Jeff Bottoms makes move to PUSD as Strathmore principal

STRATHMORE — Though he has just moved in, Jeff Bottoms’ new office is already neat, organized and open for business.

A long, numbered To Do List sits on his desk, waiting patiently. Bottoms is looking forward to having many teachers, parents, staff and — especially — students crossing that threshold over the next few years as he assumes the role of principal at Strathmore High School and the fledgling Harmony Magnet Academy.

Bottoms began his career in education as a teacher in the small town of Lemon Cove, less than an hour outside of Porterville. After three years, he moved to the Burton School District where he began a storied 27-year tenure as a teacher, administrator and technology guru.

His interest in the possibilities of technology for advancing classroom practices began during his first teaching job.

“In the very early days of computers, a parent of one of my students donated a ‘homemade’ computer to the classroom,” he said. “I was enthralled and became an avid user of computer technology.”

Since then, he has advocated for training and development courses for staff and teachers to allow them access to the ways in which technology can assist in a learning environment. During his time as an educator, Bottoms has witnessed a decisive shift from computers as simple transcribing machines to the harbingers of a new era of network communication.

“It was obvious [as technology advanced] that we were changing a paradigm and entering a new, more connected universe rather than remaining independent operators,” Bottoms said.

He sees the area of technology in education as a growing field and looks forward to exploring the options available at Harmony and Strathmore in that area.

Although Monday was his first official day as principal of Harmony and Strathmore High, Bottoms already has meetings set up with the parents of several students.

“I’m a big believer in meeting with parents, teachers and students,” he said.

Bottoms also plans to use advisory boards to stay abreast of any and all developments at the two campuses.

After spending approximately 10 years in administrative positions with Burton School District, Bottoms is looking forward to returning to a role in which he will have ample opportunities to become involved with students through classes, clubs and campus organizations. The small size of the two schools, with only around 350 students per campus, will make that goal easier to accomplish, he said.

“It was a really tough decision to take my first job as an administrator because you lose a lot of the connections you make as a teacher with the students,” he said.

Barbara Bottoms, his wife of more than 40 years, witnessed the difficult choice.

“I think he thought he would be able to influence the big picture more as an administrator,” she said. “Now it’s time for a change, for him to go back and have more interaction with the students.”

After receiving some sage advice from his mentor, Bill Buckley — then superintendent of Burton School District — Bottoms made the decision to transfer to the district office as director of technology and student achievement.

“[Buckley] told me that the influence you can exert over the 30 or so students in your classroom can be spread over a school or even an entire district from an administrative position,” Bottoms said. “He encouraged me to expand my leadership role.”

When he leaves his office for the day, he and his wife often can be found in Hanford visiting their 5-year-old granddaughter, Gracie, of whom he has two photos on his desk at Harmony.

Barbara Bottoms sees her husband’s belief in the need to set a good example as a teacher as a factor in his interactions with his family.

“As an educator, it was very important [to him] to set a good example for his students,” she said. “As a father, I think our children saw him living by the high standards he sets for himself, and they admire that about him.”

Though he says he never expected his path as an educator to do so, Bottoms is following directly in the footsteps of his father, who also held teaching and administrative positions in Porterville until his retirement.

“I was born and raised in Porterville and appreciate what the town has to offer,” Bottoms said. “Still, the thought never struck me that I would end up in the same district in which my dad taught.”

The Bottomses seem to thrive in the Porterville school system. Though Jeff Bottoms attended Fresno State as a philosophy major, he branched into liberal studies — a major acquired by many aspiring elementary school teachers — once he decided to take the teaching route.

“I am very, very happy that I did decided to become an educator,” he said.

Judging from the plaques and accolades hanging unobtrusively on his office walls, many others are, too.

-- Contact Sarah de Crescenzo at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or sdecrescenzo@portervillerecorder.com.