Exciting Updates and Warm Welcomes as We Begin the 2024-25 School Year
Dear Hill-Murray Community,
We are in the second week of school, and everyone is getting used to their new routines! We had a bit of excitement on our second day of school last week when the early morning storm knocked out the power at Hill-Murray. Our Pioneers weathered the storm and made it through a good first week. I am excited for the 2024-2025 school year as we welcome our new and returning students, as well as a few key staff members joining us this year.
First, as many returning families know from our April announcement, we are thrilled to welcome Fr. John Utecht on campus as our Chaplain. He shares office space with Sr. Linda, located across from the Office of Student Life, and he is already a big presence on campus. You will appreciate his outgoing personality and his desire to become a vibrant part of the Hill-Murray community. He also serves half-time at the Church of Saint Jude in Mahtomedi. Fr. John was born in Saint Paul, where he attended St. Pascal School through fourth grade, then moved with his family to Hastings, where he attended Hastings Public Schools through High School. He loves spending time with friends and family, cooking, golfing, hunting, fishing, spending time at the cabin, and really anything outdoors! I can already tell what a gift he will be to our community. Please make him feel welcome and introduce yourself in the coming weeks.
In addition, I am thrilled to announce that we hired the Director of the Pioneer Institute for Health and Wellness (PIHW). Mrs. Katie Francis brings a wealth of experience, most recently coming from Hudson High School. In my discussions with Katie, and throughout the interview process, it was clear that she embodies what we want to create in the PIHW. As a Catholic school, focusing on the development and support of the whole person is non-negotiable. A key component of the PIHW is to help our students find their calling, discover their God-given talents, and reach their fullest potential. One of our goals is to provide students with the tools and personal support they need to make sense of their experiences, both good and bad, in a positive way. We cannot take it for granted that students can figure out life on their own. Just as much as our reading or math curriculum, we need to be intentional about how we support young people. We know that helping our students understand skills such as resiliency, self-regulation, balance, and developing a sense of who they are is vital to our mission. As Mrs. Francis commented, “I feel called to be part of this amazing initiative; it is refreshing to be at a school where health and wellness are valued. Putting students first is clearly Hill-Murray’s tradition and I look forward to building on that tradition. ” As the President, I care deeply about our students, and I know this initiative will improve learning in all ways and help our students develop into the outstanding leaders I know they can be.
I am also thrilled to inform you that Mrs. Danielle Draack will join us full-time as Hill-Murray’s Chief Administrative Officer. Mrs. Danielle Draack has served at Hill-Murray as a consultant and our fractional CFO for the past three years. In her new role, Danielle will continue to oversee the finance department and more of the non-academic operations of the school. These include the finance department, human resources, information technology, risk management, admissions, communications, and significant contractual relationships.
Her strengths will be an asset in assisting Hill-Murray in promoting a climate of cooperation among our faculty/staff and their respective departments while maximizing the effectiveness of our goals, responsibilities, and strategic mission. She will also assist me with feedback for performance assessment and continuous improvement. Danielle is passionate about mission-driven work and has over 15 years of experience leading the non-profit sector. She lives in Blaine with her husband and two daughters.
Hill-Murray is blessed with a committed faculty and staff, both veterans and new members. Current parents, you can look forward to meeting your student’s teachers at Back to School night tomorrow, Wednesday, September 4. I look forward to seeing many of you on campus tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Melissa Dan
Hill-Murray School President