The principal at Washington Elementary School in Junction City Lorraine Walker passed away last Friday.

School District colleagues and community members remembered her during a Time of Remembrance ceremony on Sunday at the school.

USD 475 Associate Superintendent Dr. Beth Hudson said Walker’s death was a terrible shock. ” It’s a terrible loss to all of us. We’re all coping well because we’re all gathering as best we can to be supportive of each other, but it is a shock.”

Jenna Langvardt is an instructional coach for reading and a team leader at Washington Elementary. “I think everybody is doing as well as can be expected. We have a great staff that pulls together, and we all know that Lorraine would want us to finish the school year strong. And so we’re going to do that for her.”

The principal at Spring Valley Elementary School Sierra Jackson will also fill a leadership role at Washington Elementary School, along with Jenna Langvardt.  There will be help available at the school this week for students and staff who need it. Langvardt noted the District would have staff at Washington Elementary for students who may have issues and want to talk.