Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding citizen of California's 27th Congressional District, Mrs. Susan LaCombe. Mrs. LaCombe has served on the South Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education for nearly seventeen years and has been a positive force in my Congressional District for much longer.
Mrs. LaCombe began her journey with the South Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education in May of 1985, fresh from volunteer stints as PTA President at Arroyo Vista Elementary School and PTA Council President. When she was elected to the board, her five children were all attending South Pasadena public schools, one of whom now teaches at Eagle Rock Elementary School in Eagle Rock, California.
The consummate board member, Mrs. LaCombe has worked with fourteen board members and four superintendents during her tenure, serving as board President three times. Under her leadership, some of the board's finest accomplishments include the transition of the junior high to a middle school program eleven years ago, the formation and bonding of today's administrative team under Superintendent Adelson, and the passage of the bond measure, Measure L, in 1995.
Mrs. LaCombe is most proud of her efforts to build an excellent administrative and teaching team, establishing exceptional training programs for the teachers, and maintaining the commitment to excellence in academic programs, "so that families continue to seek out South Pasadena as a wonderful place to live and send their children to the public schools.''
The South Pasadena community she served for so long will truly miss her. At this time, I ask all Members to join me in extending congratulations to Mrs. LaCombe for her dedicated service to the South Pasadena community. I am sure that each person positively affected by Mrs. LaCombe's service will also join me in wishing her much joy in the years to come and thank her for her time, her energy, and her efforts.