Caldwell trustees hired Mountain View High Principal Jeremy Montoya to be the district’s next superintendent.

The school board hired Montoya after a seven-hour executive session and interviews with him and internal candidate Julie Mead.

Trustees used questions from comment cards to make their decision.

“We went through every one of them. We had them all piled up,” said trustee Trish Robertson of the more than 100 cards from community, staff members and students.

Robertson motioned to hire Montoya. Trustees voted unanimously. 

“I think we did our due diligence, and it took a long time,” Robertson said.

Comment card questions ranged from how prospective superintendents would fix a leaky ceiling to their three-to-five-year plan for the district. 

Montoya said he’d prioritize facilities issues, look for opportunities to optimize the budget and assess the potential of running a levy.

When asked how he would improve preparing students for college, Montoya touted the Advancement Via Individual Determination program, which he oversaw at Mountain View High.

Students in the program are about 50% less likely to drop out of college, he said.

Both candidates mentioned Caldwell’s failed levy in 2024, which led the district to close a school building.

The district must work to educate community members about the impact of a levy, Montoya said. He suggested creative solutions by bringing community members into schools to share facility issues firsthand.

Outgoing Caldwell Superintendent Shalene French plans to retire at the end of the school year. She took over as superintendent in 2016.

Montoya has a 29-year education career, having taught in the Emmett, Cascade and West Ada districts.

The board will negotiate Montoya’s salary and benefits at an upcoming meeting,  Board Chair Travis Manning said.