Two long-time Battle Ground Public School figures retire

Two Battle Ground Public Schools educators and administrators, Linda Allen and Laurie Sundby retired from the school district this summer. The two served a combined total of 53 years with the district after starting out as substitutes for BGPS in the early 1990s. 

Allen graduated from Battle Ground High School in 1973 and got her start teaching for BGPS as a substitute teacher in 1992. She later transitioned to a full-time teaching role at Amboy Middle School where she taught until 2001. She then became the assistant principal at Lewisville Middle School. Three years later, Allen became the principal at Lewisville and remained there until Chief Umtuch Middle first opened its doors in 2008. Allen remained Chief’s principal until 2010 when she accepted her last role, in human resources. 

“The people who have been in Battle Ground and stayed in Battle Ground for their entire careers — and there’s a lot of them — are incredibly dedicated to the communities this large district encompasses,” she said. “Incredible, passionate people who want to make a difference in the lives of children. I feel so lucky to be part of the Battle Ground family over the years.”

Now that she’s retired, Allen said she hopes to spend more time with her 10 grandchildren as well as travel and tend her garden. “It’s nice to have the summer off to be home and garden,” Allen said. “Once fall and winter set in, we’d like to travel a lot around the western United States. We’re looking forward to that.”

Sundby got her start in BGPS as a substitute teacher and by 1992 she was a second- and fourth-grade teacher at Maple Grove elementary school. Sundby spent some time as the principal at Captain Strong Primary before becoming the principal of Tukes Valley Primary from when it first opened in 2008 until she transferred to her final role as Director of Instructional Leadership for Primary Schools at the district office.

 “Thinking back on my time at BGPS, it is the people that meant the most to me — both the staff and the amazing families,” Sundby said. “Through those years I was privileged to meet and work with people who were so dedicated to children.”

Sundby plans to spend a portion of her retirement traveling around North America with her husband in their travel trailer. “My husband and I are just beginning our travels now that we are both retired,” Sundby said. “Our ultimate goal is to see as many national parks as possible, traveling in our fifth wheel around the country.”

Both Allen and Sundby have been active members of the Lewis River Rotary Club for the past six to seven years. 

The replacements for Allen and Sundby took office on July 1. Shelly Whitten, the current director of human resources for BGPS took Allen’s position and became the new superintendent of human resources. Mike Michaud will be replacing Sundby as director of instructional leadership at the primary level.