Beloved Puyallup principal passes away. ‘Her sudden loss is devastating to us all’

A “dynamic, caring and compassionate leader” at Sunrise Elementary School has passed away, the Puyallup School District superintendent wrote in a letter to families and staff.

Melayne Jones was the school’s principal. She passed away April 26 due to a “short illness,” Superintendent John Polm wrote in the letter that day.

“This is devastating news for Sunrise Elementary, our school district and community. Her sudden loss is devastating to us all, and she will be deeply missed by students, staff, and families alike,” Polm wrote in the letter.

Jones was dedicated to the growth and well-being of students at the school. Her dedication and “warm spirit” touched many people, and her legacy will live on, Polm said.

School district spokesperson Sarah Gillispie wrote in an email Thursday that staff members held a gathering in the parking lot of the school April 28 in Jones’ honor.

“We will miss her dearly but are grateful for the time we had with her and the enduring mark she has left on Sunrise Elementary and the Puyallup School District,” Polm wrote in the letter.

Gillispie said Jones had been the principal at Sunrise Elementary since 2022.

Jones was the assistant principal at Puyallup High for the 2018-19 and 2021-22 school years. She was the principal at Fruitland Elementary for the 2015-16 and 2017-18 school years. She was the assistant principal at Carson Elementary for the 2012-13 and 2014-15 school years.

The National Association of School Psychologists has a webpage dedicated to addressing death and grief with children at nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-safety-and-crisis/mental-health-resources/addressing-grief .

The school district has an employee assistance program available for staff at puyallupsd.org/staff/employee-assistance .

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