Bend-La Pine Schools name three new principals

Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Shay Mikalson named three veteran administrators to new school principal positions Wednesday.

Dana Arntson, the district’s Director of Elementary Programs, will serve as principal at Ensworth Elementary School in Bend. Arntson has more than 27 years of teaching and administrative experience in California and Oregon. She has 11 years of administrative experience and spent 16 years as a classroom teacher, including time at both Juniper and High Lakes elementary schools.

Ensworth Elementary School’s current principal, Gary Timms, will serve as the district’s Director of Elementary Programs effective July 15. Timms has served Ensworth Elementary School since 2011; prior to that he was principal at Lava Ridge Elementary for seven years. He also spent nine years as a classroom teacher.

Brian Crook, currently an assistant principal at Bend Senior High School, will serve as principal at High Desert Middle School. Crook has more than 18 years of teaching and administrative experience. Crook has five years of administrative experience and spent 13 years as a classroom teacher.

Gary DeFrang, currently the principal at High Desert Middle School, will serve as principal at Lava Ridge Elementary School. DeFrang has more than 21 years of teaching and administrative experience. DeFrang has 14 years of administrative experience, including 10 as principal at High Desert. He also spent seven years as a classroom teacher.

Jon Lindsay, who served as principal at Lava Ridge since 2011, will now serve as Director of Human Resources for Bend-La Pine Schools.

Superintendent Mikalson invites the public to meet these, and all Bend-La Pine Schools principals, at district-wide ice cream socials on Thursday, August 13 from 4 to 6 p.m. at their neighborhood schools. (Silver Rail Elementary School and Pacific Crest Middle School will host barbecues for families Sept. 2-3).

“These three exceptional leaders are among great company at Bend-La Pine Schools,” Mikalson said. “We are fortunate to have such a dynamic cadre of principals serving our students and families. Whether you are new to our schools, are a current family or are an alumni or neighbor, I hope you will make time to stop by these events to hear about the great things happening in our schools, to meet our principals and to tour our extraordinary learning facilities.”

ABOUT OUR PRINCIPALS — ELEMENTARY

Amity Creek at Thompson Elementary School’s Carol Hammett has served as principal since 2004. Hammett also has 17 years of teaching experience in Oregon, including time as lead teacher at Amity Creek.

Bear Creek Elementary School’s Anissa Wiseman has served as principal since 2013. She has 19 years of teaching experience, including four years at Bear Creek Elementary and 10 years at Pine Ridge Elementary.

Buckingham Elementary School’s Sunshine Dandurand has served as principal since 2014. Prior to that, she served as the Student Services Coordinator at Buckingham and spent time as an administrator in Panama. Dandurand has nine years of teaching experience, including seven years at High Lakes Elementary .

Elk Meadow Elementary School’s Kelle Hildebrant has served as principal since 2014. Prior to becoming principal at Elk Meadow Elementary School, she served as assistant principal at RE Jewell Elementary School. Hildebrant has 18 years of teaching experience, including 11 years at Highland Elementary, 6 years at Lava Ridge Elementary and one year at RE Jewell Elementary.

Ensworth Elementary School’s Dana Arntson begins as principal this month. She has more than 27 years of teaching and administrative experience.

High Lakes Elementary School’s Susan Heberlein has served as principal since 2008. Prior to that she served as the assistant principal at High Lakes for four years. She also has 14 years of teaching experience, including two years at High Lakes and four years at Bear Creek Elementary.

Highland Magnet School at Kenwood’s Brian Kissell begins as principal today. Prior to that he served as principal in Cardiff, California and has five years of administrative experience. He also has 14 years of teaching experience.

Juniper Elementary School’s Dan Wolnick has served as principal since 2012. Prior to that he served as assistant principal at Cascade Middle School. Wolnick also has 15 years of teaching experience, including time in the Peace Corps and at Buckingham Elementary and Pilot Butte Middle School.

La Pine Elementary School’s Patrick Flanagan begat as principal Wednestoday. Prior to that he served as assistant principal at La Pine Elementary. He also has 14 years of teaching experience, including time at Juniper Elementary.

Lava Ridge Elementary School’s Gary DeFrang begins as principal this month. He has more than 21 years of teaching and administrative experience, including 10 as principal at High Desert Middle School.

Pine Ridge Elementary School’s Kevin Gehrig has served as principal since 2006. Prior to that he served as assistant principal at several Bend-area elementary schools. Gehrig also has eight years of teaching experience, including time as a behavior specialist at Elk Meadow and RE Jewell Elementary.

Ponderosa Elementary School’s Steve Austin has served as principal since 2011. Prior to that he served as an administrator at schools in Germany and Japan. Austin also has eight years of teaching experience including time at Sky View Middle School and Lava Ridge Elementary.

RE Jewell Elementary School’s Scott Edmondson began as principal Wednesday. Prior to this he served as principal at Sky View Middle School for seven years. He also has five additional years of administrative experience and eight years of teaching experience.

Rosland Elementary School’s Rochelle Williams has served as principal since 2012. Prior to that she was a classroom teacher for 15 years, including 13 years at Lava Ridge and one at Rosland.

Silver Rail Elementary School’s Tammy Doty has served as planning principal since 2014. She served as principal for La Pine Elementary School since 2007. She also has 13 years of teaching experience. (Silver Rail will host a family barbecue Sept. 3.)

Three Rivers School’s Tim Broadbent has served as principal since 2014. Prior to that he served as assistant principal in Cottage Gove, Oregon. He also has 11 years of teaching experience.

Westside Village Magnet School at Kingston’s Wendy Winchel has served as principal since 2004. Prior to that she was a teacher for 20 years, including eight years at Kenwood Elementary and four years at Westside Village.

William E. Miller Elementary School’s Jen Healy beings as principal today. Prior to this she served in administrative and teaching roles at Miller since 2009. Healy also has 18 years of teaching experience, including seven years at High Lakes Elementary.

ABOUT OUR PRINCIPALS — MIDDLE SCHOOL

Cascade Middle School’s Stephanie Bennett has served as principal since 2010. Prior to that she served as principal for Pilot Butte Middle School. She has 14 years of administrative experience and 12 years of teaching experience.

High Desert Middle School’s Brian Crook begins as principal this month. He has more than 18 years of teaching and administrative experience, including five years as vice principal at Bend Senior High School.

La Pine Middle School’s Robi Phinney begins as principal today. Prior to this she served as assistant principal at La Pine Middle. Phinney also has eight years of teaching experience.

Pacific Crest Middle School’s Chris Boyd has served as planning principal since 2014. He has eight years of administrative experience and nine years of teaching experience. (Pacific Crest will host a family barbecue Sept. 2.)

Pilot Butte Middle School’s Michael Hecker has served as principal since 2010. Prior to that he served as principal at Cascade Middle. He has 17 years of administrative experience and also four years of teaching experience.

Rimrock Expeditionary Alternative Learning Middle School’s Roger White has served as principal since 2003. He has 14 years of administrative experience and six years of teaching experience.

Sky View Middle School’s Scott Olszewski begins as principal today. Prior to this he served as assistant principal at Mountain View High School for three years. Olszewski also has 10 years of teaching experience.

ABOUT OUR PRINCIPALS — HIGH SCHOOL

Bend Senior High School’s Chris Reese has served as principal since 2014. Prior to that he served as assistant principal at Bend High for 10 years. Reese also has seven years of teaching experience.

La Pine High School’s Matt Montgomery has served as principal since 2012. Prior to that he was La Pine High’s assistant principal for two years. Montgomery also has 20 years of teaching experience.

Marshall High School’s Julie Linhares has served as principal since 2011. Prior to that she served as an administrator in Corvallis. Linhares also has 11 years of teaching experience.

Mountain View High School’s Katie Legace has served as principal since 2007. Prior to that she served as an administrator at several schools including Pilot Butt Middle, Cascade Middle and Mountain View. Legace also has five years of teaching experience.

STRIVE’s Sal Cassaro has served as the school’s administrator and the district’s Director of Secondary Programs for three years. Prior to that, he served as an administrator for the High Desert Education Service District for five years. He also has 11 years of teaching experience.

Summit High School’s Alice DeWitte has served as principal since 2012. Prior to that she served as an administrator in the Reynolds School District. DeWitte also has nine years of teaching experience.

Tamarack’s Hayley Etnier has served as the school’s administrator for one year. She has eight years of teaching experience.