Meet Missoula’s New Public Schools Superintendent Micah Hill
Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Micah Hill has accepted the offer to become the new Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent starting on July 1.
Hill reached out to KGVO News this week to get acquainted with his new community.
He provided some background information about his education and experience.
Superintendent Hill Explained why he chose to Apply in Missoula
“This is my 26th year in education,” began Hill. “I taught for five years. I was an English teacher by trade and then gravitated into some administrative positions and I've spent the last 22 years in Kalispell as a teacher and as an administrator, everything from a middle school principal to a high school principal and athletic director to a Dean of Students and then the Superintendent.”
All Three of his Adult Children Attend School at the University of Montana
One of the main attractions of coming to Missoula was actually the University of Montana, where Hill’s adult children are attending school.
“I would say first and foremost, it's my three adult kids,” he said. “My oldest son Noah, just recently graduated from the University of Montana law school and did his undergrad work there. My daughter Annie graduated from the University of Colorado but was accepted into Physical Therapy school at the University of Montana, and my youngest, Simon, is a junior and he is studying to be a science teacher. So, it’s just a chance to be near and around our family as they transition into adulthood and starting their own lives and careers.”
Hill has looked closely at the MCPS district and its relationship with the community. He said the $158 million bond recently passed in Missoula told him the community was dedicated to supporting its public schools.
“Missoula is known throughout the state as being just a very supportive community for K-12 and higher education,” he said. “Being in a college town and having a kind of that backbone to the community is another big component; another big draw for the community. Year in and year out, they've got great schools, amazing programs and different things like that.”
Hill said Kalispell also Just Built a New Jeannette Rankin School and theirs is full, too
Hill noted that Missoula’s newest elementary school, Jeannette Rankin is already full to capacity, which has been mirrored exactly in Kalispell.
“We aren't a whole lot different in Kalispell,” he said. “We built a brand new Jeannette Rankin Elementary School five years ago. It's full. There's a 600 unit subdivision going in, just to the south of it. So, yeah, those challenges with population growth, and then having the facilities to accommodate all of that are certainly going to be something that communities like Missoula are going to be facing into the future.”
Hill said he will officially begin his duties as the new MCPS Superintendent on July 1.