Dp Chooses New Superintendent

Thu., July 22, 1999

By Kristen Kromer kristenk@spokesman.com

The Deer Park School Board chose Pomeroy superintendent Terry Brandon July 15 to fill the vacancy left by former superintendent Glenys Hill.

But of all the concerns that come with a move to a new district, Brandon isn’t worried about having big shoes to fill.

“The board told me (Hill) took her shoes with her,” Brandon said with a laugh. “We have different styles and different strengths. I’ll just bring what I can.”

He lists his strengths as human relations and experience with curriculum, school reform and facilities - skills learned during the 25 years he’s spent working in schools.

For Brandon, 48, coming to Deer Park is a homecoming of sorts.

He started his career in 1974 in Cheney, teaching industrial arts and math at Cheney High School. He then moved on to administrative duties as the assistant curriculum coordinator and was the principal of the now-defunct Garden Springs Elementary School.

In 1995 he and his family moved to Pomeroy, Wash., where he has since served as superintendent.

Brandon said he sought a move to Deer Park for several reasons, particularly because of its size. Deer Park is more than four times the size of Pomeroy, which has about 450 enrolled students. “I was looking for a match with people and with goals of the district,” Brandon added. “And during the interview process I definitely thought there was a match.”

Brandon considers his greatest accomplishments in Pomeroy rebuilding and restructuring.

“The first year I was there, a $3.25 million bond issue passed - that’s like $10 million or $11 million here,” he said. Those funds, plus matching state funds led to the complete remodeling of the district’s elementary school.

Brandon said he made several internal improvements as well - in how teachers are trained and in the teachers he hired.

Now, as he and his wife Shirley search for a home in the Deer Park area, Brandon is trying to learn as much as he can before school starts. Though his first official day isn’t until Aug. 1, he is spending time in the office trying to get a head start.

“I want people to feel comfortable contacting me about issues,” he said. “So far I’ve only met 10 percent of the staff. I want to spend time with everyone in the next 30 days, if I can, and give them an opportunity to tell me what’s good and what’s bad.”

Brandon said other immediate goals include hiring a middle school principal and looking into facilities issues. In May, the second of a three-part bond issue to improve schools failed.

“There are things I can bring to the table,” Brandon said.

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