The amplifier., May 01, 2008, Page 6, Image 6

6
May
Cumpston trades rain for sun, teens for tots
J on H elmkamp
co-Editor-in-Chief
Imagine leaving your
comfortable suburban life
and moving your family to an
economically unstable third
world country for the next,
two years. Jeff Cumpston,
band teacher, is pursuing a
teaching opportunity as a
kindergarten through fifth
grade general music teacher
in Zimbabwe.
"It was a very hard
decision. I've had, in my
opinion, the best high school
band job you can have. We
have great facilities, talented
and passionate musicians,
support from the community
and support from the school.
I've been here for 12 years, it
was a tough choice to leave
all of that," Cumpston said.
He and his wife, Terry,
had planned on working
for several more years and
to Cumpston and his family
by Harare International
School, showed photos of
the campus, community, and
the landscape and animals
of the country. According to
Cumpston, his kids are really
excited about the animals.
Terry's friend, who was
once a teacher at Lake
I’ve had, In my
le t higk
opinion, the beet
" I
oohool band j mmoup
oan have!
......... *7
Oswego and has been a
part of the international
school system for 20 years
and is currently teaching in
Zurich, Switzerland, talked
to Cumpston and his wife
Jeff Cumpston, band teacher, directs the Jazz Band at the Bellevue
Jazz Festival. Along with his wife and two children, Cumpston will
move to Zimbabwe.
Photo submitted by Phillip Brooks
then retiring early to pursue
teaching overseas, but when
this opportunity presented
itself, they decided the timing
was right. "We figured
that this would be a good
time since our kids aren't
in middle school yet. The
older they get the harder it
would be for them. When
they (Mary, 10, and Bryce, 8)
saw the Powerpoint they got
really excited," Cumpston
said. The Powerpoint, sent
openings.
"You then research
those schools, send them
your stuff and wait for a
response. Next, you attend
a job fair (there are job fairs
all over; we attended one
in Seattle) where they will
be interviewing, and while
there, you try to interview
about what kinds of things to
expect, how to prepare, and
what the experience might be
like for them.
"She told us what we
needed to do to apply; go to
the Council of International
Schools (COIS) website and
create an account, submit
resumes, cover letters,
teaching philosophy essays,
letters of recommendation,
etc. Then you search the site
for schools that have posted
with any school that has
a position you think you
could fill. We interviewed
for several, narrowed it
down to five by the
end of the first day,
then to two by the
second, and then
decided on Africa
the third day.
It was a pretty
gut wrenching
experience
overall,"
Cumpston
said.
Cumpston
has been a
band director
for 24 years,
12 of those
at West Linn.
Here he has
directed two
concert bands,
Symphonic Band,
String Orchestra,
Symphony
Orchestra, Jazz
Band, Jazz II,
percussion ensembles,
and conducted the
musicals. Outside of West
Linn, Cumpston directed
the jazz studies program at
University of Portland, two
drum lines (Westview and
Aloha) and small ensembles
at Oregon Episcopal School
and at summer music camps.
Some of Cumpston's
greatest memories have been
seeing the WLHS music
program grow, the success
they experienced at festivals,
the fun the community
had at the Jazz Nights, and
the lasting friendships he
has with many students
and parents. "I'll miss the
people the most: rehearsals,
the parents, the lunch
time conversations with
students.. .1 won't miss the
hours or the festivals.
I'll miss the
preparation that we put in,"
he said.
Cumpston thinks that
there will be less stress and
pressure associated with
his new job in Zimbabwe
and that he will have more
time to be with his family, a
luxury that he doesn't have
much of with his current
job. For example, he directs
several different ensembles
that compete in festivals, as
opposed to in Zimbabwe
where he will be teaching a
general music class.
continued on page 11