The Great Falls Public Schools District board voted unanimously during a special meeting on Feb. 20 to hire Heather Hoyer as the next superintendent.
The board voted to offer her a three-year contract with a starting salary of $175,000.
Hoyer has served as an assistant superintendent at GFPS since July 2019.
She’s worked for GFPS since 1996. Her previous positions include: Great Falls High principal for four years, assistant principal at GFH for seven years, administrative intern for one year, and a science teacher for 11 years at Paris Gibson and East middle schools and GFH.
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Hoyer will replace Tom Moore, who has served as superintendent since 2019 and is retiring at the end of the school year.
In November, the school board hired the Montana School Boards Association to conduct the search for a new superintendent.
The district received two applications for the position.
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The other applicant was Steven Mayhue, superintendent of Froid Public Schools in northeastern Montana.
During the meeting, Bronson said he suggested the three-year term, which is the maximum allowable for a superintendent in Montana, since the board conducts annual reviews of the superintendent and can address any concerns in that process and make adjustments to the contract.
There was no public comment about the superintendent candidates or the board’s selection of Hoyer during the Feb. 20 meeting.
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During the meeting, school board members shared their thoughts on the candidates.
Kim Skornogoski, school board member, said that she through Mayhue expressed himself well and came across as a hard worker, which the position demanded.
She said that there was value to having someone from the outside come into the district to bring new perspective and ideas that can lead to innovation, but she said it’s also beneficial to have someone from within the district who has knowledge and experience in the community.
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Skornogoski said Hoyer had community support and had been involved in a number of major district projects in recent years, including CORE School and the Build MT program.
She said that any concern that came up during her interview process also highlighted that she’d learned from any mistakes and that experience guided her.
Bill Bronson, school board member, said that in his experience with the city he liked that the organization offered employees a chance to move up within the organization and was impressed that GFPS afforded similar opportunities.
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Amie Thompson, school board member, said that she felt Mayhue would fit in well at GFPS and bring new ideas.
She said she loved his passion for education, but Hoyer “stood out.”
Thompson said that she had a clear vision of where the district was headed and was a team player.
“Her passion, it just shines through in her authentic poised manner,” Thompson said.
Paige Turoksi, school board member, said that both candidates had a passion for education and an understanding of indigenous students and communities.
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She said that Hoyer had knowledge of the Malmstrom and military families, as well as a deep understanding of the district.
Marlee Sunchild, school board member, said that she respected Mayhue for interviewing for the job.
She said that Hoyer has an approachable leadership style and that she makes people want to work together.
“We’re lucky to have that,” Sunchild said.
