The Anderson Union High School District Board of Trustees met Monday, April 20, for a special meeting to vote on whether to approve the hiring of Justin Byxbe as West Valley’s next girls varsity volleyball coach.
Byxbe, West Valley’s principal for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year, requested to step down from his principal position in January. His name first appeared as a recommendation to hire on an agenda for an April 1 special meeting that was cancelled hours before its start time.
His name appeared for a second time on Wednesday, April 15, during the board’s last regularly scheduled meeting. Only three board members were present; the vote was split, and the consideration was pushed for another day.
This time around, all five members were in attendance. Ultimately, Byxbe was denied the role 4-1, with board president Joe Gibson being the only Trustee to vote in favor of hiring Byxbe.
The potential hiring had caused controversy in the community, as former coach Melissa Church said she was left in the dark during the process. Board members also voiced concerns about the process that led to Monday’s vote.
“The position that was filled by Melissa Church, from my understanding, was that you fired her or let her go, and then you assumed to apply for that position for yourself,” Trustee Julia Rinauro said, addressing Byxbe. “It doesn’t feel right. Everyone has their own personal opinion. Everyone has the information that they have to make the best decision they can.
“The position wasn’t vacant until you made it vacant.”
Trustee Omana Weeks, the only Board member who abstained from the vote on April 15, shared her explanation for voting against hiring Byxbe on Monday.
“For me, this comes down to the way it was done, and it just doesn’t sit right with me,” Weeks said. “I really felt like it would have been more fair if there was a bigger pool of candidates.”
Staci Adams, the Trustee for the Cottonwood district, also spoke up about the difficulty of the decision.
“I want you both to coach,” Adams said. “There’s not a win-win on this decision at all.”
Before Monday’s decision, the board listened to public comment, as some spoke in favor of Church while others spoke in favor of Byxbe, including his daughter, Marlee — a junior at West Valley who plays on the volleyball team.
“His character shows through his coaching,” Marlee Byxbe said, “no matter what sport it is.”
Campbell Anthony, a West Valley senior who competed under both Church and Byxbe on the volleyball team, also addressed the board.
“At the end of the day, this decision is about more than just wins and losses; it’s about the kind of environment you want for student-athletes,” Anthony said. “That’s about choosing leadership that is fair, experienced and genuinely invested in the growth of every player. Based on everything I’ve experienced, I can confidently say Melissa is the kind of coach that every student-athlete deserves.”
Justin Byxbe did not publicly speak at the meeting as he did on April 15. Church, who was present for the meeting, also chose not to address the Board.
AUHSD superintendent Brian Parker said the position would now be reopened for applicants. The District did not give a specific timeline on when a final decision on the volleyball coaching position will be made.
The Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet next at 6 p.m. on May 20 at the Anderson Union High School Library.
Brett Abrams is a sports reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. He covers high school and local sports in the Redding area. Reach out to Brett with any sports tips or news on X (formerly Twitter) @brabrams_ or by email at Brett.Abrams@Redding.com. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Justin Byxbe’s bid for West Valley volleyball coaching job denied by AUHSD
Reporting by Brett Abrams, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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