Portland educator Brandon Goodrich has been tapped to be the next principal of Levi Anderson Learning Center. 

The program, which is co-located on the St. Mary’s Home For Boys campus in southwest Beaverton, is home to about 50 students. 

Half of the students at the school live there full time and the other half attend during the day. Students who attend the program receive intensive mental health support and educational support that is tailored just for them. 

Many students have disconnected from school after struggling with substance use, mental health conditions and/or disabilities. Some have been convicted of crimes as minors. Students often arrive with low self-confidence, but once in the program, they start gaining valuable life skills such as learning how to make friends, manage their emotions and solve problems. Many also start engaging in schoolwork for the first time in their educational careers. 

Brandon says he’s looking forward to meeting the students and educators at Levi Anderson and leading the school community. 

“I believe an excellent administrator is not defined by authority or titles but by the ability to inspire, uplift and guide others with integrity and purpose,” he says. 

Brandon comes to Levi Anderson with more than 15 years of special education experience. He was most recently an assistant principal at Arata Creek and Burlingame Creek schools, which are operated by Multnomah Education Service District and serve students who are navigating similar life circumstances to our students..  

While there, he adopted a new reading curriculum and boosted student reading scores by 12%. He also heavily focused on creating an inclusive and positive school experience for students, and the schools saw a 90% reduction in the use of restraints and seclusion, which are considered a tool of last resort. 

“Brandon is there 100% for the students,” says Cathy Jensen, executive director of K-12 special education. “That is clear from their achievements. He’s a collaborator who focuses on gaining a student’s trust and then helping them reach their goals.” 

Before becoming an administrator, Brandon worked as a special education teacher at Mill Park Elementary School in Portland for nearly  a decade. He also substituted in the Gresham-Barlow School District while he pursued his special education credential.  

Brandon holds an administrator’s license from George Fox University, a master’s degree in special education from Portland State University, a master’s degree in teaching from Pacific University and a bachelor’s degree from University of New Orleans. 

His first day was July 1.