Jesse McMillan is a 2014 graduate of MCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Bachelor of Science in Education. In 2017, he obtained a master's degree in Education from MCLA and, soon thereafter, completed the Leadership Academy where he earned licensure for school administration. McMillan served as a middle and high school English teacher in Springfield Public Schools and Pittsfield Public Schools where he was recognized for his successful student outcomes. In 2017, he was awarded Berkshire County's "Classroom of the Week" for his engaging practices with sixth-grade students. Members of the Pittsfield Public Schools' administrative team recognized McMillan's potential and supported his goal of becoming a building leader.
Currently, McMillan serves as the Principal at New Hingham Regional Elementary School in Chesterfield, Massachusetts where he has begun his fifth year as their educational leader. In 2018, McMillan became one of the youngest school principals to take the helm in Massachusetts, assuming immense responsibility for a regional elementary school faced with fiscal challenges and declining student enrollment. He moved swiftly to address these challenges and has substantially increased student enrollment through the expansion and prioritization of his early childhood program, collaborated with local stakeholders to support overdue capital projects, re-organized a $1.7 million budget to focus on students' needs, and implemented forward-thinking school practices focused on student services and student engagement.
Outside of school, McMillan serves as an adjunct instructor in the Education Department at MCLA where he teaches "Reading in the Content Area" for undergraduate and graduate students. He plans to pursue his Doctorate in Education beginning in 2023 and aspires to become a Superintendent of Schools after various experiences at the elementary and secondary levels as a building leader.
McMillan lives in Chesterfield with his wife, a second grade teacher, and his daughter. He enjoys landscaping, boating, camping, and traveling.
