Principal John Bier to retire

Posted November 2020

By Taj O'Malley

Staff Editor

Next year will be the first time in 13 years that the high school is not under the kind command of current Principal John Bier, who will retire at this year’s end after 31 years at David Douglas High School.

From assistant baseball coach and math teacher, to biology teacher and football coach, Principal Bier has found himself in almost every nook and corner of the David Douglas community in those 31 years, but regardless of the role he served, Principal Bier gave it his all, making incredible impacts wherever he stretched his influence.

However, a career in education was not part of his original plan.

While attending Eastern Oregon University, Bier wanted to have a career in biology, specifically focused on marine wildlife. He ended up finding himself in a teaching class in college, and just “fell in love” with it. It is not surprising that he found teaching so attractive, because both of his parents were also teachers.

Bier’s first job in education was at Crook County High School in 1986. Just four years later he would find himself moving to Portland, because his wife had been accepted into medical school. A job for Bier would open up at David Douglas, thanks to his wife’s friendship with social studies teacher Heather Roberts (the two were college roommates).

Bier would quickly make himself comfortable at David Douglas, teaching science and math in his early years. He also taught outside of the classroom, coaching the football and baseball teams. Remembering his days as football coach, Bier looks fondly upon the 1993 season when the Scots managed to get to the third round of the playoffs, a playoff run that can best be described as a Cinderella story, given that the football team only made the playoffs because of a coin flip to break a tie.

Although that memory is one he loves, Bier has plenty of Douglas memories, and as he leaves, he holds on to what he loves most about David Douglas.

“[T]he people, students and adults.”

As he leaves his service to the David Douglas community, Principal Bier encourages DDHS students to “find [their] passion” and to remember the importance of hard work.

“[There is] no substitute for hard work," he said. "Work ethic is huge.”