Schools see new leadership, say goodbye to retirees

Several schools in Douglas County will see changes in leadership in the fall, as will central office administration. The schools are also losing many employees to retirement.

Camas Valley
Camas Valley is in the process of hiring a new superintendent.
Longtime math teacher Steve Morris is retiring.

Days Creek
Sixth- and seventh-grade language arts and social studies teacher Golden Franklin is retiring.

Elkton
Michael Hughes will take over as superintendent and principal. He follows interim superintendent/principal Bob Allen.
Custodian Dave Evans is retiring.

Glendale
Glendale Junior/Senior High Principal Tom McCormick. Alternative education teacher Patty Fleming is taking his place.
Retirees include June Miller, who taught first and second grade; Mike Brassill, who taught fourth grade; and Judy Petray, the district’s business manager.

Glide
Librarian and teacher Patti Boyd and Glide Elementary office manger Arlene Drury are retiring.

North Douglas
North Douglas High School Principal Lesa Haley is leaving for another school district.
Julie Bates, a first-grade teacher, is retiring.

OAKLAND
Information on the Oakland district was not immediately available

Riddle
Riddle’s retirees include Lee Hutchins, Title I teacher at Riddle Elementary School; Pat Thieral, special education teacher at Riddle High School; and Wanda Currier, a district custodian.

Roseburg
John Crouch is retiring as principal of Fir Grove Elementary School. Eastwood Elementary Principal Jill Weber is moving to Fir Grove. Nicki Opp, a former reading coach at Green Elementary School, will become principal at Eastwood.
Fullerton IV Elementary will also see a new principal. Debby Frederick is moving into special education. Mike Keizer, former director of student services for the district, is taking her place. Matt Brausam, who worked in special programs for the Douglas Education Service District, is moving to the Roseburg School District to fill Keizer’s position.
At Winchester Elementary School, Joseph Lane Middle School social studies teacher Curt Frye will take over as principal. Jeanne Grazioli will move from Winchester to the district office, where she takes on the newly reinstated alternative education coordinator position.
Joseph Lane and Fremont middle schools will see a new assistant principal, Robert Cruger, who is replacing Dennis Acton. Acton is retiring. Cruger, who worked in the learning resource center at Fir Grove Elementary, will divide his time between the two schools.
In the central office, Larry Parsons will take over as superintendent, replacing Lee Paterson, who is retiring. School psychologist Brandy Olson will become special education program coordinator. She is taking the place of Cheri Page, who is taking on the newly reinstated position of instructional coordinator. Cheryl Northam is moving from the Douglas ESD to become budget and finance manager, which is another newly reinstated position.
Roseburg’s retirees include child development specialist Carol Bailey, who worked at Winchester Elementary; Kim Clary, who taught math at Roseburg High School; Carolyn Dawson, a Title I teacher at Fullerton IV Elementary; Ron Goodell, a math teacher at Roseburg High; Marilyn Jenkins, who taught in the learning resource center at Hucrest Elementary; Pat Mehlhoff, an elementary school music teacher; Shirley Northcraft, a third-grade teacher at Hucrest Elementary; Robert Pierce, a fourth-grade teacher at Melrose Elementary; Guy Seghetti, who taught social studies at Roseburg High; Donna Spicer, a language arts teacher at Roseburg High; John Thomas, a history teacher at Roseburg High; Peggy Thomas, an English and French teacher at Roseburg High; Bruce Walker, a math teacher at Roseburg High; Linda Baldwin, an instructional assistant at Hucrest Elementary; Catherine Cotton, who worked in food service at Joseph Lane Middle School; Carol Durfee, who worked in food service at Sunnyslope Elementary; Lynne Falgout, an instructional assistant at Fullerton IV Elementary; Judeth Hill, food service manager at Fremont Middle School; Lois Lotspeich, an instructional assistant at Sunnyslope Elementary; Jan Pullen, an accounting assistant at Roseburg High; Linda Taggart, an instructional assistant at Fir Grove Elementary; and Virginia McCarroll, longtime director of student services at Phoenix School.

South Umpqua
Several principals are changing jobs in the South Umpqua School District. South Umpqua High School Principal Brody Guthrie is moving to Tri City Elementary School, where he’ll take over for LeeAnn Sommerfeld. Sommerfeld is technically retiring but will continue working for a year as a behavior specialist. Myrtle Creek Elementary Principal Kristy McGree will step into Guthrie’s shoes at the high school. Darla Waite, who is new to the district, will become principal at Myrtle Creek. Scott Pons from the North Santiam School District will replace Rhonda Zosel as vice principal at South Umpqua High School.
The district’s retirees include Gayle Staysa, primary reading coach at Myrtle Creek Elementary; Avis Wolfer, a reading coach at Tri City Elementary; Judy Hill, a second-grade teacher at Tri City Elementary; and Greg Ammann, art teacher at South Umpqua High School.

Sutherlin
Sutherlin has just one person retiring. Regi Christensen officially retired a year ago but has still been working as director of school improvement, curriculum and Title I. Dawne Huckaby, director of educational services for the Douglas ESD, will take over his position.

Winston-Dillard
The Winston-Dillard School District is losing two principals. Douglas High School Principal Kevin McDaniel is leaving the district. Assistant Principal Graden Blue will replace McDaniel. Winston Middle School Principal Charan Cline is moving to the Douglas ESD, where he will become director of student achievement. A replacement has not yet been chosen.
Winston-Dillard’s retirees have all served at least 30 years. They include Bruce Myers, health teacher at Douglas High; Ann Lansing, second-grade teacher at Brockway Elementary; and Mike Vottaro, a teacher at Brockway Elementary.

Yoncalla
Yoncalla will see a new superintendent. Marc Thielman will replace Art Johns, who is retiring.
Yoncalla’s retirees include Kathleen Rackleff, Title I teacher at Yoncalla Elementary, and Bonnie Duncan, the secretary at Yoncalla Elementary.

• You can reach reporter Teresa Williams at 957-4230 or via e-mail at twilliams@nrtoday.com.