Jay Mathisen, La Pine High School Principal since 2006, has been named the Oregon High School Principal of the Year by the Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA) and the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators (COSA).  This award automatically places Mathisen in the running for the National High School Principal of the Year Award from the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and MetLife.

Under Mathisen’s leadership, La Pine High School has experienced a significant decline in the dropout rate (7.4% in 2006-2007 to 1.6% in the most recent data from 2009).  La Pine High School’s student achievement results have also seen dramatic improvements as well as the number of rigorous courses that their students enroll in and complete. Mathisen contributes much of this success to “Raising the Bar” – raising and maintaining high expectations.  He strongly believes that by raising expectations and connecting with students on a personal level, students will no longer drift away from La Pine High School, instead they will be supported in their continued education and learning.

La Pine High School’s student achievement improvement results since 2007-2008 include:  

• The percentages of all students rated as proficient or advanced on state assessments have increased in reading (59 percent in 2007-08 to 73 percent in 2009-10) and math (44 percent in 2007-08 to 60 percent in 2009-10). 
• The percentages of economically disadvantaged students rated as proficient or advanced on state assessments have increased in reading (47 percent in 2007-08 to 67 percent in 2009-10) and math (27 percent in 2007-08 to 56 percent in 2009-10).

“The high achievement of the school is the result of focusing on excellence,” said Ron Wilkinson, Superintendent of Bend-La Pine Schools.  “With that focus, he has organized his staff into Professional Learning Communities of adults focused on “whatever it takes” to help students achieve.  Consequently, the ownership for the school’s success is absolutely shared among the entire staff, student body, and community.”

Mathisen will be honored at the 37th Annual COSA Professional Development Conference in Seaside, June 22-24.  He will also be honored Sept. 21-24 at the NASSP State Principals of the Year Institute and Awards Gala in Washington, D.C.