Blossom Gulch Elementary School assistant principal Jodi O’Mara looks at a youngster’s drawing in the hallway Thursday. Next year, O’Mara will be the new principal for Blossom Gulch.-World Photo by Lou Sennick

COOS BAY — After 16 years teaching in the classroom, Jodi O’Mara decided she wanted to work with more students. She got that opportunity this year, serving as assistant principal at both Blossom Gulch Elementary School and Millicoma Intermediate School.

Next year, she won’t have quite as many students, but a good deal more responsibility. She will be taking over as principal at Blossom Gulch.

“I’m anxious to be here full time and support the good things happening here,” she said Thursday.

A native of Roseburg, O’Mara taught in her hometown school district for five years before relocating to Florence. There, she taught nine years of sixth grade and two years of second grade.

In the meantime, she graduated with a master’s degree from the University of Oregon in education leadership, but finding an administrative position wasn’t easy.

“Elementary school assistant principal openings are few and far between,” she said. “Usually they are in huge districts, like Portland.”

That wasn’t the climate she wanted. So when she learned of the opening in Coos Bay last year, she jumped at the chance.

“K-6 was perfect,” she said.

She spent Mondays and Wednesdays at Millicoma, and Tuesdays and Thursdays at Blossom Gulch, splitting Fridays between the two schools.

The job, in hindsight, also was a great training grounds for moving into the principal position.

At Blossom Gulch, she got to work with Jennifer Haliski, who is stepping down after five years to take a job in the Bethel School District in west Eugene.

“Jennifer is such a great mentor,” O’Mara said.

At the same time, she got to work with principal Bryan Trendell, who was starting his first year at Millicoma.

“I got to learn with Bryan and collaborate to create a philosophy for Millicoma,” she said.

This coming school year, O’Mara said she plans to better acquaint herself with the Blossom Gulch staff, knowing Haliski is leaving behind a strong, supportive system.

“Just dealing with the kids, not just academically, but socially and emotionally,” she said. “(With younger students) you have to wear kid gloves and be more sensitive to what they are dealing with at home.”

Haliski said it will be nice for Blossom Gulch to have someone who was already around for a year taking over for her.

“I think she’ll do great,” Haliski said. “She has an enthusiasm that will be really great for this building.”