Four finalists for principal of Bend’s new HS meet public

Bend La Pine Schools held a public forum Monday afternoon to introduce to the public the four finalist candidates for principal of the new Bend high school.

The forum was a chance for the public to get to know the candidates and also weigh in on whom they would like to see run the new high school.

Those candidates are Chris Boyd, Andrew Croley, Jay Etnier, and Lonnie Robertson.

All four finalists spent the day in various interviews lead by students, the superintendent and other faculty, staff and school board members.

Katie Legacy, the executive director of high school programs said hiring a person for this position is unique as they will be leading a team to open a brand new school in just a couple years.

“I think in planning the school we want to make sure of somebody who is going to be very inclusive and involving all of the stakeholders in designing what we want that community to look like. Somebody who is collaborative and obviously student focused,” Legacy said. “We want the students to feel ownership in this new high school. Somebody who is a good communicator, and a hard worker, because it’s a lot of work.”

Legacy said she and a team planned to meet after the forum this evening to narrow their search to a final two candidates, and from there possibly look into them deeper.

All four candidates have years of experience teaching, and while two of them currently work in the Bend La Pine School district the other two are from out of state.

Chris Boyd is the principal at Pacific Crest Middle School in Bend.

Boyd has been the principal there for the past five years, and has taught at various other school districts in Oregon.

Andrew Croley is the current principal at a high school in Missouri, and he has been in that position for the past four years.

He also has nine more years of teaching experience at schools in Missouri and in Oregon.

Jay Etnier is the assistant principal at Summit High School, where he has been for the past six years.

Etnier also taught at Sam Barlow High School in Gresham before coming to Bend.

Lonnie Robertson is the assistant principal at a high school in Billings, Montana.

He has also taught high school classes in Montana and has a total of 24 years of teaching experience.

Bend La Pine Schools hopes to make this hire in the coming weeks, and the new high school is set to open up in the fall of 2021 at the corner of Southeast 15th Street and Knott Road.