Great Falls Public Schools is welcoming a new leader to its Human Resources Department - Melanie Houge - and she’s no stranger to the community.
Houge, a Great Falls native and graduate of the district, has been named HR director for GFPS. She comes to the role after more than a decade at the University of Providence, where she served as HR director since 2021.
WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE:
Houge calls the move “a full circle moment,” returning to serve the schools where she once sat in the classroom herself.
The new position also brings a big increase in scale — moving from overseeing about 250 employees at UP to around 1,300 employees at GFPS.
Houge says she’s ready for the challenge: “It will be a little different working in the public sector, but all in the purpose of educating students and getting people to be their best version of themselves - is going to be a continuing effort of mine at Great Falls Public Schools.”
Recruitment specifically has long been a hurdle for employers in Great Falls, and at Great Falls Public Schools, something Houge experienced first-hand at UP.
She says, “They sometimes don’t like the idea of our winters. They don’t like the idea of such a small town, and we are kind of remote from other areas, but we’ve had a number of faculty and staff come from different states and even some other countries. We’ve been pretty successful with the recruitment that we’ve done for the most part.”
Houge’s arrival comes just as the district is making a push to fill open positions. GFPS will hold a job fair on Tuesday, August 19, at the Paris Gibson Education Center from 11am to 1pm. The district is hiring for a variety of roles, from educators to support staff, with some applicants eligible for on-the-spot job offers pending background checks.
Whether supporting current staff or welcoming new hires from the job fair, Houge says she’s ready to help, “I’m excited to serve the school that I went to, and just be a good support for members of our community.”
For more information about the job fair and open positions, click here.
