LA GRANDE — A summer of transition is underway on the La Grande School District’s administrative front.

Business Director Michelle Glover and Greenwood Elementary School Principal Jennifer Melendez are stepping down to start new chapters in their education careers.

Glover has been hired by a national education software company and Melendez is moving to the Prairie City School District in Grant County.

Glover is taking a position with Frontline Education, a company that provides software to schools for business operations, special education, student program management and more. Glover will be helping the school districts that use Frontline Education’s financial software.

Frontline Education is based in Devault, Pennsylvania, but Glover will be working from her home, which is 10 miles from Baker City and 55 miles from La Grande. She commuted from Baker County to La Grande throughout her tenure with the La Grande School District. The chance to work from home is one she welcomes.

“I love my job at LGSD, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to not commute 110 miles per day. The long work days with the added commute have been a challenge,” Glover said.

Glover has served as the La Grande School District’s budget director for three years. She joined the district in 2021 after working as the Baker School District’s business manager for two years. She has worked in the school finance field a total of 23 years.

La Grande School District Superintendent George Mendoza said Glover did an excellent job during her three-year tenure as budget director.

“She is one of the best in the state,” Mendoza said.

The superintendent said Glover has been on the lookout for ways to help the school district and noted a very high percentage of the grants the district has received during the past three years are ones Glover discovered and applied for.

Glover will be succeeded by Melissa Reagan, who has been named to serve as the La Grande School District’s interim budget director. Reagan has been with La Grande School District’s finance department for 16½ years, and has been its fiscal officer throughout this time.

Transition at Greenwood

Melendez is leaving to take a position as the elementary principal for the Prairie City School District. Melendez has been Greenwood’s principal since July 2022.

“We will deeply miss Jennifer’s leadership and dedication, which has significantly contributed to the growth and success of Greenwood over the past two years,” Mendoza said.

Danelle Lindsey, chair of the La Grande School Board, also praised Melendez.

“She is a good leader and a team player. The students and families at Greenwood loved her,” Lindsey said.

Melendez served as assistant principal at Central Elementary School in 2021-22 before becoming Greenwood’s principal. She joined the La Grande School District three years ago after serving as dean of students at Elmhurst Elementary School in Tacoma, Washington.

Mendoza said Melendez is leaving for Prairie City for the opportunity to be closer to her husband, Jose De Jesus Melendez, who was named the new superintendent of the Dayville School District earlier this year. Prairie City is about 41 miles east of Dayville.

The La Grande School District is accepting applications for the Greenwood principal’s position. Applications will be accepted through July 24. Mendoza said candidates will be interviewed July 26.