Dr. Bill Myhr is once again working in local education, this time taking on the title of Education Division director for Fort McDowell.

Formerly the Fountain Hills Unified School District Superintendent, Myhr moved on to serve as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Finance for the Humboldt County, Nev., school district, where he has served for the past six months.

The FHUDS governing board elected not to offer Myhr a new superintendent contract in spring of 2012, leading to his new position in Nevada.

Myhr said that when he applied for the job in Humboldt, he informed the superintendent that only one other position would cause him to leave the district; the one he now holds.

“I knew that the former education director, Gary Loutzenheiser, would be retiring at some point,” Myhr said.

“I told the Humboldt Superintendent that I anticipated leaving in June of 2013 and was very up front with him about it because I wanted to one day return to what I consider home, the Fountain Hills/Fort McDowell area.”

Myhr’s wife, Sandy, remained in Arizona to continue her position as Director of iLearn in Scottsdale while their two daughters attend ASU.

“Sandy wouldn’t let me call Humboldt ‘home,’” Myhr explained.

“Even if I texted her to say I had made it home safe, she would say no, you made it ‘back.’ This is your home. So I feel very blessed to be back here.”

In Humboldt, Myhr said he worked with the entire faculty on Common Core standards in order to catch up.

“I met with 11 different buildings during that first semester, as well as put in their new website and Facebook page while working directly with the principals on instructional practices,” Myhr added.

“I was really busy and had no intention of leaving until I heard Mr. Loutzenheiser had retired early.”

Myhr applied for the position and was one of eight finalists considered for the job. In his letter of application, he stated he would be unavailable until July 1, 2013.

“After the interview I was offered the position, but they preferred that I start in January,” Myhr said.

“This was back in October. I went back to my Humboldt superintendent and told him that I had been offered the job, but that I wasn’t going to take it since I had originally given him until June 30. He told me no, you’re going to take that job. He said I had done what I set out to do and he knew how badly I wanted to get back so, in the end, they let me out of my contract at the end of the semester. So here I am.”

In Humboldt, Myhr said his district covered 11 schools, four of which were rural K-5 buildings in the middle of farmland.

“We also had a pair of high schools, three elementary schools, a middle school and a junior high,” Myhr said.

“So, yeah, I was doing a lot of driving, instructing, teaching and monitoring. It was busy, but also a lot of fun.”

Now, as Education Division director of Fort McDowell, Myhr said he and his staff of about 40 are in charge of ‘Hman ‘shawa, an early childhood development center. The school’s new building, located adjacent to the Fort McDowell Community Center and library, will have a ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 14.

“Basically we’re infant through preschool and kindergarten,” Myhr said.

“We have about 90 students in the building and our focus is on school readiness, brain development, and social and academic skills before they go off to whichever school system their parents decide to send them to.”

Myhr said his department also monitors all students once they leave the local campus.

“We receive all of their grades, attendance and any behavioral issues are reported to us, and then we do interventions or support them in any way possible, all the way up through higher education institutions across the country,” Myhr said.

“Essentially, my division supports every student that we have, both on the reservation and off, so that they have a successful academic career.”

Myhr said that he believes the biggest gap in American public education is birth to four years of age, something he’s “preached” for quite some time.

“We see way too many kids who get into a public school system and they’re already several years behind their peers,” he said.

“Fort McDowell has demonstrated a real commitment to their tribe’s future through their ongoing investment in education system and their children. The early childhood center demonstrates how much they value and recognize early development as a key component to a child’s educational career and individual development.”

Like in any successful school system, though, Myhr said that reaching that type of success requires a partnership between the students, staff and parents.

“What really drew me to this job was the ability to come in and work in a very child-centered staff and get this community’s kids ready for school,” Myhr said.

“I’m excited.”

At present, Myhr said he is meeting with each of his staff members individually to become more familiar with established practices and procedures. From there, he said the entire staff will be setting the bar higher than before.

“We’re reviewing everything right now,” Myhr said.

“We believe the new facility is really going to enhance learning. In the meantime, we’re making sure I really get embedded in the community, making sure everyone knows I’m here to support their students.

“We have one of the highest graduation rates for a Native American tribe in the United States. I’m excited to take a look at our model and systematically make it better. It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to it.”