ACADEMIC FACULTY
Instructional personnel at the J Bar J Learning Centers are selected for their commitment to individualized curriculum, educational excellence, innovation, and a willingness to motivate. All faculty are either licensed or have extensive experience in the areas they teach.
Rick Buening
Rick is the Academic Director of J Bar J Learning Centers. He has worked in alternative education for nearly fifteen years and is certified in Social Studies. Rick received his Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the University of Missouri and a Masters Degree in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College In Portland, Oregon. Rick is a member of the Oregon Association of Alternatives in Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the Oregon Reading Association. He is currently the Chairperson for the Oregon Advisory Board for the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and serves on the Academic Committee of National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. As an educator, Rick is committed to the idea that "all students are capable of being confident, self-directed, lifelong learners".Rick enjoys hiking, reading, home improvement projects and spending time with his two grandchildren. He has a special interest in the people and literature of the "beat generation".
Josh Goldstein
Josh can often be heard saying, “Much of teaching is teaching people how to learn: how to think and be curious.” Upon leaving Bend, the town where he was raised, he never thought his path would bring him back here. However, fifteen years later, he finds himself living and teaching in the same “small town”.
Josh received his Bachelors Degree in Biology at the University of Oregon. Shortly thereafter he discovered his passion for teaching at an environmental education camp in the backwaters of Tennessee. Camp life took Josh from Tennessee to Hawaii, to the San Juan Islands, and even to a sailboat on the Puget Sound. Josh’s nomadic lifestyle ended when he decided to pursue his Masters Degree in Teaching seven years ago. Teaching in several alternative education settings prepared Josh to bring his teaching to a new level at J Bar J. He not only teaches to his endorsement in Biology, but has expanded his horizons to teach History, Philosophy, and Writing. Josh realizes that more matters than just books and facts. He believes in teaching people how to be whole human beings.
Patrick Donohue
Patrick’s education journey continues to be diverse and exciting with his new assignment at J Bar J Learning Center. He began his career as a grade school teacher at St. Vincent DePaul School in Philadelphia. During his studies at Idaho State University, he taught students at Wood River High School in Hailey, Idaho. His first public school assignment was teaching all subject areas in grades Kindergarten through 9th grade at the Idaho Virtual Academy, where he worked for four years. Recently, Patrick and his family moved to Bend. At that time, Patrick accepted an assignment at High Lakes Elementary School, where he worked in the Inclusion Program with life skills students and high functioning autistic students. He cherishes his past educational experiences and carries them with him as he teaches. Patrick’s goal while working at J Bar J is to build a community of learners.