ADMINISTRATOR SNAGS AMGEN TEACHER AWARD.

Byline: R.A. Hutchinson Daily News Staff Writer

When Carroll Holly helped start the Conejo school district's first continuation high school in 1974, many of his rebellious charges claimed the counselor was too strict.

Last year, a man from that original class, now in his early 40s, came to see Holly, now assistant principal at Los Cerritos Middle School.

``He just wanted to thank me. He told me, `I was a bad kid.' Now he's got two kids of his own,'' Holly said. ``That, to me, is a valid assessment - that he's having kids of his own.''

Holly's commitment to at-risk students, as well as a 33-year education career in Ventura County, were recognized Tuesday when he became the first administrator to receive an Amgen Award for Teacher Excellence. He is among six educators countywide who will receive a $10,000 prize and a Steuben apple trophy.

``I didn't think they gave them to administrators. I was very surprised,'' Holly said. ``Naturally you feel good. Somebody thinks you've done a good job.''

Other winners are Mary ``Coco'' Aguirre, Patricia Doerr, Shelly Fletcher, Randall Porter and Kristin Simmons.

Holly, 57, began his career teaching in the Oxnard Union High School District in 1963. He spent 10 years there before taking a position coaching and teaching at Thousand Oaks High School, which until the mid-1970s was part of Oxnard Union.

``I like working with kids just as much now as I did when I started out. But - with all the paper and documentation - I don't see as many kids as I used to,'' he said.

When the Conejo Valley Unified School District was formed, a continuation school was needed. Keith Benefield was named principal and he asked Holly to come on board as a counselor.

Holly eventually became assistant principal and then principal at Conejo Valley High School. Three years ago, at his request, the district transferred him to the job at Los Cerritos.

``Working with at-risk kids - that's the best job I've ever done. It was really a hard change for me. But I wanted a change. I wanted to see what I could do with middle-school children,'' he said.

Holly said that over the years the nature of public education has changed, particularly with growing parental involvement. That change has advantages and disadvantages, in his opinion.

``Kids are pretty much the same. But parents are more suspicious of public servants. Parents don't know you, so they question you,'' he said. ``Some way we've got to get the trust of the public so they'll let us do our jobs.''

Holly, who will celebrate his 36th wedding anniversary with his wife, Carol, in July, said he expects he will retire in about three years. They hope to buy land in Templeton or Los Robles where they can keep horses.

``I want to be a cowboy when I grow up,'' Holly said.

His teaching legacy lives on, however, with his two daughters. Judy Haerterich is a teacher at Walnut Elementary School in Thousand Oaks, and Laurie Seiler teaches at Cesar Chavez Elementary School in Oxnard.

TOP TEACHERS The Amgen Foundation has named five county teachers and one assistant principal as recipients of its annual Award for Teacher Excellence.

Mary ``Coco'' Aguirre of Santa Paula, first-grade teacher at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula. She's been teaching for 22 years.

Kristin Simmons of Camarillo, sixth-grade teacher at Los Nogales Elementary School in Camarillo. Simmons has been teaching for 10 years.

Randall Porter of Newbury Park, high school special education teacher at Newbury Park High School. He's been teaching for 22 years.

Shelly Fletcher of Newbury Park, teaches special education, yearbook and drama to students at Los Cerritos Middle School. She's been teaching for 11 years.

Patricia Doerr of Thousand Oaks, teaches third and fourth grades at Meadows Elementary School in Thousand Oaks. Doerr has been teaching for 27 years.

Carroll Holly of Camarillo, assistant principal at Los Cerritos Middle School in Thousand Oaks. He's been an educator for 33 years.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: (Conejo edition only--Color) Los Cerritos Middl e School Assistant Principal Carroll Holly has won an Amgen teacher award for his work with at-risk students.

Box: (Conejo edition only--Color) TOP TEACHERS (See text)