March 26, 2026
Local NewsState & NationalPublic Notices

East Union fills leadership positions

By Nick Pauly
Laura Mitchell, left, and Justin Jeffs will be joining East Union Community Schools leadership for the next school year. Mitchell will serve as elementary principal and Jeffs will function as a shared superintendent between East Union and Murray.

Laura Mitchell, left, and Justin Jeffs will be joining East Union Community Schools leadership for the next school year. Mitchell will serve as elementary principal and Jeffs will function as a shared superintendent between East Union and Murray. (Contributed photos)

AFTON - Tuesday’s meeting of the East Union school board named the new elementary principal who will begin work at the school at the start of the next school year.

Laura Mitchell was approved for the position, replacing Joan Gordon as East Union’s elementary principal following her retirement. Mitchell will be joining new superintendent Justin Jeffs, taking over the role of shared superintendent of East Union and Murray school districts originally held by the retiring Tim Kuehl.

Jeffs has served as the principal of Kate Mitchell Elementary in Ames, and was approved in February. Mitchell, who has worked at Lenox Community Schools as an elementary instructional coach for the last nine years, was approved Tuesday night.

On the subject of her own retirement, Gordon praised the environment in East Union, knowing that she’s leaving the district’s leadership in good hands.

“The decision to retire has sparked some really interesting conversations,” Gordon said. “I’m hearing lots of good things about East Union Elementary, lots of good things. I wish I could record every conversation I had where people said nice things about our school, and it means a lot.

“It opens the door for me to be able to brag about the people that work here. Please, please, please, after I leave, continue to support the people who work there because people tell me that we don’t know what we got. We have a fabulous staff and a fabulous school and we are just so lucky. And I love hearing this and it’s kind of a roller coaster right now of emotions, but I’m looking forward to retirement, but there’s a lot of things to miss.”

Additionally, ASPIRE More Director Tammy Ross officially submitted her retirement after 25 years in the district. As ASPIRE grew from after-school program to community fixture, Ross has been at the forefront of every change.

In other East Union news...

The following contracts and resignations were approved:

Contracts: Jessica Dennis, elementary teacher; Joel Akers, secondary teacher (math); Nancy Duncan, secondary teacher (science); Janna Irving, ITC floater; Christina Lundquist, ECC preschool para; Macey Garrison, elementary para.

Resignations: Jesse Shade, high school girls basketball coach; Tammy Ross, ASPIRE More director; Kelsey Pope, ITC Assistant Teacher.

Nick Pauly

News Reporter for the Creston News Advertiser. Having seen all over the state of Iowa, Nick Pauly was born and raised in the Hawkeye State, and graduated a Hawkeye at the University of Iowa. With the latest stop in Creston, Nick continues showing his passion for storytelling.