Salem, Oregon- The Oregon Association of Central Office Administrators (OACOA) Executive Committee and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA) are proud to announce the recipient of the OACOA annual Achievement of Excellence award is Erika Bare, Assistant Superintendent of Ashland School District.

Bare was presented with the award at COSA’s Multilingual and English Learner Conference in Eugene. The presentation comes on the heels of the announcement that Bare will be appointed as the next Superintendent of South Umpqua School District.

“Erika is an exceptional educator and administrator. [She] is wicked smart, forward-thinking, and an expert in instructional practices. But what really sets Erika apart as a signature characteristic is her student-centric worldview and her commitment to equity and access for every child,” shared Ashland Superintendent Samuel Bogdanove. She reminds us all that kids are not their behaviors, and we are in this game to raise connected humans.”

OACOA, an organization under the COSA umbrella, awards its Achievement of Excellence recipient annually based on a demonstration of dedication, service to schools, students, community, and leadership that goes above and beyond.

“[Erika’s] impact is big. She collaborates, teaches, and models inclusion and leadership at every turn. I cannot imagine a more worthy recipient of this award,” expressed current OACOA President April Harrison during the award presentation.

Bare’s career began as a special education teacher and evolved into a teacher on special assignment (TOSA), high school and elementary school administrator, and director of special services at the district level. In 2021, she became Ashland School District Assistant Superintendent.

“Erika’s impact on education is not only experienced in her Southern Oregon community; it is experienced across the state.  She leads with compassion and supports educators in continuous growth in support of all students,“ said Craig Hawkins, Executive Director of COSA.

Alongside her work as a district administrator, Bare has co-authored Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students and is leading transformative Social Emotional Learning work throughout Oregon and nationwide. She will spend time in 2024 continuing to teach educators, with her next Oregon stops including a keynote address at COSA’s 50th Annual Seaside Conference in June.

The OACOA Executive Committee and COSA are proud to select Bare as the Achievement in Excellence recipient.