times:

“Keep up the good fight.  The children need you. They need your best efforts to help properly fund their education, to provide them the best teachers, the best facilities, and our best efforts to make sure every student has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.”

“As we come out of this pandemic in the 2021-2022 school year, the landscape will have changed and everyone will need your best efforts to navigate the new world, but more importantly take the opportunity to take advantage of the way things can be improved amid the change.  Be bold, decisive and make sure we are all doing what is needed to help students not only regain what they lost during this time, but to bring them along even farther.”

“To our families, thank you for the opportunity I have been given to serve your children over my years on the Board.  God bless all of you and may you and your families stay healthy and safe.”