On Monday morning, Newhall Avenue was full of cars as parents picked up their children from Hart High School for the first day of the 2024-25 school year.
Senior Ashley Santillan walked to the main gate with her sister Natalie, a freshman. Ashley said she was looking forward to all of the senior class activities throughout the year, such as dances and senior night — and also to leaving high school at some point — while Natalie said she was nervous but excited to meet new friends.
“It’s a new experience,” Natalie said, adding that she’s not looking forward to learning to navigate a new campus. “They say high school is like the best years.”
Students weren’t the only ones nervous Monday as classes resumed at Hart High School and other schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District.
Maria Gutierrez, the mother of Hart freshman Nicholas De La Torre, said she may have been more nervous than he was about the start of the new school year.
“I feel like high school is a whole different thing,” Gutierrez said. “You know, that’s when you start growing up and you’re dealing with a whole different personality type. That makes me a little nervous, but he’s really excited to get to high school.”
As students walked through the entrance gate to the courtyard, they were greeted by Principal Jason d’Autremont and Jan Daisher, Hart District Director of Special Programs and Professional Development.
Some students needed a little help getting directions to their first lecture, but d’Autremont said it wasn’t too much trouble for him after Associated Student Body leaders showed new students the way when they registered.
After meeting many of the new students at orientation, d’Autremont made it a point to remember their names. He said it was one of the tools he acquired as a teacher that helped him a lot.
“We’re really trying to make them feel seen and valued here,” d’Autremont said. “We made it clear to our teachers today that the first class, the first day, is really, really important. It’s about making those connections and making sure that students feel comfortable, safe and supported on campus, because without that, they’re not going to be able to learn as easily.”
It was quite an interesting morning for d’Autremont, who was helping his children prepare for Hart High. It was the first time all three of them — a 12th-grader, a second-grader and a ninth-grader — were at his school at the same time. All three will play football and lacrosse, he said.
“I don’t know if they really like it that much, but I can keep an eye on them better than many other parents,” joked d’Autremont.
There were no new visible signs on campus indicating the mascot change from “Indians” to “Hawks,” but Daisher said she saw some T-shirts with the new mascot worn by various students.
Hart High students and staff voted on “Hawks” last year, ending a nearly three-year process that began when the district’s board of directors voted to say goodbye to the school’s former mascot in July 2021, citing the need to move away from a race-based symbol.
One change coming in the near future is the replacement of the gym floor. The new floor, with references to the new mascot, is expected to be ready in late September or early October.
Also new this year for Hart High – or perhaps a “return to Hart High” would be a better word – is a rally before the first football game of the year, scheduled for August 23, and a back-to-school party on Saturday night.
“We’re really trying to build school spirit among all the students this year,” d’Autremont said. “And hopefully that’s a side effect.”
And even though the school year has just begun, events and activities are already underway.
“Hopefully we can start the year off right with a good football season,” d’Autremont said. “We have our first home volleyball game (Tuesday). I know even our show choir is doing an alumni concert (Saturday) night. So there’s a lot of fun going on.”
