Barry Branaugh:
CLASS OF 1987
Redmond High SchoolClass of 1987
Redmond, OR
Western Oregon UniversityClass of 1991
Monmouth, OR
Barry's Story
Life
Well. . . I didn't get too far away as I live in Redmond and teach at Redmond High School (this last year was my 21st teaching there). So much for my two graduation night promises, "I'll never be a teacher, and I'll never live in Redmond again!" Next year will be a new adventure as I will be part of the first group of teachers at the new Ridgeview High School in Redmond. I've been a part of RHS since it opened (since my Dad worked there), so it's going to be strange to be part of of RVHS . . . and have to root against the Panthers.
I have a wonderful family! My wife Julie and I have been married for 22 years and we have three great kids. Our son Jake is 20 and going into his junior year at Oregon State (go Beavs) majoring in electrical engineering. He's engaged to his high school sweetheart who, unfortunately, is a Duck (everyone has character flaws). Our older daughter Hayley is 16 and going be a junior at Ridgeview, and our younger daughter Maddie is 13 and going be an eighth grader.
For those of you that didn't know, my Dad passed away in 1995. He had complications from cancer treatment he had in 1974. It was a long, slow, and (although he never admitted it) painful slide. The problem started in the fall of 1994 and he died in July of 1995. He was a good guy -- I miss him.
School
I always felt we had a special class; so many of us went most or all 12 grades together. It seemed to me we were fairly close knit and not separated by cliques. I started teaching at RHS when I was 22 and so many of our teachers ...Expand for more
were still there. Many of those folks told me that they felt we were a truly special class! I wanted to respond with, "Duh!!!!" but I just smiled and nodded :)
College
I went to Western Oregon State College and graduated in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in secondary education. It was at Western that I met my wife Julie. In 1996 I received my master's degree in secondary education at Western (although it had become Western Oregon University at that point).
Workplace
I never intended to come back to Redmond butI was offered a one-year temporary position that I took hoping to get some experience and move on somewhere else. But by the end of the year, Redmond didn't seem like such a bad place to live and raise a family (we were pregnant with our first that year). So, I stayed. I taught English my first eight years and history since then.
The physical and personell changes at RHS would truly surprise you. Gone is the lovely yellow and orange carpet. The locker area is classrooms. There's a new technology wing and reconfigured parking lot. There's also a lovely mural on the front of the school taking away from the drab gray look. This summer (2012) they are completely remodeling the classroom areas so gone will be the chalkboard walls of our memory.
The only teacher left from our days is Lauri Roland, but, like me, she is going to Ridgeview. I'm one of the old people now . . . not sure how that happened. RHS will still be represented though as Lance Hill is the Ag teacher. It's been fun working with an old classmate.
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