He's just a really normal person. And the last thing, Ken loves to laugh, loves to tell jokes and be funny, especially the last few years. Definitely much more, but learned some really funny, interesting things from him. So tonight, what I'm going to do is I'll go home. I planned on having a conversation with him and laugh with him because he made me promise that I would laugh when he passes. And it's not because he's gone, but because he's lived. So I invite you all to join me and laugh with him tonight. Finally, it's my turn to add something to the comments that people have been sharing today. I had seen Ken before, but I really connected with him in 2005 for the Dev Seniors conference. He needed help with technical the technologies for the conference and I helped him getting some powerpoints together and doing that and they did a program called the big threes that was about three artists and and Redmond.
These are all graduates of the school and a historical piece about these three men. But then we continued our bond over history. He was quite a historian. He wanted to write a book because he wanted to be memorialized the knowledge he had about our history. It's important that we have the accurate history of our school and our community recorded. This drama had been the first CSD student that I really felt a connection with. The history we had about this wasn't really enough because we knew that he went on to be very well [Music] known but his connection to CSD wasn't really well known. as as well known as he was. So, a couple of years ago, we decided to make a film about the extra. The fifth grade class and I worked together. That was what last spring we got it together and we were able to show Ken and he said, "That's great, but you know, I need to add a few things here and there." He cooked her this and we added what he wanted to put into the film.
It ended up being 35 minutes long. We saw him in the final version. We showed him the final version. We're going to debut in May 2025. That's our 175 year 65 year anniversary at this campus. So maybe you all can join us for that. This is just a clip and so it would be difficult to interpret the bits involved. So, I hope that little teaser entices you to come to our premier. More information will be going out next week. I feel so fortunate to have known Ken and to share our mutual passion of history. And I'm and I'm also glad to let you know that Ken has now the record has a new a new record previous record holder has been the Australian [Music] Thank you, K. We love you. A funny story about the Estrella. He was part of the Sierra. I was the only death person in the whole group there, but he was very wellliked.
When they went out on a hike though, they said, "He better take the rear position in the line as they hike because they knew that it was an area with rattlesnakes and they worried that he couldn't hear the rattle and he wanted they wanted him to stay behind and everybody else could look out for the snakes again for his safety." He said, "Okay, that's all well and good." But he ended up being the one to point out the rattlesnakes to all the hearing people in front of him. Hearing people didn't see them despite being able to hear. It was the death had to point out the rattlesnakes. So they end up putting him in the front of the line so the teachers do look out for their [Music] safety. It goes to that death people can do anything but hear. Our eyes more than compensate for what we don't hear.
And he was well known for his sharp eagle eyes. I also used to ride the ferry to get to school in San Francisco. And I witnessed the building of the Golden Gate Bridge rising up out of the fog. I saw it right there from the very beginning. Ken was just a great person and he lived an amazing life. I so appreciated the time he devoted to sharing his experiences and words of wisdom and I'm going to miss him. Oh, I love you. [Music] One position that our father often considered was the position of superintendent here at the school. It's a very important position for the school and for that community as well. When Clark broke that position, my father was immediately impressed with him and he found ways to connect with him and the two of them became really good friends. They're similar in many ways.
And dad really cherished the the time and the conversations he had with Clark about the school, about the philosophy that that Clark used to approach running the school. I'm very proud to introduce Clark. Okay. Now, why are you all here? Because Ken inspired you all, right? And how you inspired me. And I know standing here. I'll be speaking for many of the staff and teachers that work here. But I came in at 1998 as a math teacher. And he was a math teacher as well. And how I knew was he came up to me. He said, "There's a new math teacher." We talked to Ron Stern that was brought in the classroom and I learned that he would tend to visit the school. He retired in 90 even though I started working in 98. He'd still come to the school. He'd make time to meet with the new teachers to give words of wisdom of advice as you all had mentioned.
He'd come in and take pictures and wonder why he was doing that and learned that he was writing a book for the history of CSV. Now, one thing unique with our school here is the history. The history behind this school, Ken is one of the reasons as well. Thank you to the family for letting me speak today. You know those pictures of the superintendent? He worked for two of them, but he knows six of them. He knew six. I knew maybe three of them or no four now, but even prior to he had a long time here. He knows a lot about the history of the school here. And like I said, he was my special advisor. When I was superintendent, he'd come and have meetings with me or talk on the phone or we'd have lunch meetings and talk about the different issues about the buildings and how the state runs the school and the challenges of the school and and all the workarounds that we have to go through.
But after having those discussions, they really really bonded. He cherished CSD. Even though at over 90, CSD was number one. That remain true. His message never changed. His commitment to this school's future will always be there. And I'm going to mention two important parts of his contributions here during my leadership time. He always was very optimistic. Even knowing that there were challenges, he never talked negatively. Sometimes he would remind me to be positive. And without his advice, sometimes leadership is a challenge. It's not an easy job. But every time after talking to him, I feel positive. And the same goes for all of you and many of the staff that have worked here without an influence. The school would be around for a long time. He wanted this school to continue forever. He was a leader. He would be uh behind the scenes also be visible.
Now being visible is the museum. All right. Now at that time we had a plan to expand the museum by Dr. Bernick which is the prior superintendent to me. And then when I arrived in the fall of 2017, it was Ken and Mel who quickly came up to me and said, "All right, let's we got to update the museum." And I said, "Okay, hold on." I was brand new. It was my first year still learning the road. And then informing the state what I plan on doing in that area, we probably would have to get permission. So I thought, you know what? Let me try and work with the two of them. And they wanted to expand it, move it. And I was really thankful to Don Cer Trust who helped support that and funded that. Ken Norton Norton knew him as well. They also were behind that project.
We moved it to another room. There was actually a tab filing system that we added to a third room. Second room, we were able to expand it and there was an exhibit. Metal will open it from 4 to 5 this afternoon if you'd like to go see a little bit of Kim's touch. Prior to that, we had it. We were putting in everything. And then co hit. Kim couldn't come as much. So the museum committee would come in to work. We would talk on FaceTime and I'd show him and go home and then, you know, ask what he thought, come up with some ideas, if he had any ideas to make any changes. I wish he could have came, but then finally was able to come through the open house and he was inspired. It was a good podium for him. Yes. So behind the scenes, we had a community advisory council that meets monthly regarding different issues and one of them was for housing for staff.
Ken wanted a housing built for staff that this cost of living was rising. He toend meetings and he ended up building or bringing a real estate uh developer that would present and then wrote a letter to Sacramento many times sent letters. He probably didn't get many responses, but he still sent those letters. He was dedicated to see that housing be he built, even fundraised, like stated that he fundraised for the uh clock tower. Even to this day, like he was still trying to fund raise some money for housing and it went to Parod in hopes that that money would help build the houses for my wife and I was discussing this and realized that if Ken could live forever and wasn't probably he'd be standing here today talking about history and school. I was always impressed with his collection of the past. He was always very clear.
He wasn't never said, "Oh, I think or I don't remember." He would know the years, where, how, the why, the how. Incredibly impressive. I hope I can be like that when I get older. But he would bring really good information that would help me run the school and to continue to do inspiring work through his inspir in inspiration. We would meet up for lunch. And last year I was working and stopped by to see him at his apartment which is close by and brought him lunch and I stayed for 30 minutes and he's like no you got to stay for an hour. I'm like nobody work but sometimes uh I could go by in the evening my wife right during his picture we took her his house before he moved to the apartment we got to chat with him and we're always inspired by his words of wisdom.
I mean, I always thank him for everything that he has done for this school to support me, but really to support all of you, Ruby, so to speak. And that's how I see it. Now, you see the picture with the two metal sculptures. Uh, Cindy Martin, is Cindy here? No. Okay. Cindy was the one that came says, "You must recognize Ken. You've got to recognize him." That's okay. I was looking through policies and procedures that we had to have a screening committee had to have nominations whatnot and it was getting close to the time where it needed to be planned out. So I went to a conference and Trenton Marsh alumni I think graduated in about 88 or 91 class of 91 he actually drew that picture through the metal sculpture and I said okay I'm bidding. So I bid it. Another school bid it.
They bid. There were other biders going on. I said, "Trenton, he's alumni. He's got to go to CSD." So he's like, "Okay, fine." So we ended up winning that auction for the school. I reached out to Trenton and we hosted this event and just saw the beautiful sculpture and and Kim was shocked. That gift was from CSC to him for all of his work in the high school activity center and in the student life area. Also in the high school department, I want to say about three or four years ago, we started a Ken Morton Leadership Award. The first winner was Savon IKEA who's now a senior who will be graduating. Ken was inspired by that. He couldn't come, but we filmed it and then showed it to him and explained it to Ken and then introduced it to him through video. And we'll have another award given out this spring and we'll continue that.
I think you all have shared a lot of stories, so I'll go ahead and wrap it up. But I want to thank Ken for everything that he has done for the school and for all of you. Love you. Thank you. I quickly want to thank Amy Nati, the current superintendent of CSD, for permitting us to have this program here on a CSD campus. When she was selected as superintendent, Ken was just thrilled. Thrilled that he could live long enough to see a woman become the superintendent here. He knew that as a [Music] historian, the first leader of CS back in the 1860s was a woman, but that there was a huge gap until now. But he was thrilled to see a death woman in that leadership position. He hadn't known her, but he still reached out to her. word reach reached Amy that he was interested in talking to hers and she reached out to him.
I had the privilege of seeing their interaction and Amy was so generous with her time and showed nothing but respect for our father and we greatly appreciate that and we grew to understand why it was that Amy was the right choice to be [Music] superintendent. When he saw that he knew was leaving the school and right Oh, this picture as he mentioned I began in my superintendent role only one a little more than a year ago. So many of your stories I'm just now learning today. But his impact is great. I mean, he influenced me as well. I know you all known him for a long time and myself have known him briefly, but I got to know him during our conversation. Now, in my role, I was informed that someone had called and it was Ken. So, I arrived in my office and I saw a sticky note saying, "Please call Ken Norton." I said I asked my secretary Lisa.
He said, "What's this?" And he goes, "Oh yeah, he's already connected to the school." So, okay. I called and we just chatted for hours and hours here and there frequently. I mean, he loved to share different stories and I as the new superintendent appreciated very very much because I didn't have that historical knowledge and and he was he gave me the opportunity to learn the school through his eyes. [Music] The very first phone call we had, we were conversing and the one thing that really impacted me, he was asking me questions about who I am. So I was telling him a lot of things and we realized there were a lot of connections. I grew up in Minnesota and so he was talking about how who he knew specific people in Minnesota and we were making these connections even the age gap but we live in such a small community that we are able to connect in many different ways.
Now after that phone call we were getting ready to hang out. He said wait how can I support you? And I was blown away. I I mean that was probably my first leap in my job. like no one and I just felt like I know a lot of people are going to, you know, be there to support me. I know that. But for him to say, "How can I support you?" I was taken back. I mean, I felt like I knew from him that this is a really good community that's going to support me as I start my work. And it really shows who a true leader is. Wanting to support other leaders. often times he's just he's a clear example of a leader. I feel like now I want to become like him. I'm going to pursue that goal. [Music] You know, my job is a big job.
And I know sometimes he'd reach out and say, "I know you're busy." But he'd leave messages on my video phone. And it wouldn't be just one message. He'd leave several. He would say a few things and then after he wasn't he would be done, he'd be like, "Hey, wait. Make sure you look at that first message. That's what I'm calling you about now." So, I just realized that. So I'll see this call like four, five, six of them, but I know that they're all from Ken and he would talk about all the things that he was leaving in the messages. [Music] Ultimately, he really truly loved CS. His last message that was left on the message machine on my video phone will always stick with me. It was goodbye. He said, "I want to say goodbye to you, Amy, and to CSC." It was clear that he wanted to say goodbye.
And it wasn't to say goodbye, but that he would always watch over all of us. He'd watch over you and the CSB is what he said. So I know that he's here with us right now and he will always be around with us. He wants you to know that he is always looking over us. And it kind of feels like a full circle because like he knew like I knew I don't know how I knew but we were sitting there and a lot of you talked about him and how he talked about CSD and his students were number one and his heart was was for his students and that really impacted me because we recently just had CSD. We just had our school accreditation last week and we were fully recommended to be fully accredited and what they recommended was that our school is the very first thing is the students part that is number one and that was the very first thing that he's saying is obviously all of this work has been passed on and now we're seeing it continuing on to this day.