Citing a desire to focus on his church and his work as a minister, Cloudland High School Principal Jon Fontanez announced his resignation to school staff on Thursday. His last day as Principal will be Feb. 5.
“I’ve been a minister for a number of years,” Fontanez said. “I’m feeling called and led by God in that direction with a sense of urgency.”
Fontanez was named principal of CHS in 2015 and has worked in the Carter County School System for three years. While he has only been in Carter County for a short time, Fontanez began his career in education in 1999 with the DeKalb County School System.
His work in ministry began even before his work in education.
“My bachelor’s degree is actually in pastoral ministry,” Fontanez said. “I’ve been in the ministry for more than 20 years now.”
For several years now, Fontanez has served as the pastor of Discover Life Church, located at 408 E Mountain View Rd., Johnson City. He is supported in his ministry by his wife and their three children. In addition to his work with the school system as a teacher and this year as a principal, Fontanez has served his church by supporting a wide range of ministry programs there.
He describes Discover Life Church as a “full ministry” and said the church has programs for children, youth, college age students and adults.
“We’re regular people just serving Christ,” he said. “We’re real people serving the Kingdom of God.”
But recently, Fontanez said he has been feeling God call him to put all of his efforts on the ministry and devote himself full time to the church.
“I’ve been pastoring Discover Life Church for several years and this is just the next step,” Fontanez said. “I feel the Lord is directing me to the ministry full time.”
“I’m very, very excited by what I feel God is about to do there,” he added.
While his resignation may seen sudden to others, Fontanez said it was a decision that was carefully thought out.
“We had prayed about it for several months and just tried to get the direction of the Lord,” he said. “I just feel this is what God is leading me to do.”
While he is looking forward to what awaits him with his ministry, Fontanez said there will also be some sadness with his departure from Cloudland, especially missing the students and the faculty members he had grown close to.
“When you work with people that are the quality of people like we have here at Cloudland you form bonds and friendships with them,” Fontanez said. “I will miss them, but that’s part of life.”
“There will always be transitions and changes and opportunities to be the person you were destined to be. I am looking forward to this new step and I hope I can become the person God wants me to be,” he added. “I’ve enjoyed serving the kids in Carter County and Roan Mountain. It has been a true blessing to me.”