Superintendent wins leadership award
<p>Dr. Jacob Francom (center) with his Educational Leadership Excellence Award, standing between the Department of Educational Leadership Associate Professor Dr. Patty Kero (left) and Department Chair and Associate Professor Dr. John Matt.</p>
The superintendent of Troy Public Schools and Troy High School principal was honored with The Educational Leadership Excellence Award last week.
Every year in October since 2000, Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Montana hosts the Montana Conference of Education Leadership, where they honor an “outstanding” past graduate who’s made significant contributions to education through their vision and action.
This year, that awardee was Dr. Jacob Francom, who’s worked at Troy Public Schools for the past six years.
“It’s not just an honor for me it’s an honor for Troy Public Schools and the work that they do,” Francom said.
Francom admitted that he was surprised to receive the award, standing in a room full of professors and other alumni he admired.
“Everytime I go I hear the people that are awarded, I’m always, ‘Those people are amazing. I want to be more like them,” Francom said.
Dr. Patty Kero, associate professor at the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Services, was one of the faculty who presented the award. Kero and Francom have known each for around six years.
“I think he’s made a significant contribution through educational leadership,” Kero said. “He has this knack of really being able to identify talented people and being able to work with their talents.”
According to Kero, she’s visited Troy Public Schools around 10 times in the past two years. During those visits, she witnessed that Francom is a great mentor for students and teachers, hiring quality professionals and caring deeply for the families of the students in the school.
In his prepared speech, Francom outlined some of the improvements his team and he have made through the years in Troy, including setting goals, being courageous, making difficult decisions, forging ahead and working as a team.
Francom also took the opportunity to thank members of his administrative team.
“Diane Rewerts, Christina Schertel, and Keith Haggerty, our administrative team are outstanding,” Francom said in his speech. “I have never worked with such great people who are so dedicated to kids and their community. You have given yourselves to the betterment of others and your work is exemplary. You made me want to be a better person and leader.”
Francom also thanked his wife, Jill Francom, who, he said, is the “most important person in [his] life.”