At the March 3 special board meeting, Taryn Kay, principal of Helen M. Knight Elementary School, was appointed to be the next Superintendent for the Grand County School District, according to Board of Education President Melissa Byrd. The appointment takes effect on July 1, 2020.
Ms. Kay has served in the local school district since 1991. She first worked as an elementary and middle school classroom teacher for 11 years before serving as the District’s special education director for 9 years. She has served as the principal at HMK Elementary for the past 9 years.
Kay grew up in Kaysville, Utah. She moved to Moab after completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education at BYU. She also since completed a Master’s degree in education administration through Utah State University. Her roots in Moab go back several generations. Her great grandfather was Orlando Warner, for whom Warner Lake was named, and her grandmother was born and raised in Moab.
“All of the experiences I have had in my career have cumulatively led me to the superintendency. I am prepared and excited to lead Grand County School District into the future. I believe in providing staff with the professional development, resources, and support they need in order to provide students with the instruction they need to be thoughtful, kind, intelligent contributors to society,” said Kay. “We are fortunate in Grand County because we have excellent teachers and staff who are dedicated to the academic, emotional, and social well-being of their students,” she added.
Current Superintendent of Schools JT Stroder is pleased to know that Ms. Kay will be taking over the reins when he leaves his current post at the end of June. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Taryn and have worked closely with her during my time. I am honored to work with her to transition into her becoming the next superintendent.”
School Board member Jim Webster, now serving his 16th year on the board, said, “I am excited to see Taryn in this new position. Her capable leadership promises to take us on to a truly great future.”