Transitions
August 24, 2026
ACSA is saddened by the loss of devoted educator and ACSA member Dr. Mary Lawlor, who passed away peacefully on July 25, 2026.
Lawlor was born in Wisconsin, and after earning a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management from University of Wisconsin in 1973, she followed her aunt and mother to California. When finding work became hard, she went back to school to earn her teaching credential from San Diego State University. She started teaching in the San Diego Unified School District in 1979.
After earning her MA in Administration and Supervision at San Diego State, Lawlor went on to serve as a summer school principal, vice principal and principal in San Diego USD. As a bilingual certified instructor, she was particularly proud of being the founding principal of the Language Academy, a K-8 French and Spanish language immersion magnet school. In 2002, she went to Sweetwater Union HSD, where she was a site leader until her retirement on Jan. 1, 2011.
In retirement, she continued her professional growth by training to be a certified coach in the Coaching Leaders to Achieve Student Success (CLASS) program and getting certified to supervise student teachers at National University. She also offered mentorship and coaching to many administrators through the years.
She used her extensive knowledge of school site leadership when she volunteered as the California visiting committee chairperson for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. From 2013-2019, she personally visited 26 public, private, charter and religious K-12 schools in Southern California and wrote reports recommending schools for accreditation.
She also gave back to her alma mater, San Diego State University. She participated in the College of Education’s Improving Futures Fund grant committee, which awards faculty members start-up money for innovative projects, and hosted Kappan Awards Night to recognize outstanding individuals, organizations, and groups. She also established an endowed scholarship awarded to undergraduate students in the College of Education majoring in Leadership Studies.
Lawlor completed her doctorate in Leadership and Human Behavior from United States International University in 1999. Her dissertation, which took her seven years to complete, focused on group dynamics, specifically on trust between principals and teachers.
Lawlor continued to develop new and forward-looking ideas to the education profession. She contributed to educational research by writing articles on all aspects of education. She contributed to Phi Delta Kappa magazine, EdCal newspaper, ACSAR newsletter, SDSU Alumni Association newsletter, and other educational publications.
A proud member of ACSA, Lawlor gave back extensively in service to the association. She was president of the ACSA Southwest Administrators Association from 2007-2011. In retirement, she was an ACSA Region 18 Retired Charter President from 2014-18 and began serving as Region 18’s Lead Ambassador in 2017, a role that had her volunteering to welcome new members and engage with continuing members. In 2025, she received ACSA’s highest honor for volunteerism: the Robert E. Kelly Award for Outstanding Community Service.
ACSA Member Recruiter Deborah Burke worked with Lawlor closely while serving ACSA Region 18. Burke said Lawlor was a good writer and would scrawl hand-written notecards to ACSA members in the region.
“As a teammate, she made our jobs fun. As her health declined, she stayed strong to her goals and desire to participate and do her job as fully as she could,” Burke said. “I will miss her friendship, laughter, and her welcoming smile.”
Gloria McKearney, president of the ACSA Region 18 Retired Charter, said Lawlor was a valued member of the local ACSA and ACSAR community.
“Lawlor was an example of a knowledgeable and compassionate educator who dedicated her whole life to improving public education and educational leadership,” she said. “Moreover, she went beyond her professional educator role to make her community better. She will be greatly missed.”
There will be a private celebration of life in the fall of 2026 in San Diego. Her full obituary is at www.legacy.com/legacy/mary-lawlor.
Dr. Mary Lawlor
Dr. Mary Lawlor with Gina Potter, Tom Teagle and Gloria McKearney at the Region 18 awards celebration in 2025.
Dr. John R. Bogié, a California education leader whose personal journey from adversity to academic accomplishment and public service inspired many, passed away in Orcutt on June 3, 2026.
From being expelled from his high school for disciplinary infractions to serving as a longtime rural school superintendent, Bogié’s life exemplified resilience, determination, and an unwavering commitment to educational opportunity.
Born in New York City and raised by immigrant parents, Bogié faced significant early challenges many students still face today including unstable living arrangements, starting school with limited English skills, and the temptation to make quick money through improper activities, which led to his expulsion from high school.
After high school, Bogié joined the army and served in Germany with the 7th Army Signal Corps and was quickly promoted to sergeant. During this time he took and passed the New York State Regents Exam re-booting his formal education.
In 1962, he relocated to California and began working as a police officer with the Beaumont Police Department while attending junior college. He earned his bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University, initially intending to pursue a career as a geologist. However, he became a high school science teacher, and this became the beginning of his long career in public education. He taught in both the Lompoc and Gilroy areas, eventually becoming a school administrator and a principal for the Pacifica Unified School District.
Bogie served as superintendent of the Lost Hills Union School District in Kern County from July 1, 1978, to approximately June 30, 2001 — a dedicated 22-year tenure. Deeply motivated by his own background, he was driven to build a school that could provide the children of immigrants and rural families with a world-class education. Under his leadership, the small agricultural and oil-influenced district experienced notable enrollment growth by April 1979 and continued to expand in the early 1980s.
Key accomplishments included the design and building of a gymnasium and an online learning/technology resource center, a kindergarten complex, new cafeteria and kitchen facility, and multiple new classrooms, which brought modern facilities and expanded educational opportunities to students in a resource-limited setting. His administration was noted for strong fiscal stewardship and operational stability.
Bogié was a highly active member of ACSA, particularly in Region 11, which serves Kern, Tulare, and surrounding counties. He served as president of ACSA Region 11 in 1995-96. He also served as State/Region 11 Member Services Representative, where he promoted membership growth, supported recruitment at regional events (such as conferences in Tehachapi and Tulare County), and contributed to board meetings and professional development initiatives.
In December 2012, Bogie was granted Honorary Life Membership by the ACSA Board of Directors. He continued mentoring administrators and strengthening professional networks across Central California well into retirement.
While serving as superintendent at Lost Hills, he earned his Doctor of Education from the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education in 1986, focusing on public finance and educational leadership. He and his wife Judy (Judith) Bogié remained lifelong supporters of the Rossier School as active alumni and donors. Together they traveled with other alums of USC to cheer on the Trojans.
A committed resident of Kern County, Bogié was an active member of the Shafter Rotary Club. He also served on the Board of Directors of Omni Family Health, helping advance health services for underserved agricultural workers and families throughout Kern and surrounding counties. He also served as board member with the Selective Service.
Following his superintendency, he worked as an education management consultant with The Americus Group in the central valley.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the USC Rossier School of Education or ACSA Region 11 scholarship funds supporting aspiring educational leaders.
Dr. John R. Bogié
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