My name is Jill Barela, and I am fortunate to be the principal at Bamford Elementary.

I was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado. My three brothers and I played a lot of sports growing up, and I narrowed it down to focus on playing volleyball in high school. My husband, Tyson, was raised in Fort Collins as well, and we have been together since the summer of 2000.

I graduated from CSU in 2004 with a degree in Health and Exercise Science with a concentration in Sports Medicine. Instead of going to a Physician Assistant Program as planned, I found my passion for educating children was greater than my desire to practice medicine, so I went to UNC to get my master's degree in Elementary Education along with my teaching license. Starting in 2006, I taught fourth grade at Kruse Elementary for seven years before getting my principal license at CSU and becoming the assistant principal at Kruse for five years. During my time as assistant principal, I also taught advanced reading and math for 4th and 5th graders, and I taught a math intervention group. In 2018, I became the principal at Timnath Elementary, and I served in that role for six years. The 2024-25 school year will mark my first year as principal at Bamford Elementary.

As a principal, I strive to partner with the school community to create and maintain a positive school culture in which relationships, belonging, and safety are top priorities. That positive culture serves as the foundation for fostering strong academic, social, emotional, and behavioral growth to set students up for success in their educational journey and in life. 

I also strive to have a good work-life balance. Outside of school, I prioritize spending time with my husband and our two children, who are in high school. I love traveling with my family, watching my kids participate in sports, going on walks with my family and our dogs, watching our favorite shows together, and reading. I also enjoy spending time with my parents, my brothers, and their families since most of them live in this area.

I am so excited to be joining the wonderful Bamford community and am looking forward to a fantastic school year. Go Wolves!