
Signs of appreciation greeted teachers this week at the Pleasant Hill Elementary School. A similar expression of gratitude was expressed in a “Teacher Appreciation” resolution passed Monday night by school board members. The occasion is being celebrated at other schools in the Highway58 community. (See additional photos below.)
By DEAN REA/Correspondent/The Herald — Randy Fisher is retiring as Pleasant Hill High School’s principal, a position he has held for 13 years.

Randy Fisher
He will continue being a Billie, however, after school board members granted his request Monday night to continue in that position for at least another year.
“After 30 incredible years in education, it is my hope to continue to serve this wonderful community for the foreseeable future as I believe there is still much more to accomplish,” Fisher said Tuesday in describing his decision to continue as principal.
Meanwhile, Fisher has the task of helping organize a graduation ceremony complicated by COVID-19, which he briefly outlined during the school board meeting.

The football field is being prepped as the commencement site and may permit each graduate to invite four or five guests, he said.
The graduates and guests would be placed in groups of a hundred with each group assigned an individual entrance to the field and equipped with restrooms.
“We want to plan for one graduation and to do it well,” he said.
Fisher told a reporter that his career in education began in 1991 teaching middle school math and coaching ninth-grade football in Roseburg.

“Since then, I have been a high school advanced math teacher, coached football, basketball and track, and have served as principal of Pleasant Hill High School for the past 13 years.
“We built a new school, renovated the track and field, moved the middle school students to the high school, developed CTE programs in Agriculture, Advanced Technology and Medical Sciences. We have also added to our LCC dual credit options that allow students to graduate from Pleasant Hill High School with 40 plus college credits.

“During this time, we have maintained a high graduation rate well above the state average, had numerous National Merit Scholars, University of Oregon and Oregon State Scholarship recipients, assisted students entering the workforce through Career Technical Education.
“We currently have three students enrolled at military academies and helped all students work toward fulfilling their hopes and dreams.
“This has all been achieved because of our wonderful students, families and staff. My hat off to them.”

“Mr. Fisher is a veteran administrator who has demonstrated his capacity to work with our students, staff and community at large at a high level of professionalism,” said Supt. Scott Linenberger, who has worked with Fisher four years.
“I have especially appreciated his knowledge and expertise as we have had to work through the Covid pandemic. We have been able to offer full-course offerings under his leadership in an effort to keep our students engaged in preparation for life after graduating from PHHS.”
Longtime Oregon journalist Dean Rea, widely known for his years as a University of Oregon journalism educator and editor at The Register-Guard in Eugene, serves as a founding board member and correspondent for The Herald.