Polson High hires Fors as new principal

With a vacancy to fill in Polson High School’s administration, before the school year concluded the district hired Pirate alumni Andrew Fors to take over as principal.

Fors will replace the school’s principal of two years, Peter Hamilton, who publicly announced his resignation in March. It took effect at the end of the school year. After a two-year stint as an assistant principal at Glacier High School in Kalispell, Fors jumped at the opportunity to return to his hometown and take on a new administrative role.

“I was born and raised in Polson, and it has always been a goal of mine to move my family back to the community that did so much in preparing me for life after high school,” he said.

Over the last 15 years the new principal has held many positions within education, and he deems them all rewarding.

Fors began his career as a teacher and department head, as well as the Engineering Academy Director, at Glacier High School.

He also coached while teaching at Glacier, including five years as the head softball coach.

After 12 years of teaching and coaching students, he took his first administrative position at Evergreen Junior High School as assistant principal and athletic director.

Fors graduated from Montana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Technology, and then went on to gain his master’s in educational leadership from the University of Montana.

Fors is confident that his vast experience and past opportunities working with skilled educators has helped him acquire the knowledge, abilities and qualities that are imperative to be a successful high school principal.

“It is my belief that every student deserves every opportunity in their pursuit of an education,” Fors wrote in an introductory letter. “We not only have a responsibility to educate students, we have a chance to help model and influence character.”

According to Fors, he believes Polson High School is an inclusive and supportive environment filled with educators who truly want to make a difference in each student’s life.

He expressed excitement regarding the opportunity to continue Polson High School’s high standards and contribute his own key qualities including hard work, organization, commitment and determination.

Although Fors’ family lives in Kalispell currently, they have spent a lot of time visiting Polson as that is where his parents still reside.

He said his wife Heather is immensely supportive of the move to Polson; the couple has a three-year-old son, Carl, and a one-year-old daughter, Meg, who Fors is thrilled to raise as Pirates.

Reporter Whitney England may be reached at 758-4419 or wengland@dailyinterlake.com