PC School Board candidate Nick Hill emphasizes accountability, integrity, and transparency for platform

Nick Hill is running for the District 5 seat on the Park City School Board. Photo: Courtesy of Nick Hill

This article is part of an ongoing series at TownLift covering all candidates of the upcoming 2022 local election.

PARK CITY, Utah — Nick Hill is running for the District 5 seat on the Park City School Board. He has lived in Park City for eight years, but has been visiting for closer to 20.

When asked what his favorite part about Park City is, Hill said emphatically “Look around!” He continued, “What a special part of the world this is. Beautiful mountains and great weather afford us residents an incredible lifestyle to easy accessibility to anything else you could want. People travel across the world to find the experiences we live every day.”

Hill summarizes his platform for his seat on the Park City School Board as having three parts: accountability, integrity, and transparency.

“We are so fortunate to have, in addition to this amazing place in which we live, extraordinary educators, passionate stakeholders, and talented students. If we are honest about the challenges we face, and work collaboratively to meet them, there is nothing we cannot achieve as a community. First though, we have to honestly assess where we are. I believe that requires a focus on transparency, inclusivity, and accountability for the district’s well-documented missteps. We particularly have to support our educators, protect their ability to teach, and shield them from unwarranted interference in their classrooms.”

Hill says he moved to Park city “in large part because of the school district,” where his son’s mother and her siblings were educated. While he feels positively about the school district, he acknowledges that there is room for the district to improve so that it has a “world-class school system” to go along with our world-class ski.

“We have to ensure that the culture of the school district is one where people want to be here, even with competition from a growing metropolis (and often higher ranked schools) down the hill. Recruitment and retention is at the core of many of the district’s challenges. That means ensuring all staff, from bus drivers and janitors to teachers and administrators, can afford to live in the area and easily access their place of work as well as essential services like childcare.”

As far as first goals if he is elected, Hill says that “communication provides several quick wins.”

“First, let’s use technology to open new channels. Second, let’s create regular in-person opportunities for stakeholders to communicate openly and informally with the school board. Third, let’s create a formal stakeholder council, with representatives from across the community who meet regularly and report directly into the monthly board meetings. These are simple actions to rebuild trust with our community.”

Hill is a naturalized US citizen, although he grew up in southeast England. He has a son who attends Parley’s Park Elementary, and is an avid golfer and snowboarder.

This article is part of an ongoing series at TownLift covering all candidates of local elections. The deadline to register and receive a vote by mail ballot is October 28 and postmarked by Monday, November 7. If deposited in a drop box, it needs to be deposited in an official drop box by 8 p.m. on November 8. If voting in person, residents can visit the following voting locations.