The Oregon Small Schools Association has announced Bob Lorence as its 2018 Administrator of the Year.
Lorence is the principal of Umatilla High School, a position he has had for two years.
Known for his steady demeanor and reserved leadership style, Lorence has helped his school achieve a graduation rate of 82 percent, five points above the state average. The rate also marks the first time the Umatilla School District has exceeded the state average in every single student group. The Umatilla School District has a high population of students who live in poverty, and the high school’s graduation rate has been historically below the state average.
Lorence’s leadership brought the high school staff together to establish a “no excuses” mindset to work on boosting the graduation rate. They started by using data effectively to monitor individual students and implementing an early warning student system, meeting individually with students to review their academic progress and embracing Wraparound and outside resources to provide a “whole child” support system.
“Bob understands that rural educators must wear many hats, and he embraces each role he must fill,” said Heidi Sipe, superintendent of the Umatilla School District. “He is the model of servant leadership and I appreciate all he does for our schools and community.”
