Melissa Harder Selected
Superintendent Ryan Noss announced the selection of Melissa Harder as the new Assistant Superintendent of the Corvallis School District. Melissa is currently the principal of Jefferson Elementary School and will begin her new duties effective July 1. She will fill the vacancy left by Kevin Bogatin who is leaving the District to serve as Superintendent of the North Bend School District.
Melissa has more than two decades of educational experience, beginning as a high school U.S. History teacher in Phoenix, Arizona. She relocated to Corvallis with her family in 1998 and has been employed by the District since then. She was a social studies teacher at Crescent Valley High School for nearly a decade, Assistant Principal at CV for six years, and the principal at Jefferson Elementary for an additional six years. Her experience at both the elementary and secondary levels make her a great fit for this district-wide position.
“Melissa is a visionary leader and has been successful in developing a clear vision for student success,” shared Superintendent Noss. “Administrators rely on her perspective and knowledge when making difficult decisions. Melissa’s work in creating an inclusive school community that focused on providing behavior and academic support to improve outcomes for all students is one of her greatest contributions.”
Ms. Harder is genuinely interested in advancing effective teaching practices in our District and is an effective collaborator and communicator. She is an action-oriented champion of the District’s equity work and believes that “the decisions we make in the lunchroom, the classroom, and at the district level should be based on truly knowing who our students are.” She effectively shares her knowledge of best practices in education and is a leader in fostering a collaborative culture among staff.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education, Social Studies from Arizona State University, and a Master of Education in Curriculum Development and Instruction from Oregon State University. With her deep experience in the District and her strong relationships with students, staff, families, and the community, Melissa will be an outstanding addition to the executive leadership of the Corvallis School District.
The process to identify an interim principal for Jefferson Elementary will be announced later this month.