Sean C. Morgan
Derek Barnhurst and Ryan Beck have resigned from their positions as principals of Oak Heights and Hawthorne elementary schools.
Their resignaitons were announced Monday during the consent session of the monthly School Board meeting.
Barnhurst has been at Oak Heights for three years after serving two years as assistant principal at Sweet Home Junior High. Beck has been at Hawthorne for four years.
Barnhurst is headed for Wright, Wyo., where he will be principal at Cottonwood Elementary, with an enrollment of approximately 270.
It’s in the grasslands south of Gillette, he said. “I think there are probably more antelope than people.”
Barnhurst, who grew up in Junction City, lived in Montana for eight years, and he had family in Bozeman, he said. They also spent time in Cheyenne, Wyo., and he is familiar with the region.
“Really, it’s a family move,” Barnhurst said. “I really hope people know that the move has nothing to do with Sweet Home.”
Rather, Wyoming schools have far more resources than Oregon schools, thanks to natural resource industries there, he said. Class sizes are smaller, and the schools have more specialists. His two children, the oldest almost 5, will soon start school, and he wants them to attend school there.
It’s a win-win for his family, he said. His wife is a PE and health teacher as well as a counselor. Both will receive higher salaries.
He praised School District 55 and Sweet Home.
“I really, truly feel blessed to be here,” he said, where he went to work at Sweet Home Junior High with Principal Hal Huschka.
“One of the best things, personally, in my career was coming here and working with him,” Barnhurst said. “I felt very welcome in this community. My wife has too. We’ve made some pretty good friends. There’s things we’ll miss for sure. It was a tough decision in some regards. We’ve enjoyed our time here.”
But working here has been tough too.
“The toughest thing I’ve every done is sit down with three people and tell them they don’t have jobs,” Barnhurst said. Every year has involved budget cuts, and he’s looking forward to when talking about what’s best for kids isn’t in context of budget cuts.
“It’s a problem I can’t fix,” he said. It’s not a Sweet Home issue, and it’s not a School District issue. The number one thing is really the opportunity for their children.
Beck, who grew up in Seattle and taught in Cottage Grove prior to being principal at Hawthorne, is taking a position at Creswell, closer to his family.
“I’ll miss this place,” Beck said. “It’s very bittersweet. I love Hawthorne.”
The staff and students are spectacular, Beck said.
He has lived in Eugene for 22 years, he said, and his move will cut his commute from 50 to 14 minutes.
He’ll work for a superintendent he already knows, he said.
“I’m really sad, personally,” Beck said. “It’s the most talented group of people I’ve ever worked with. I will miss the people, the dedicated staff and the kids. I won’t miss the drive. Family is a priority.”