By Claire Sachse
The Polk County Board of Education announced Tuesday the hiring of Todd Murphy as Polk County Middle School’s new assistant principal. He begins work Friday, Aug. 15.
Murphy, 43, was born and raised in Hendersonville and has family in Polk County. He served both as assistant principal and athletic director at Hendersonville High School, during 2007 to 2011, and as the principal of Mills River Elementary from 2011 to 2013. He will be leaving his current job as finance manager at Hunter Automotive Group to join the staff at PCMS.
“I’m looking forward to this,” said Murphy. “I’m very excited to be a part of a great school and great school system.”
Murphy’s undergraduate degree is in history education from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tenn. He has a master’s degree in school administration from Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C.
While certified to teach middle school social studies and science, Murphy will not be teaching at PCMS, but will assume all the duties of retiring assistant principal, Chip Johnson, including bus schedules, teacher evaluations and discipline.
“He had a vision for what a middle school should look like,” said PCMS Principal Hank Utz on what made Murphy stand out above other applicants. “I thought his experiences in education, and what he could bring to us, would be a good fit.”
“We are excited to have Mr. Murphy join the administrative team at Polk County Middle School. He brings a great deal of experience and I know students and parents will enjoy getting to know him,” said Bill Miller, superintendent of education.