Upper Columbia Academy (UCA) announced recently that Jeff Bovee has accepted the invitation to serve as principal.
Bovee brings to his position the fresh perspective of one who has spent the last nine years in the classroom, the last four of them at Milo Adventist Academy in Oregon. He loves interacting with students and looks forward to continuing a high level of interaction with them in his new role in Spangle, Wash.
“My primary goal as principal is for Christ to be at the center of absolutely everything that happens on our campus,” said Bovee. “I am also committed to the financial health of the school and to keeping our strong academic program moving forward.” He is well qualified to lead out in all three of those areas.
Spiritual leadership is not new to Bovee. At Milo, he served as head elder for the church under Carl Wilkens, pastor. Earlier, in Lancaster, Calif., Bovee was one of the primary instigators and organizers of a NET ’99 series.
Life on a boarding academy campus is second nature to Bovee after growing up on Milo’s campus where his father operated Thunderbird Wood Products for many years and his mother served in the cafeteria. This also gives him some special insight into the critical relationship between an academy and its industries.
His interest in academic excellence has continued to grow through his service on Milo’s curriculum committee. One of the courses he taught was advanced-placement English and, at students' request, he designed an innovative course on British literature focusing on the Elizabethan period.
Bovee has a master’s degree in curriculum instruction from California State University in Bakersfield and has nearly completed the requirements for his administrative certificate. He received his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Oregon and his teaching credential from Walla Walla College.
This spring, Bovee received the prestigious Excellence in Teaching Award from the Alumni Awards Association. He has been listed twice in Who’s Who Among American Teachers.
Bovee learned to love teaching while serving as a student missionary during his college years as an English teacher in Taiwan, where he met his wife, Marianne.
As a graduate of Taiwan Adventist College, Marianne received her bachelor of arts in accounting. At Milo, she served as an accountant and as church treasurer—good preparation for her new role in accounts receivable at UCA.
The Bovees have two children. Kristie is in eighth grade, and Ryan is in fourth.
Jeff Bovee has been on campus since the middle of June, preparing with other staff members for a dynamite new school year. He fills the position left open when four-year principal John Nafie accepted the position of principal at Shenandoah Valley Academy in Virginia.
For updates on other changes in the staffing at UCA, along with photos, visit www.ucaa.org.
UCA welcomes new principal Jeff Bovee with his wife, Marianne, and their children, Kristie and Ryan.
