Newfound Area School Board selects Hoiriis as new superintendent

BRISTOL — The Newfound Area School Board selected high school principal Paul Hoiriis to serve as the next superintendent.

Interim Superintendent Steve Nilhas, who served as the director of curriculum and instruction at School Administrative Unit 36 in Littleton before coming to Newfound, plans to return as Littleton’s superintendent at the beginning of the next school year.

The school board formed a superintendent search committee last October and Chair Melissa Suckling brought the committee’s recommendation to the full board for confirmation on Feb. 12.

Hoiriis has served as principal of Newfound Regional High School since 2015 after serving four years as assistant principal.

“I am very excited for Paul, who is an excellent leader and has become highly invested in Newfound over his 16-year career,” Nilhas said. “He and I will be working closely together through the remainder of the year, and I’ll always be available to help him or anyone else into the future.”

Hoiriis earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and political science from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in 1993, going on to earn a degree as juris doctor from Boston University School of Law in 1997.

He served as a para-educator at Inter-Lakes Middle Tier in Meredith, going on to become a tutor and coordinator there. He was a social studies teacher and team leader at Newfound Memorial Middle School from 2008 to 2011, at which time he earned a master’s degree in education from Plymouth State University. He has served as an adjunct professor at the university since that time while taking on increased responsibilities at Newfound.

“It has been an honor to serve this district for nearly 16 years as a middle school teacher and team leader, and as the high school assistant principal and principal,” Hoiriis said. “I look forward to serving the Newfound Area School District in this new capacity as superintendent.

“As we look at our strategic plan and take stock of what we have accomplished, it is important that we maintain curriculum and instruction that supports our upward trend in student achievement as well as equity for all of our students and schools. It is important that we continue to prepare our students for their next steps from grade to grade, school to school, and in post-secondary readiness.”

Hoiriis said he’s committed to promoting student safety and well-being, will strive for transparency to stakeholders, and is committed to maintaining and growing bonds within the community.

“This is what makes us Newfound,” he said. “Our community is what makes us great — our thriving and empathetic students, caring and involved parents, and families, and our supportive community partners. Although there are a number of challenges we face, I truly appreciate how much this community supports its schools. I want to thank the board as well as the rest of the school community for this opportunity.”

Nilhas, who lives in Littleton with his wife Elena, worked in SAU 36 from 2016 to 2019, which brought them and daughter Sofia to New Hampshire. Elena teaches kindergarten at Lakeway Elementary School.

“I’m looking forward to returning to working there, but I have many strong feelings about Newfound,” Nilhas said. “Everyone here has been so supportive through all of the challenges we have endured this year. People have gone out of their way to help me be successful, and I will be leaving behind many friends and colleagues who I’ve become very attached to.”