Growing up, Sally L. Altman excelled at both school and swimming. She wanted to find some way to incorporate both into her career, and physical education seemed a natural choice. Ms. Altman’s first job in the field was instructor at the College of the Sequoias, followed by teacher at Divisadero Junior High School and Mount Whitney High School. She then became a teacher and coach at Modesto High School, Placer High School, Eureka School and Cavitt Junior High. Her final position before retiring in 1996 was substitute teacher.
Outside of the classroom, Ms. Altman was very involved in her community. Some notable roles include synchronized swim coach for the City of Roseville Recreation Department, workshop presenter and consultant for National Evaluation Systems, counselor at Tech Trek Camps at Stanford University and the University of California Davis, and co-director of Stanford Camp Hopper. Ms. Altman was also an instructor and trainer for the American Red Cross in Sacramento and Auburn, California, and a member of the American Association of University Women, among others. To this day, she remains an active member of the Valley Springs Presbyterian Church.
One of the highlights of Ms. Altman’s journey was being inducted into an organization called Cap and Gown at Stanford University. Her admittance was based on her leadership activities at the school. She was also proud to be the National Synchronized Swimming champion in 1954, as well as a gold medalist at the Pan American Games. Notably, when her synchronized swimming team won nationals in Florida, they went to Silver Springs and made a movie, “Dances in the Deep,” which was shown as a short in theaters.
Ms. Altman prepared for her endeavors by earning a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from Stanford University in 1956 and 1957, respectively. To further her knowledge and keep in touch with developments in her industry, she completed physical education workshops at California Polytechnic State University from 1989 to 1994. She currently holds a life credential as a certified teacher in the state of California.
Looking to the future, Ms. Altman plans to continue pursuing her interests and participating in community events and groups. Her hobbies include swimming, skiing, traveling, reading, walking and playing bridge.
