SUN

After 10 years as principal of Three Rivers K-8 School in Sunriver, Gayle Vidal leaves a post and a legacy with very large shoes to fill.

But new principal, Tim Broadbent, is already proving to be up to the challenge.

And though his resume is impressive, the experience and passion he brings to the table goes beyond just academic.

“It seems like every job I’ve worked has been with kids,” said Broadbent. “One of my first jobs was with the town rec department every summer in New York. They’d pair us up at a park, and we’d offer activities for kids — games, arts and crafts.”

Broadbent continued his commitment to service with a year in AmeriCorps, and then found himself working with young people again when he transitioned to life in Oregon at age 21.

“We came into Eugene, and I got a job as the program director at Community Partnership for Youth, similar to Big Brothers Big Sisters,” he continued. “It was probably then that it started to solidify that I’d like to teach.”

Broadbent studied at the University of New York in Plattsburgh and attained a masters from Pacific University. He moved to the Northwest from Buffalo, N.Y., in 1994, gaining his teaching degree in 2000 and administrative license from the University of Oregon. Then in 2001, he spent a year teaching in Glasgow, Scotland, under a highly coveted Fulbright scholarship.

Before accepting the job last spring and moving to Sunriver in early summer, Broadbent spent 11 years teaching fourth grade in the South Lane School District in Cottage Grove. He also spent two years teaching at Lincoln Middle School where he also acted as vice principal.

All the while, he visited Central Oregon to experience all that the area has to offer.

“My sister lives in Bend,” said Broadbent, “and my in-laws spend six months of the year in Eagle Crest, but they’re whatever the opposite of snowbirds is. They spend their winters here.

“We love skiing and boating, kayaking, camping,” said Broadbent of his family, who also are excited to continue to explore the area’s great mountain bike trails. “I love basketball, sports. I’m a big Oregon Ducks football fan. I’ve got my season tickets. I’ll be driving over a lot this year,” he said, laughing.

“I really love reading, too, a lot of historical fiction” he continued, “We’re an avid family of readers, but I’m sure my daughter is beating me … she’s on her 16th or 17th book this summer.”

Broadbent’s daughter, Camille, age 9, will be entering the fourth grade at Three Rivers this fall, and his wife, Elizabeth, who is also an educator will be teaching fifth grade at La Pine Elementary.

“It’s not an easy thing to come into a tight-knit community like this one,” said Allison Barrett, who teaches a second and third grade blended classroom at Three Rivers. “But you can already see how much he cares what each teacher feels, that he respects our individual styles. He has this huge desire to be proactive with relationships in our community and has already reached out to a couple different families in the area.”

Barrett recalled when she was first impressed with Broadbent’s outlook.

“He told us that one of his biggest goals when he was being hired was to know every student by name early in the year. That just really showed me that he cared … It was always going to (be) daunting to find the perfect fit. We’re such a small school, a small tight staff, a close group. We do things together outside of school, but Tim is already fitting in.”

For Broadbent, being part of the community as well as the school is an important part of his new position.

“I just want to get to know people,” said Broadbent. “I (want to) build relationships with my staff and my students, with the community and the great people and organizations that support the school. I’m excited to get to see everyone in action, and I’m already so very impressed with the Bend-La Pine school district, how they’re striving to be the best in the state, maybe already are, and it’s really great to get to be a part of that.”