Supt. Yates to retire early

Lebanon schools Supt. Bo Yates announced his early retirement Dec. 15.
In a written statement, Yates said he expects to finish out the term at the end of the calendar year. The decision is due to a medical condition that is making it harder for him to get to work, he said.
A graduate of Lebanon High School, Yates has served as an administrator in Lebanon since 2004. Prior to that he taught and coached at West Salem High, Pendleton High and Lebanon High schools.
In 2019 the Lebanon Community Schools board of education chose Yates from among three finalists for the superintendent’s position after the board voted to part ways with former superintendent Rob Hess in 2018.
At the time, the Board of Directors commented on his strong relationships and encouragement of staff.
Those were strengths that sustained the district over his tenure, which included guiding the school community through the trials of the pandemic and distance learning, a district statement said.
“His creative thinking in response to students’ needs has moved the district forward, even in the face of immense challenges,” LCSD Board Chair Tom Oliver said.
“For Bo, it was always about ‘How can we do better for students?’ And that’s a starting point on which we can all agree.”
Assistant Supt. Jennifer Meckley, who will be assuming the superintendent’s duties until an interim
superintendent is named by the board in January, agreed with that thought.
“So many of us just appreciate (Yates’) leadership and perspective,” she said. “His heart has always been for kids.”