Sheldon Principal Receives Top High School Award

Dr. Bob Bolden Named Oregon High School Principal of the Year

Dr. Robert Bolden, principal of Sheldon High School, has been awarded top honors as Oregon’s High School Principal of the Year by the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators.  A 22-year veteran administrator who previously served as principal of Roosevelt and Jefferson middle schools, he has been Sheldon’s principal for the past seven years.

“Dr. Bob is an excellent administrator and a leader with vision.  He has been a strong leader for diversity and equity at his school and within the district and community,” says Superintendent George Russell.

“Dr. Bob,” as he’s affectionately called by students, parents, and staff, completed both his Bachelor and Masters of Science at the University of Oregon, and completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Education from Oregon State University.  An active member of the community, he received the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award from the Human Rights Commission in Eugene in 2002.  Most recently, he was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Social Justice.

In his quest for continuous improvement in the areas of curriculum, instruction and assessment, Dr. Bolden has put several programs and initiatives in place, such as the Tech Paths Curriculum Mapping System, which reduces curriculum redundancy and aligns curriculum with state and national standards.  Over the past few years, all teachers in Sheldon's English department have been AP certified, and a building-wide “Writing Across the Curriculum” initiative was put into place.  As a result of these and other efforts, the number of students reaching benchmarks in reading, writing, math and science has risen steadily since 2005.

During the 2004–05 year, a ninth-grade advisory program was developed and implemented.  The program expanded to include all grades, with each teacher mentoring and supporting a group of 20–25 students throughout their high school years.  The goals included easing the transition from middle to high school, improving student/teacher relationships, career and life planning, and building community and school culture.  Positive outcomes have included fewer disciplinary incidents and suspensions.

One of Dr. Bob's proudest accomplishments was the creation of a multicultural class at Sheldon.  Although the new course met with some initial skepticism, the class has now been taken by hundreds of Sheldon students from all backgrounds, and student evaluations of the class indicate that it has made an incredible impact on their overall education.

Dr. Bolden will be honored at the Annual COSA Conference in Seaside June 24–26, and at the Principal’s Conference in October.  All state winners will be invited to attend a Principal’s Institute and Awards Banquet in Washington D.C. next year, where they will be honored for their accomplishments, and provided with a forum to share best practices.  The event will be sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and MetLife.

For more about this honor, see local news coverage in both the daily newspaper and a local television station.