Students and parents at Rose Hill Junior High School received some very sad news on Monday.
The school’s principal, Jay Ellis unexpectedly suffered a brain aneurysm on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 27 and passed away Sunday, Sept. 28. He was 43 years old.
In a letter written by Erin Bowser, assistant principal of Rose Hill Jr. High and Stella Schola Middle School, which shares its campus, Ellis was described as “a dedicated and passionate leader who devoted his life to the education of our children.”
His teaching career began in 1986 in Hastings, Neb. and he also taught for 10 years in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho before joining the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) in 1997.
Ellis taught band and orchestra at Evergreen Junior High, Inglewood Junior High and Eastlake High School prior to becoming an assistant principal at Eastlake. He was chosen as the 2003-04 4A KingCo League Distinguished High School Assistant Principal of the Year.
In 2006, he came to Rose Hill Junior High and Stella Schola, where he “made a positive impact on student learning and our school community,” said Bowser. “We will miss Jay’s leadership, kindness and friendship.”
Counselors have been available at the campus this week and teachers and staff allowed students to talk about their memories of Ellis and to mourn his loss.
David Larson, director of school support and former Rose Hill Junior High principal, along with Boswer and Rebecca Dusseault, interim assistant principal, provided leadership and support as LWSD Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball worked toward a plan to name a new principal for the campus.
A celebration assembly, in honor of Ellis’ life, was held at Rose Hill Jr. High on Friday. (This edition of the Reporter went to the press on Wednesday afternoon.)
Students were dismissed early Friday so that staff could attend a family memorial service in West Seattle.
Ellis’ family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Masonic Temple, 4736 40th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116.
Because children and adults deal differently with grief, parents were advised to talk and listen with their students and be prepared for temporary changes in their behavior, as they process this difficult news.
