Lifelong Learner
Mentor, Educator, Leader: The Legacy of Charlie Menoher…
Being an educator isn’t just a profession. It’s a mindset, a state of being, a passion and a lifelong commitment to building a strong, secure future for every student you encounter, long after that school bell rings. But being an educator isn’t just about being a strong teacher. It’s about being a strong student, too. While Charlie Menoher learned a lot being a classroom teacher in the Bay Area for six years, the bulk of his learning came from watching other teachers as a school administrator.
The Anderson High School and Shasta College graduate continued his education at Chico State University and ultimately pursued a Masters and Education Administration Credential from San Jose State. When he moved back to the Redding area in 1973 at age 29, he became the principal at Project City School, now known as Grand Oaks School. In 1982, Menoher graduated with a Doctorate in Elementary Curriculum and Instruction from Brigham Young University, a degree he pursued alongside his life partner, Judy. Two years later, Judy received her Doctorate in the same program.
The Mehohers will celebrate 60 years of marriage this September, a journey that has been solidified by a shared commitment to public education and caring for the community. “Judy has been the foundation of my life – supporting and encouraging me along our path together,” says Menoher.
For more than three decades, Menoher worked as a teacher, principal and district superintendent, and retired after 12 years as Shasta County Superintendent of Schools in 2002. Even after his first retirement, Menoher continued to pass the educational torch to aspiring school administrators as an adjunct faculty member for National University, retiring in 2011.
“Education is a profession built on relationships, whether as a teacher or an administrator. You have to work at building those relationships. Realizing what and how you say things is critical. Every interaction is important – being visible and available and listening,” says Menoher.
Public education, Mehoher says, has been one of the most meaningful aspects of his life: “One enters the field with a strong desire to work with and help prepare our youth to lead successful and meaningful lives. Working with parents, teachers and the community – there is no better feeling than to see children thrive and move on in their lives. One of the great benefits and joys of a career in education is having former students share their careers and families with you.”
His work has gained him the Shasta County Citizens Advocating Respect Civil Rights Social Justice Award. He is a Shasta College Distinguished Graduate. He has won a California School Leadership Academy Regional Award, Milpitas School District Teacher of the Year, and an award from Northern California Society of American Foresters for support and development of the Forestry Institute for Teachers. Anderson Union High School awarded him “Best Looking Legs” on the basketball team.
Menoher is a distinguished educator, but insists he still had a lot to learn with only six years of in-classroom experience. His education continued through graduate school, countless training courses, and, most importantly, watching teachers in action. “There is something magical watching our very best teachers at work…a melding of the science and art of teaching,” says Menoher. “As an administrator, supporting, encouraging and providing resources and growth opportunities for teachers, administrators and staff and watching them excel was very meaningful to me.
Menoher’s mother had a saying: “Life is not about being but about doing.” His mother was the foundation of his family growing up, and she modeled a life of doing. “She was very active in her community,” he says. “I enjoy ‘doing’ and I have been involved in many organizations over the past 50 plus years in Shasta County.”
His spirit of “doing” has led him to many pivotal roles and causes over the years, including past local and regional president of the Association of California School Administrators Association, past president of United Way of Northern California, past president and current member of Redding East Rotary, past president of Shasta County Mental Health Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board, past president and current member of Riverview Golf and Country Club, and past board member of One SAFE Place. Menoher is currently on the board of Sierra Pacific Foundation’s Scholarship Committee, a role he’s held for 25 years. He has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer and currently sits on Turtle Bay Exploration Park’s Board of Regents.
Menoher spearheaded the Youth Violence Prevention Council, now known as Youth Options Shasta. What started in a “closet” in the Shasta County Probation Department has grown into a vibrant system that includes Youth Peer Court. Developed in 2003, the Youth Peer Court helps divert kids from the Juvenile Justice system. This Restorative Justice model takes a different approach to changing the trajectory for children who find themselves in trouble.
“When children get involved in the justice system, they don’t come out better for it,” says Mehoher. “With Youth Peer Court, they come in front of a court of their peers and receive a ‘disposition’ instead of a sentence. Youth courts are across the nation and truly make a difference in young folks’ lives, with recidivism rates well below children who enter the juvenile justice system,” says Menoher.
To date, more than 3,000 kids have been kept out of the local juvenile justice system due to the Youth Peer Court. Some kids who have previously received a disposition have later come back to be a part of the peer court, helping other kids make better choices. Local judges volunteer their time to preside over the cases and local attorneys provide training to youth volunteers, a learning experience that has given kids a chance to support other young people and, perhaps, even provide a glimpse into a possible career opportunity.
Menoher acknowledges that Shasta County faces plenty of concerning issues, including addiction, abuse and neglect, poverty, mental health issues, lack of jobs with a livable wage and more. He hopes to see the community focus more on local children, fellow citizens and local needs and issues.
“Before there were ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences, there was a precursor we called Developmental Assets – the positive things that can set a kid on the right path. A mentor can be that for a child in need,” says Menoher.
With a firm belief in the power of mentorship, Menoher co-founded Plus One Mentors with his wife. Although the organization is no longer operational, the Menohers’ legacy of mentorship continues.
“Mentoring is one of the most powerful things that can happen to a child who is having issues,” says Mehoher. Parents, teachers, and school administrators are expected to be involved in a child’s life, but to have an unattached adult have an impact on a child – that is something special. It helps kids bounce back from tough circumstances. It gives them a sense of belonging, an opportunity to participate, and a chance to develop positive expectations.”
Menoher has been retired from his official roles in Shasta County’s educational system for nearly 15 years. But, true to form, for a good teacher, he continues to share compassion, wisdom, and opportunity for growth with his community, and he never misses the chance to learn along the way. •
