February 4, 2024 5:00 p.m.
The South Umpqua School District has announced the selection of Erika Bare as the new superintendent of the district, effective July 1st.
School board chair Jeff Johnson said, “Although our finalist pool had three excellent candidates to choose from, Ms. Bare rose to the top as the clear leader to move our district forward”. Johnson said, “We are excited to welcome Erika to South Umpqua and know she will be a great fit for our school district, as well as our community”.
A SUSD release said Bare has been an educator for over twenty years. She grew up in Portland, graduating from the University of Oregon with a Master’s in Education in 2001. Bare began her career as a special education teacher at the middle school level. The release said in this work, she endeavored to provide each student with individualized supports and exceptional instruction to support them in reaching their limitless potential. This continued when her family relocated to southern Oregon and she became a special education teacher on special assignment serving K-12 students in the Medford School District.
Bare earned her administrative credential in 2012 at Southern Oregon University and transitioned to an administrative role at Ashland High School where she was an assistant principal and then the principal. After seven years she followed her desire to work with younger students, moving to the elementary level as principal in the Medford School District. She later went to the district office as director of student services and then back to the Ashland School District, where she is currently an assistant principal.
Bare said, “I am so honored and humbled to be selected as the next South Umpqua Superintendent”. Bare said, “The dedication of educators, the wonderful students, and the supportive community came through at every turn as I got to know the South Umpqua Community through this process. I simply cannot wait to learn and lead alongside them as we work together to unlock the potential in every student.
Johnson said, “I would like to thank all involved in this very important process from our screening committee, the staff personnel involved in giving tours to our candidates, the public that came out to meet the candidates, to finally the board I had the pleasure of working with”. Johnson said, “It was a student-centered search and I am very proud of the work and process that took place here”.