Tim Comfort takes Bend principal job

Tim Comfort is leaving the Sisters School District after 13 years of service. Comfort, 51, has accepted the position of principal for the 2007-08 school year at Elk Meadow Elementary School in Bend, a school of approximately 600 students in grades K-5.

"They have the reputation of being a very strong and very successful elementary school," Comfort said.

Comfort feels he brings to the table his years of promoting elementary school success.

"I really like to build partnerships with parents and community and promote teamwork, and I'm really keen on getting results," Comfort said.

Comfort was Sisters Elementary School's principal before he moved to the district office two years ago as Special Education and Human Resources Director. Since that time he has missed working with children.

"I was missing being right around the kids and the front line of instruction, he said.

Comfort started his career in education in 1989 as a school psychologist, then became an assistant principal at a middle school.

"I am sad that he is going," said Veronda McConville, who was Comfort's secretary at the elementary school. "He's a great elementary school principal. The kids love him. He's just full of energy. He's full of life and he's a character."

"Tim has been an icon in the Sisters School District for 13 years," said Shirleen Cundiff, the district's personnel specialist. "It's hard for me to even imagine this district without him. He will be missed not only by Sisters School District but by the entire Sisters community, and its definitely our loss and Bend's gain."

Comfort admits he considered applying to be the Sisters School District's new superintendent.

"I'm not sure I have thick enough skin for it, frankly," he said.

According to Superintendent Ted Thonstad, Comfort's departure will leave a big hole in the district.

"Tim was wearing numerous hats. He was the director of human resources, the director of special education which are district-wide responsibilities, plus he handled the TAG (Talented and Gifted) program, the ELL (English Language Learners) program, the Title I program. We've got a lot of hats to redistribute ... with Tim's departure," Thonstad said.

Comfort won't miss wearing so many hats. "In small districts people ... get spread so thin. It's quite challenging to be everything for everybody," he said.

Thonstad is concerned that 13 years of "institutional memory" are walking out the door with Comfort's departure. With Thonstad also giving up the helm this year, the district's "institutional memory" loss will be further exacerbated.

In Comfort's opinion the greatest challenge the new superintendent will face will be dealing with the district's educational and financial priorities. The district's small size allows it to have a close and supportive culture; however, the variety the district can offer because of its financial base is more limited than in a larger district.

"What we get compressed into ... is trying to be a big district and do it all for everybody with the same amount of variety and that squeeze is almost constant," Comfort said. "We need to reach some sort of consensus on what can we realistically prioritize and do well."

During his tenure with the district, Comfort prides himself in crafting the "Clean the Green" project at the elementary school.

"For over eight years we dramatically improved the safety landscaping and playground options for kids," he said.

Other high points are his creation of four new classrooms at the elementary school that were totally funded through donations and grants. Under his tutelage the school attained three "exceptional school ratings" within a four-year period from 2001 to 2005. He helped keep diverse art and music options alive when they were cut from the school's budget.

"We had incredible partnerships with our parents and local artists," he said.

He has also been responsible for significantly improving special education and talented and gifted programs in the district.

"I am excited to see him advance his professional career by leading a larger school with more challenges and responsibilities, and I am sure he will rise to the occasion," said school board vice-chairman Steve Rudinsky.

"I think he's come to realize that he really likes being around kids. That's why he came into this profession He did an excellent job for the Sisters School District as principal of the elementary school, and I have every reason to believe he'll do an excellent job for Bend as the principal of Elk Meadow," Thonstad said.

Comfort and his wife Janice, who is the Nutritional Service Coordinator for the school district, are residents of Sisters.

"I'm going to stay here for at least this first year and see how the commute goes," Comfort said.