PAGE A18, KEIZERTIMES, APRIL 30, 2021
We didn’t set
the bar
WE ARE
THE BAR!
Erik Jespersen.
SECOND,
Continued from page A17
“ This community is beautiful and the whole staff is so attentive
and caring! The atmosphere is engaging and respectful and it is
so good to know that Mom is in such good hands. I would highly
recommend this community to anyone! ”
— HEIDI
However, thanks to an aggressive
approach to safe, in-person learning,
McNary was able to cut their failing grades
from 38% to 17% in less than a month.
McNary assistant principal Dan
Borresen spoke highly of Jespersen’s
eff orts to get students back on track —
Borresen nominated Jespersen for the
award.
“But Erik and our staff weren’t satisfi ed
– the numbers still weren’t acceptable – so
we incorporated an aggressive, in-person,
parent conferencing plan and then a lim-
ited in-person instruction system for our
struggling students,” Borresen said. “Erik’s
ability to provide the freedom and encour-
agement to boldly create systems where
staff needed them, allowed McNary to lead
the charge in welcoming back students.
Erik refused to let anyone on our staff use
FILE PHOTO.
any of the hardships we or our students
were facing as excuses to fail, but rather
turned those hardships into reasons to
succeed.”
Along with all the accolades, what sets
Jespersen apart is his love and commit-
ment to McNary High School.
“I would have to drag him kicking and
screaming out of here if I needed him to do
something else, which is what you want in
a high school principal,” Perry said.
Jespersen credited the team of teachers
and administrative staff at McNary with
helping him obtain this award.
“The work is not one person. I am hon-
ored to be here, but quite honestly, it’s all
about the people sitting in those bleach-
ers,” Jespersen said. “I feel blessed to be
a principal here. It has been an amazing
ride.”
Jespersen will be honored at the annual
COSA Seaside Conference in June and
at the Statewide Principals Conference in
October. He will also be honored by the
National Association of Secondary School
Principals (NASSP).
Speed Bump By DAVE COVERLY
r ached t h e age of si i x t y -two.
t ose who ha v e re
v i n g f o r th
Qual l i t y senior lil vi
Come See the Finest in Senior Living!
CALL (503) 390 -1300
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