After Coleen Gee and Nancy Horton, longtime members of the Diamond Bar High School staff, retired in December, they were replaced by Rhoda Dizon and previous Office Assistant Carrie Yee.

Dizon, who is a breast-cancer survivor, took over Gee’s classes in AP/IB Studio Art, AP Art History, Academic Support and Introduction to 3D Design.

She was a student teacher at Suzanne Middle School and became a long-term substitute teacher there and at Walnut High School before teaching high school English in the Chino Valley and Alhambra Unified School districts.

She then worked in the San Bernardino City Unified School District as a ceramic art teacher.

However, she went on medical leave after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatment ended in July 2019.

“After a few months of survivorship, I was ready to apply to art teacher jobs,” Dizon said via email. “Being sick and then becoming a cancer survivor confirmed my life’s purpose as a teacher.”

Dizon found out about the position opening in Walnut, where she grew up, on edjoin.org and wanted to return to teach there.

When she was a child, she drew landscapes and attended art galleries with her family. She then enrolled in the IB art program at Nogales High School and later received her bachelor’s degree in art history and literary journalism at UC Irvine.

She also received her teaching credentials in social science, English and art, as well as her master’s degree in education from Cal State Fullerton.

In addition, she has created fan art of Marvel, DC, “Game of Thrones” and “Star Wars” universes for fun, showcasing them at the Montclair Place and a few Manhattan Beach galleries.

“Drawing and painting help me express my emotions and the challenges or successes I have experienced onto paper or canvas,” she said.

So far, Dizon said she likes being at DBHS and is grateful for Gee’s help in transitioning into her new job.

“Everyone is so warm, friendly and supportive,” Dizon said. “It is challenging to begin second semester, but I know that I’ll have help when I need it.”

Dizon said she would love to advise an art or community service club.

She is also willing to advise a travel/art history club because she has traveled through Europe and Asia or a wellness club since she has practiced yoga and meditation for 10 years.

Meanwhile, Yee worked as an Office Assistant in the front office since the end of the 2016-2017 school year.

She still has some of the same responsibilities in her new position of Assistant to the Principal, like answering phones, greeting visitors and helping students and parents who enter the office.

She was a psychology major at Cal State Fullerton and earned her master’s degree in Leadership and Management at the University of La Verne.

Yee applied for the position because she said it would be a good opportunity for her to grow as a staff member while remaining at the school, allowing her to have the same schedule as her children, who attend Evergreen Elementary School, and spend time with them during the breaks.

“I love it here at Diamond Bar,” Yee said. “It’s great to work here with the kids. The staff has been very welcoming and supporting in my transition to this new role, and …working with them in this new capacity will allow me to get to know them even better.”

In her new role, she wants to help students and parents have a good experience when they come to the school, and she also wants to help Principal Reuben Jones by taking some of the burdens off of him.

The Office Assistant position is currently open and will be filled by the end of February.