(Photos above: L-R John Rexford & Paul Andrews)
Deputy Superintendent Paul Andrews Designated Successor
High Desert Education Service District Superintendent John Rexford will be retiring this coming June. Rexford, who will have served in that role for five years, has worked in education for nearly 32 years, 23 of them with Bend La-Pine Schools. The HDESD board of directors has designated current Deputy Superintendent Paul Andrews to take over as superintendent beginning in July. Rexford announced his retirement at HDESD’s January 17 board meeting.
“It is hard to describe my gratitude for the opportunity to lead this organization in serving children and families in Central and Eastern Oregon for the past five years. I am confident that the ESD is a stronger, more relevant educational partner and provider than when I arrived, but it must not be forgotten that we built our recent success on the strong foundation laid by my predecessors and the incredible staff at the HDESD, both current and past,” said Rexford.
According to HDESD board chair Carol Moorehead, at the time of Rexford’s appointment, there was question at the state level about the role and value of Education Service Districts. Today, she says, that’s changed dramatically.
“Under John’s leadership, we have expanded our role in supporting teachers, schools and students. We’ve also increased services that might not otherwise be available to children in our region,” said Moorehead. “John has also played a statewide leadership role in education, including his most recentrole as president of the Oregon Association of Education Service Districts and a seat on the governor’s Quality Education Commission.”
During Rexford’s tenure as superintendent, the HDESD team expanded its role as a regional leader and facilitator. Some examples include: the creation and development of Better Together Central Oregon, a collaborative community movement to ensure success for Central Oregon children from before birth to career; development of the Children’s Forest of Central Oregon in conjunction with the Forest Service and other partners; development and implementation of Cascades Commitment to ensure high school students have opportunities to achieve college credit while in high school; and convening a variety of “Hubs” for the state including CTE/STEM and soon Early Learning.
The board’s decision to designate Paul Andrews as the next HDESD superintendent was an easy one explained Moorehead.
“John and Paul have built a tremendous partnership to serve children in our communities and we knew we had our future superintendent in our midst to carry forward the priorities of our organization,” she said. “Paul’s experience and passion for education, coupled with his and John’s shared vision made him a clear successor for the position.”
According to Rexford, he and Andrews and have been working closely to enhance partnerships within and outside of the organization while staying focused on their organization’s most important role: improving the lives of children and families. Together, they have been planning for the leadership transition to ensure a smooth transition with the passing of the baton. As part of the transition process, Andrews has taken on more statewide education leadership roles including serving on the Oregon Association of School Executives Board and Governor Brown’s Council on Educator Advancement.
“We have a team at the HDESD that rates second to none in this state and beyond. Whether it is in our veteran staff serving the special education needs of children, or the incredible cadre of young leaders we have developed in our capacity-building phase over the past few years, our number one asset is clearly our human resources. They are, and will continue to be, the heart and soul of this organization,” said Rexford.
Rexford, a native Oregonian, received his undergraduate degree from Oregon State University, his MBA from Portland State University and administrative licensure from the University of Oregon. In retirement, he plans to have a continued role in education, supporting children and families at the regional and state level. He will also continue teaching occasional graduate classes in educational administration and leadership. He is most looking forward to traveling with his wife, spending time with his grandchild, and supporting the Oregon State Beavers.
The High Desert Education Service District is a regional support system that links school districts in Central Oregon to state and national education resources. Our programs help districts minimize duplication of services, preserve their local budgets and receive special programs that might otherwise be unavailable to them.
