Longtime friends and educators to retire

As the 2025 school year comes to an end we say goodbye to two of the best teachers David Douglas has seen so far. Social studies teachers Shannon Bushman and Heather Murdock have been teaching at Douglas for 30 years together, both right across from each other in the Social Studies building since the 90's. Both are retiring at the end of the year.

Murdock has been teaching at Douglas since she was 23. Introduced by a friend to come, she was looking for “A small town inside a big city” and when she was interviewed by previous principal Ray Utz she was immediately liked. “You've found it,” he said, and so began her unforgettable time at DDHS.

It was during Bushman’s first tear of teaching that she met her husband. She’ll remember her time at DDHS through all the people she's worked with, and students she's taught, and that she has also changed DDHS’s history for the better, forever. 

“Without Douglas my life would be completely different,” said Bushman. “I'll have nothing but fond memories.”

Before Bushman got hired as a full-time teacher she subbed for a year at Douglas, and it was during this time that she met Murdock after subbing her class in 1994. 

“I thought all of her materials were so good, " said Bushman. “I was so impressed with how good the stuff she was teaching kids with was, and now I get the pleasure of just working with her, and sharing and creating content with her.

“We Just clicked,: Murdock said. “We were just immediate friends. We just have this rhythm.” 

Together they've spent the last 30 years together as an unforgettable duo, in and outside of the classroom.

As their time as David Douglas finishes, they both begin a new future. Bushman is planning to move to Phoenix. “I’m looking forward to a new adventure,” Bushman said, “just having fun, spending more time with my family.” She plans on beginning something new in her new home. “I want to do something different, I think I'll do something part time.”

Murdock says she knows she’ll miss working at the high school. Changing her schedule of early mornings and planned out days, she is “just looking forward to not having a plan for a while,” traveling, gardening and trying new things. 

Be sure to wish both of them luck as they turn a new leaf into retirement, and though Bushman is moving away, both friends are confident that they will stay close, from traveling to each other to staying in contact. 

We can't express just how much these two teachers have impacted students’ and staff’s lives at David Douglas, but we know we will never forget it. Murdock describes her time here as “a gift” but it's the students in both these teachers' classes who got the greatest gift of such wonderful educators. David Douglas will always miss this great pair of friends, and we wish them luck in the next part of their lives.