CANYON CITY — The Grant School Board accepted the resignations of a number of staff members who are either retiring or moving into other jobs at its Wednesday, Jan. 17, meeting.

The district also hired a new teacher and facilitated an employment position transfer. In total, seven coaches and teachers submitted letters of resignation to the school board.

Teachers

Destiny Fairless, Grant Union Jr./Sr. High School’s history and government teacher, formally resigned from her position effective at the end of the 2023-24 school year. Fairless cited a desire to move closer to her family as the reason for the move.

“I have greatly enjoyed my time at Grant Union and have grown professionally and personally during my time here,” she said in her resignation letter to the district.

Grant Union Jr./Sr. High School math teacher Jessa Bigsby is resigning effective Saturday, Jan. 20. Bigsby cited an opportunity that she couldn’t turn down and that would be best for her family.

“I love the students I have had the opportunity to teach here,” she said in her letter to the school board. “They will forever be in my heart.”

Other staff

Debbie Gibson, Grant Union Jr./Sr. High School custodian, submitted her resignation to the board. Gibson’s last day on the job was Dec. 21.

Megan Nordstrom, the Grant Union Jr./Sr. High School behavioral interventionist, has also tendered her resignation. Nordstrom’s final day will be Feb. 1.

Nordstrom cited her health as the reason for her resignation.

“After learning all the information from my health care professional, we found that I cannot continue to perform the duties of my position as the behavioral interventionist to the extent they need to be implemented,” her resignation letter said.

Coaches

AJ McQuown has resigned as Grant Union’s head football coach.

McQuown said a need to hone his skills and a desire to spend more time with his family led to the decision. McQuown added that his resignation was in the best interests of himself, his family and the team.

“Thank you for the incredible opportunity to coach a sport that I love and to impact the lives of some amazing young people,” his resignation letter said.

Grant Union golf coach Ron Lundbom is retiring after 18 years as the head of the school’s golf program.

Lundbom cited his age and a desire to focus on other aspects of his life as reasons for his retirement. The Grant Union golf team won the district championship for the first time ever in 2022 under Lundbom’s guidance.

“I have just recently retired, and my wife and I would like to do things in the spring that haven’t been possible during golf season,” he said in his retirement letter. “I will also be 70 at the start of next season, and I think the kids deserve a coach that isn’t as old as their grandpa.”

Amy Hunt has resigned as assistant coach of the Grant Union/Prairie City softball team.

Hunt cited personal reasons as her motivation for resigning, saying that she could not guarantee the commitment and dedication the girls and her fellow coaches deserve.

“Thank you for the amazing opportunity to work with these amazing student athletes and coaches,” Hunt’s letter to the board said.

New hires and position transfers

Sharon Flory has resigned from her position as the district transportation manager to take on the role of full-time bus driver for the district.

Flory said her motivation was a desire to see students on a daily basis.

“It was a great opportunity to work in this position for the past three years,” her letter to the district stated. “It was a great opportunity to learn the other side of busing and meet new challenges, but my passion is being with the students on a daily basis, which I plan to get back to.”

The district has hired Micah Sprouffske as a temporary math teacher to fill the void left by the departure of Bigsby. He will be working on a contract that will run until the end of the 2023-24 school year.