The resignation of Superintendent/Principal Jon Ray was announced early Thursday morning.

Colfax Elementary School Board President Janelle LaBrecque stated that Ray’s resignation was accepted “without finding or fault and with great regret.”

On behalf of the board, Sacramento attorney Scot Yarnell elaborated on the announcement.

“The board has been presented with serious allegations against Jon Ray. These allegations were initially presented anonymously and the board discussed these allegations at that time,” Yarnell said, adding that when individuals identified themselves, the board reviewed their charges.

“The board believes substantial taxpayer money would be required to continue a formal inquiry into these charges,” Yarnell said.

And yet, “the board continues to believe that Mr. Ray is and has been an outstanding employee.”

He noted that the public would have access to the superintendent’s last job evaluation after Ray gives his permission.

“Mr. Ray believes his authority as Superintendent/Principal has been so compromised by the allegations presented to the board that his leadership and future at Colfax Elementary is problematic,” he continued. “Accordingly, Mr. Ray has elected to resign his position.”

Prior to the announcement, the board met in closed session with Ray and Yarnell for six hours Wednesday evening.

Ray’s resignation comes after nearly two weeks of turmoil and several closed session board meetings.

Parents, grandparents and residents flooded the Oct. 12 board meeting to present allegations of “inappropriate behavior” between Ray and seventh-grade teacher Michelle Heimann, the former school board president hired as a long-term substitute teacher last year.

Charges raised by parents ranged from excessive texting and cell phone calls between the two during the school day to concerns about his handling of school funds.

Earlier in the evening, Terry O’Keefe, a member of the Colfax Elementary School Site Council and the parent of two students, offered his thoughts on the task facing the board.

“To shift the primary focus from carrying out the school’s mission and vision to a more heightened, insistent and arguably finite matter compromises the efforts of those driven to work toward fulfilling the mission of the school,” O’Keefe told the board. “This is not an attempt to discount any concerns that have recently been formally expressed.”

Rather, O’Keefe asked the board to consider the best interest of the school as a whole.

“Please reflect on how the school has surpassed recent goals (academically and beyond) as well as how it will continue to improve upon these goals and ultimately achieve its mission,” he said. “Strong leadership coupled with a shared, well-communicated vision has been and will always be essential in achieving this.”

Joan Griffith, an eighth-grade teacher and spokesperson for the Association of Colfax Educators, echoed O’Keefe’s comments.

“I’ve taught here for 20 years,” Griffith said. “I’ve watched and felt the atmosphere, mood and morale of the school change. Changes have taken place over the last three years.”

Many of those changes had been proposed and discussed for 20 years, but never implemented, she continued.

“We now have a school-wide discipline policy, a pre-school, day care, after-school intervention, 20th Century classrooms, a science lab, Bulldog Blast (Friday school assemblies),” she said. “Colfax is improving academically. Teachers are collaborating. We’ve never felt as supported and empowered.”

While some parents reiterated their concerns about Ray and Heimann, longtime Colfax resident Bill Bean addressed the board’s policy of keeping tape recordings of board meetings for 30 days as well as the limited information in the minutes.

Others asked about a one-time payment of $50,000 given to Ray when his contract was signed in July. The contract stipulates that if Ray resigns, retires or is terminated before completing four years of service, he would have to provide the district with a prorated portion of the funds.

With Ray’s resignation, Colfax business owner and parent Bruce Nissen and others wonder how (or if) those funds would be returned.