Serop before beginning his college career at GCC.
"[Van Patten] called me after Kirt stepped down," said Jilizian,
who graduated from the University of California at Davis. "He
suggested that I apply for the job. Then came my interview and they
told me they didn't have any teaching positions available.
"But I said it would be fine to coach basketball. I have some big
shoes to fill, and it's still Kirt's team until I put my own stamp on
it."
PART OF THE JOB
Coaches heed job security. The more the better.
Ted Grissom applied for the La Canada High girls' volleyball
coaching job in early May.
The 36-year-old Grissom, who coached the Spartans in 1998 before
becoming an assistant under Kevin Boyke in 1999, was a part-time
physical education teacher for the school's junior high during the
second semester. Grissom caught a break when Mia Wilson, who coached
the program last season, resigned to pursue other career
opportunities.
With a vacancy sign posted, Grissom jumped at the chance to regain
his old coaching job on the condition he'd become a full-time
teacher, along with the responsibilities of coaching volleyball.
The La Canada Unified School District agreed to accommodate
Grissom, who was hired June 6.
"They wanted to keep me," said Grissom, who coached the Crescenta
Valley High girls' volleyball team from 1994-96 and the Aliso Niguel
boys' squad last season. "And I told [Principal] Mike Leininger and
[Athletic Director] Randy Boal that I needed a full-time job.
"They explained to me that they would prefer to go with an
on-campus coach. Maybe this turned out to be a special circumstance.
At first, I didn't know if I would get a full-time job, and I knew I
didn't want to be a walk-on coach."
Boal, who has been the school's athletic director since 1993, said
Grissom was one of several candidates to apply for the job.
Boal said there's an agreement between the La Canada Teachers'
Assn. and the La Canada Unified School District for all certificated
staff members, which include all extra-duty and extra-pay positions.
In the ongoing contract, there's a section regarding extra-duty and
extra-pay positions that fall under subcategories in class sponsors,
coaches, drill team advisor, yearbook advisor and more.
As part of the California Education Code, every school district in
the state must abide by it. The code states that any of these
extra-duty, extra-pay coaching positions must first be made available
to full-time employees, Boal said.
There have been replies from on-campus teachers.
