(Arlington, OR) – Completing the search for a new Superintendent/Principal, the Arlington School District Board of Directors is pleased to announce Brandon R. Hammond as the District’s next Superintendent/Principal effective July 1, 2020. Kevin Hunking will continue to serve as Superintendent/Principal until the end of the school year. The School Board and Hammond are working on the terms of a tentative agreement which will be approved officially at a board meeting.
“Even though complicated by limitations created during the COVID 19 virus situation, we’ve now completed our search for a new Superintendent/Principal. With assistance from a team of staff and community meeting virtually by video conference, we thoroughly reviewed all the applications and selected several candidates for initial interviews. After the initial interviews, we narrowed the field to 3 candidates and focused our attention on them for further consideration,” Board Chair Shanna Gronquist said.
“We reference checked the finalists thoroughly and invited them for a second round of interviews.” Gronquist further commented. “Ideally, we would have preferred to let the finalists meet with a larger group of our staff and community, but we were able to give representatives of the staff and community who assisted with the application reviews a chance to meet them and ask questions. Brandon Hammond emerged as the right fit for our District and we’re excited that he will be our next Superintendent/Principal.”
Hammond is currently the Principal at Sam Boardman Elementary in the Morrow County School District in Boardman where is has served since 2018. He was also Principal at Windy River Elementary for 3 years and Vice Principal at Riverside Jr/Sr High School for 2 years both in the Morrow County SD. His prior experience also includes time as elementary Principal in Sherman County School District as well ESOL Coordinator and Title I Coordinator totaling 5 years. Hammond is currently the President of the Boardman City Council and has served as a City Councilor since 2014. He has a Master of Science in Education from Eastern Oregon University and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Utah State University. Hammond studied for his Oregon administrative credentials at Concordia University. “My model of collaboration, reflection, promotion, and revision with all stakeholders has proven successful in my experience. Sustaining this approach throughout my career has allowed for a successful and accelerated track record. This vision includes professional development for staff and focuses to help educators better understand about their role to help their students succeed,” said Hammond. “I am thrilled about joining the Arlington school community and becoming part of a team that that expects success at every level.”