Eugene-Springfield metro school districts are bringing 31 principals, assistant principals and administrators into new roles for the 2024-25 school year.
Springfield Public Schools has four new administrators, Bethel School District has five and Eugene School District 4J has 22, at least as of Wednesday.
Cal Young and Roosevelt middle schools will see the most changes, with two new administrators each.
Classes begin shortly for the more than 30,000 students the three metro districts serve:
- Eugene School District 4J:Kindergarten, sixth and ninth grades start Wednesday, Sept. 4. All other grades begin Thursday, Sept. 5.
- Springfield Public Schools:Grades 1-6, 9 and half of kindergarten start Wednesday, Sept. 4. Grades 7-8 and 10-12 and the rest of kindergarten start Thursday, Sept. 5.
- Bethel School District:Grades K-9 start Tuesday, Sept. 3. Grades 10-12 start Wednesday, Sept. 4.
Here are the new school administrators for the 2024-25 school year.
These biographies were submitted to the Register-Guard by the districts and have been edited for length and clarity. They are organized by district, then grade level, then alphabetically by school.
Springfield Public Schools
Springfield Public Schools has two administrators moving to new roles within the district and two administrators joining SPS for the first time.
SPS elementary schools
Yolanda Elementary School — Assistant Principal Manny Plascencia will fill this newly created position for the 2024-25 school year. Plascencia brings a wealth of elementary experience to the position, including working as a dual language teacher for the past nine years at Guy Lee Elementary. Plascencia has worked in various roles during his 15-year career at SPS, including as an educational assistant, elementary teacher, administrator assistant and SPARK site program administrator. Plascencia is excited to create new relationships and work among caring educators who put their students first. He is also looking forward to working with families he hopes to continue to welcome and with whom he hopes to collaborate.
Riverbend Elementary School — Principal Patty Morrison joined SPS from Coeur d'Alene Public Schools in Idaho, where she worked as the assistant superintendent of Elementary Education. Morrison has held multiple K-12 positions during her 33-year career including the director of federal programs, elementary school principal, instructional coach, and an elementary teacher. She will utilize her deep understanding of elementary education to support and inspire students, families and staff
Centennial Elementary School — Assistant Principal Calli Dean has a long, trusted history of supporting students and families at SPS, most recently as an assistant principal at Maple Elementary. She worked for five years as an assistant principal at Springfield High School. She also served for 11 years as a special education teacher. Dean centers her work on equitable access for all students and is passionate about having fun at school.
SPS high schools
Springfield High School — Assistant Principal Betsy Johnson comes to SHS from Colorado, spending the last 20 years as an educator teaching English Language Arts, AVID Elective, International Baccalaureate Language and Literature, among other educational experiences. Johnson was most recently a high school dean of students where she empowered students and colleagues to be their best. Johnson is excited to get to know and serve the SHS community through her commitment to ensuring that systems and support for all students are transparent, equitable, and resourceful
Bethel School District
For the 2024-25 school year,Bethel School District's new administrators consist of four admin who are moving to a new role within the district and one Bethel newcomer.
Bethel K-12 administrators
Meadow View School — Principal Heather Hiatt brings with her a wealth of experience in K-12 education. Most recently serving as a special education teacher at César E. Chávez Elementary School in the Eugene School District, she has previously held roles as a middle school principal in Shoreline, Wash., and as a high school assistant principal in both Shoreline and Woodinville, Wash. Her background also includes teaching science at both the middle and high school levels. In her new role, Hiatt intends to bring a commitment to equity and inclusion in education by fostering a culture of collaboration and ensuring that all students have access to quality learning opportunities.
Shasta Middle School — Assistant Principal Echo Groff brings with her 17 years of experience as an educator in Bethel, where she has served in various roles including classroom teacher, reading specialist, high school summer school principal and instructional coach. Known for her student-centered approach and commitment to equity, Groff is dedicated to implementing culturally responsive and research-based practices for all students.
Willamette High School — Principal Alyssa Dodds has served as the Meadow View School principal for the past two years and has helped to implement strong systems both academically, socially and emotionally. Prior to that, Dodds served as an assistant principal at Willamette for three years. She also formerly worked in Springfield Public Schools as a district equity team facilitator, district instructional coach and a high school language arts teacher at both Springfield and Thurston high schools.
Bethel district-level administrators
Assistant Student Services Director Evan Rindy most recently serves as the assistant principal at Shasta Middle School. Rindy has a long history at Bethel, previously serving as an interim principal at Prairie Mountain, principal at Clear Lake Elementary, as well as a principal for summer programming. Prior to his administrative roles, Evan was a special education teacher at Shasta for several years.
Secondary Director of Teaching and Learning Dan Hedberg will be transiting to district-level administration after nearly two decades at Willamette High School, serving as coach, teacher, assistant principal and, most recently, principal. In his new role, Hedberg will be in charge of instruction, assessment, and curriculum for our middle schools and high schools.
Eugene School District 4J's new leadership
OfEugene School District 4J's new school-level administrators, six are new to the district, six are returning to the district after working elsewhere and 10 are transitioning to a new role within the district for the 2024-25 school year.
4J elementary schools
Buena Vista Spanish Immersion Elementary School — PrincipalMark Hinthron has 21 years of experience in education, including 12 years as the assistant principal at McMinnville High School and seven years as the principal of Newby Elementary School, where he implemented a two-way dual language immersion program that earned the school recognition as a Distinguished School by the Oregon Department of Education. Known for his dedication to fostering bilingualism, biliteracy, and igniting a passion for learning, Hinthron intends to bring his expertise, cultural connections and leadership skills to the Buena Vista community.
Edgewood Elementary School — PrincipalGeorge Gillett returns to Eugene and 4J after spending five years in Phoenix, where he has served as an elementary school principal. Before moving south, he served as assistant principal at Spencer Butte Middle from 2016 to 2019. Gillet also worked as a teacher and administrative intern at Guy Lee Elementary in Springfield. He believes in empowering every staff member to contribute to student success, using data-driven strategies for targeted interventions that ensure equitable opportunities for all students. Gillet puts focus on regular engagement with parents and staff to foster meaningful dialogue and a shared sense of ownership in their school.
Holt Elementary School — Assistant PrincipalRebecca Boyd most recently worked as an instructional coach at Gilham Elementary, before that, as 4J staff development specialist, leading professional development, supporting school goals and creating innovative systems to enhance academic outcomes. She brings 24 years of experience in public and early childhood education with a focus on fostering inclusive and effective learning environments. Previously, Boyd has taught at Spring Creek and River Road/El Camino del Río. She has also served as an equity and inclusion facilitator.
Howard Elementary School — Assistant PrincipalTamara Hughes comes to 4J from Colorado where she was a special education teacher and leadership team member at the elementary level. Hughes has 26 years of educational experience and intends to bring a wealth of knowledge in special education and a commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive school culture. She looks forward to establishing strong collaborative relationships with Howard staff to foster an environment of teamwork and shared success. This will be a new position at Howard.
Spring Creek Elementary School — PrincipalGeoff Wetherell has over 15 years of experience in education, including 13 years as an elementary principal. He has worked at schools in the Beaverton, Coos Bay, Coquille and Salem-Keizer school districts, with several years serving as a director of special education. Wetherell's most recently was principal at Englewood Elementary School in Salem. He looks forward to working closely with families, students and staff to build strong relationships and foster a school culture where every student can thrive.
Twin Oaks Elementary School — PrincipalStephanie Randall has been the principal at Buena Vista Spanish Immersion Elementary since 2021. Prior to Buena Vista, she served as assistant principal at Gilham and Willagillespie elementary schools. She is fluent in Spanish and an experienced elementary administrator and teacher. Randall intends to embrace her role as a leader of learning, is skilled at using data to improve classroom instruction, understands schools in the context of their communities, and is both reflective and intentional with her practice.
Willagillespie Elementary School — Assistant PrincipalK.C. Bodily served as principal at Spring Creek Elementary for the past two years and was previously an elementary and middle school principal in Fairbanks, Alaska, for eight years. Bodily also worked in two remote Alaskan Native villages, first as a teacher and then as a K–12 principal. He has centered his education career around understanding the cultures of the students and families he serves. Bodily looks forward to contributing to the school and creating a high-quality, safe and positive learning environment where students are excited about and engaged in their education. This will be a new position at Willagillespie.
4J middle schools
Cal Young Middle School — PrincipalBrian Young comes to 4J from the Junction City School District where he has served in various leadership positions for the past 14 years, including serving as principal at Oaklea Middle School and most recently principal at Junction City High School. Prior to becoming an administrator, he was a social studies teacher at Roseburg High School for more than a decade. Young has implemented numerous programs to boost student achievement and intends to dedicate himself to student success, family engagement, and creating inclusive environments in his new position.
Cal Young Middle School — Assistant PrincipalBrandon Parks will be replacing Matt Myers who is headed back to Kennedy Middle School, where he was a math teacher, to teach physical education. Parks has decades of middle school experience in the Springfield Public Schools, working for the past five years as an instructional coach at Thurston Middle School. Before that, he taught math at Briggs and Hamlin middle schools in Springfield for 15 years and served as a middle school athletic director at Briggs. Parks brings an expert knowledge of instructional best practices, strong leadership skills, ability to build collaborative relationships, and a deep understanding of behavior management strategies.
Kennedy Middle School — PrincipalTravis Sheaffer has served as North Eugene High’s assistant principal for the past four years. Before joining administration, Sheaffer was a K–12 music teacher with a focus on middle school, previously director of the Kelly Middle School and North Eugene band programs. He looks forward to returning to the middle school level. Sheaffer will bring his interpersonal and communication skills, passion for instructional improvement, and the desire to lead teachers and students to positive outcomes.
Roosevelt Middle School — interim PrincipalMike Yocum, who has served as assistant principal at Roosevelt since 2013, will take on the temporary position. Before joining 4J and Roosevelt, Yocum taught English in the Dominican Republic while serving in the Peace Corps, taught Spanish in Colorado and worked as a behavioral consultant for the Fern Ridge School District. His earlier career included roles as a special education instructional assistant and teacher in 4J middle schools. While an assistant principal, Yocum has displayed an ability to connect with students, staff and families.
Roosevelt Middle School — Assistant PrincipalKelsea Wilson has served as an elementary and middle school special education teacher for the past decade, the last eight in 4J. Her expertise in individualized instruction, behavior management, and collaboration, along with her experience in leading professional development and developing behavior and safety plans, makes her a valuable addition to the Roosevelt team for this coming school year.
4J high schools
North Eugene High School — Assistant PrincipalAdrienne Pierce has worked at the district level for the past two years as a curriculum administrator with a focus on secondary curriculum and student supports. Previously, she served as assistant principal at Guy Lee Elementary in Springfield. Pierce began her education career as a French teacher, working at several 4J schools: Roosevelt Middle, Sheldon High and Charlemagne French Immersion Elementary. She aims to foster an educational environment where student, staff and family voice is valued and encouraged.
Sheldon High School — Assistant Principal/Athletic DirectorChris Mitchell returns to the high school level, taking over the AP/AD position from Ricky Rodriguez, who accepted an athletic director position at Bend Senior High School. Mitchell began his education career as a biology teacher for ten years, then served as assistant principal at Springfield High School. For the past 12 years, he has been a middle school principal in 4J, with six years each at Roosevelt and Cal Young. He immensely enjoyed his middle school experience, but he decided it was time to take on a new opportunity and return to the high school level.
4J district-level administrators
Assistant Superintendent of Administrative ServicesBrooke Wagner has decades of experience as an education leader across all school levels and as a classified, licensed, and administrative staff member. Wagner previously worked in this same role during the 2021–22 school year, and has also served as human resources director, assistant superintendent of instruction, director of elementary education and preK–8 education. She has been a middle and elementary school principal in Eugene and Springfield. Wagner was named Oregon’s Assistant Principal of the Year in 2006 and Springfield Public Schools Administrator of the Year in 2015.
Assistant Superintendent of Equity, Inclusion and BelongingJuan Carlos Cuadros is a dedicated educational equity leader with 25 years of experience. He brings his lived experience, vision and steady leadership to this role. For the last four years, Cuadros has worked at Bend-La Pine School District, starting as curriculum director in 2020 and advancing to executive director of middle school programs in 2021, where he made equity and inclusion central to the district's six middle schools. Before that, Cuadros spent 13 years with 4J, serving as principal at Kelly Middle and Buena Vista as well as assistant principal at Roosevelt Middle. He began his educational career as a Spanish teacher at Lane Community College before moving to Springfield as a multicultural liaison and ELL coordinator. Cuadros holds two master’s degrees in education and Spanish and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, all from the University of Oregon.
Chief of StaffCarmen Urbina has over three decades of experience, including six years as deputy director at the Oregon Department of Education. During her tenure at ODE, she led transformative initiatives, such as Every Student Belongs and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan. Urbina brings her background in program administration, community engagement, intergovernmental affairs and education system design to 4J. Urbina previously spent 26 years serving in various leadership roles around Eugene, including as 4J's equity, diversity and inclusion manager and executive director of Centro Latino Americano.
Communications DirectorKelly McIver brings over 30 years of experience in strategic communications and community engagement and has deep roots in Eugene. A Sheldon High School alum, McIver served as 4J’s communications coordinator from 1996 to 2008. Since 2021, McIver has been communications manager for the city of Eugene’s Unhoused Response, developing strategies to address homelessness and fostering key relationships across various sectors. Previously, he worked as director of strategic engagement and communication for the University of Oregon’s Safety and Risk Services, public information officer at the University of Oregon Police Department, and community relations director at South Lane School District. McIver began his career as a reporter for The Register-Guard after earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Oregon.
Federal Programs AdministratorNadira Rizkallah has more than 20 years of experience as an educator and administrator. She began her second tenure with 4J last year as principal at Edgewood Elementary School. Prior to that, she served as the human resources and equity director for South Lane School District in Cottage Grove for two years, after serving as principal at Laurel Elementary and Oaklea Middle schools in Junction City for seven years. Earlier in her career, Rizkallah served as co-administrator of 4J’s River Road/El Camino del Río and Buena Vista Spanish Immersion elementary schools, and taught second, third and fifth grades. Rizkallah earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, double majoring in early childhood and elementary education, and earned her administrative licensure from the University of Oregon.
Human Resources DirectorCatherine Marrone brings over 20 years of diverse experience in educational administration, with a background in human resources, special education and school psychology. She spent the last five years as the executive human resource officer at Linn Benton Lincoln Educational Service District, where she managed HR operations for 12 districts, led initiatives to promote equity and diversity in recruitment, and guided administrators in best practices for hiring and evaluation. Marrone began her career as a school psychologist, part of which was at 4J, and she has since held various leadership roles, including as a special education and evaluation services program administrator, elementary principal and special education director.
Secondary Curriculum AdministratorCourtney Leonard has been principal at Roosevelt Middle School since 2020 and has extensive experience working in 4J. She began her educational career as a teacher in the IHS program at South Eugene High School in 1999. Leonard moved into leadership in 2006, first as IHS head teacher, then to North Eugene High School as the IB coordinator and assistant principal/small school principal in 2012. She also spent a couple years in Portland, working as assistant principal at Hillsboro High School before returning to Eugene in 2018 to be principal of Charlemagne French Immersion Elementary and then Roosevelt.
Human Resources Administrator (classified staff)Blanca Flores brings over a decade of experience in human resources. Flores has a strong background in managing HR functions, including recruitment, labor relations and employee engagement. She has worked at Head Start of Lane County since 2014, starting as enrollment coordinator and then progressing to HR specialist. In 2022, Flores was promoted to HR manager, where she oversaw operations for more than 350 employees.
Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her atmcyr@registerguard.comor find her on Twitter@mirandabcyr.
