Recently, Dr. Jill Weber, principal of Roseburg High School, announced that she would be moving to the District Office at the end of this school year. She share her feelings on that announcement, saying, “I feel happy, excited, and sad at the same time. As I told the staff when I made the announcement at the staff meeting, I’ve been coming to this place everyday for the last 24 years.” 

The announcement was made at the January board meeting, and an email from Dr. Weber went out to the student body and community detailing her move from RHS principal to Director of Teaching and Learning for Roseburg’s district office. 

Although Dr. Weber will be taking a stride into a new exciting chapter of her life, she will definitely be missed by many. She is that smiling face greeting students as they walk into the school each morning and the behind-the-scenes coordinator that works on helping others succeed. During an interview, she made a statement about Roseburg High School saying, “It’s an important place to be. I really do believe in the work that we do here, the people here, and the systems.” 

Dr. Weber values the connections with her students, staff, and community members, and she expressed that those connections are one of her favorite parts about being Roseburg High School’s principal. As the Director of Teaching and Learning for Roseburg School District, she will be able to help kids through each transition during their academic career. She believes that there are many things happening outside of Roseburg High School, and that the growth of students during elementary and middle school is crucial for their high school experience. 

Finding a new principal is not an easy task, and it can be hard to find someone as dedicated as Dr. Weber. According to her, her days are typically twelve hours long. Even so, she tries to attend at least one event for every extracurricular activity and enjoys watching students do the things that they love. There is a current need for administrators in this field of education, and there are around ninety administrative positions open across the state of Oregon. 

Originally, Dr. Weber wasn’t planning to join the field of education. She instead attended Oregon State University to study microbiology. But by her sophomore year of college, she realized that she would much prefer a more people-oriented job. She began teaching science classes at Roseburg High School, and she eventually went back to school to pursue a master’s degree. 

She was hesitant to apply for an administrative position because of how much she enjoyed teaching, but she eventually became the principal of Eastwood Elementary School and later transitioned to the position of principal of Roseburg High School. It was during that time that she received her Doctorate degree. 

After the many years spent supporting our school, Dr. Weber has found family within our school community. She expressed that she feels as if she is trying to find a new parent for her family when she assists with finding a new principal to take over in her place. 

Even though this change will be a big adjustment for Dr. Weber, she looks forward to supporting the school district in a different way as she begins slowly transitioning to retirement in the next three to five years. When thinking about starting to take that step into a new chapter of her life, Dr. Weber stated, “Every step along the way, doors have opened and led me to where I am.” She will be missed by many students and staff members, but many people will also agree that they are excited to see the positive changes Dr. Weber will bring to our school district.