Hart School District elected school board member and past president, Paul Strickland, has tendered his resignation from the school board, with plans to move out of state in May. Strickland also resigned from the City of Santa Clarita Arts Commission, where he has served since December 2009 and is the current chairman of the commission.

Since first elected to the school board in 2001, Strickland has overseen the building of several new schools and modernization of others, dealt with state budget cuts and helped shape the current state and county recognition as a high-performing district.  The Hart School District serves 23,000 students in grades 7-12 on 16 campuses in the Santa Clarita Valley. Strickland, along with the other four board members, was instrumental in bringing the sport of lacrosse to the District starting this year, for which he is very enthusiastic.

Prior to serving on the Hart School District board, Strickland was an elected trustee for the Sulphur Springs School District.

Strickland has dedicated his personal life and professional career to arts and education. His interest in contributing toward making sure that the City of Santa Clarita is a great place to live, work, play and attend school is evident in all he has touched in more than 30 years residing in the SCV. Strickland’s community service includes involvement in the Hart District’s Measure V and SA bond committees, being a member of the Santa Clarita Open Space Commission, advocate against the Cemex mine and co-chair of the Hart District committee on diversity to name a few.

Strickland is a longtime advocate for the arts and has acted in productions at the Canyon Theatre Guild and the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons.

He has written many political columns for the Signal, having previously served as the Santa Clarita Field Representative for Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, and currently hosts “Friday Matinee” on KHTS AM-1220 radio and SCVTV.

“Strickland has been a tireless advocate for our school district, students and staff and a true servant of the community in many regards,” Rob Challinor, superintendent, said. “The District and the community are losing a hard-working, dedicated community advocate and he will be missed. We wish him all the best, along with his wife Robin, as they embark on a new adventure.”

The Hart School Board will consider options that are statutorily provided for replacing a board member at the regularly scheduled May 15, 2013 board meeting.