Pierce takes principal job in West Glacier

If there is one thing Cory Pierce has learned from his two-year stint as the dean of students and activities director at Bigfork Elementary and Middle School, it is that middle school students aren’t as scary as they seem.

“They are amazing,” he said. “I have learned so much from them.”

Pierce, who began his career with the Bigfork School District as a third-grade teacher, has spent a total of five years working with Bigfork students. Next year, though, Pierce will begin a new gig as the principal of West Glacier Elementary School.

Although he is excited about taking on a new challenge in a different school district, Pierce said the decision to leave Bigfork was not an easy one.

“It’s been a very tough choice because I have made such great connections with the students here, but change is good, and I am excited about it,” he said. “It will be a good stepping stone, as it will provide me with valuable experience to help me move forward with my career.”

From the time he was in high school, Pierce knew he wanted to pursue a career in education.

“I sometimes struggled with school, but in high school I finally came across a few teachers who made me believe in myself,” he said. “I wanted to return a lot of the things I learned from those teachers back to other students.”

After spending a few years teaching various elementary school grade levels, Pierce started thinking about moving into school administration.

“I decided it would be neat to be connected with all of the students in a school as opposed to just one classroom,” Pierce said.

Soon after he began work on a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Phoenix, Bigfork administrators approached him with an offer to take over as the K-8 activities director and dean of students. Pierce accepted with little hesitation.

“It not only met my expectations, but has gone above and beyond the rewards I expected from it,” Pierce said of the combined position, which left him responsible for extracurricular activities, student council and school dances, along with student behavior, attendance, grades and eligibility.

In addition to his responsibilities as an administrator, Pierce also taught a few technology classes for grades one through four.

“It was a very busy job,” Pierce said.

As he clears out his office and prepares to move north, Pierce will take with him many things that cannot be packed in boxes.

“The most valuable thing I’ve learned in this position is that it is important to communicate and network with people who have experience in different areas,” Pierce said. “As an administrator, it is such a benefit to use the network available to you.”

Pierce’s years in Bigfork were highlighted by many good memories and notable accomplishments.

Chief among them was starting a program in which students vow to give up all electronic devices for five days in exchange for monetary pledges from family and community members.

Since its first year in 2008, the program has raised about $6,000 for charitable causes such as the Bigfork Food Pantry and the Bigfork Volunteer Fire Department.

Even though he is a technology teacher, Pierce understands the value of electronics-free learning and playtime.

“I believe in integrating technology into education. It’s very important in today’s economy, but so many kids rarely go outside and experience nature anymore, and I think that’s a travesty,” he said.

Pierce expressed his gratitude to the Bigfork community for its continuous support of such efforts.

“I will definitely miss the support that we have here from all of the stakeholders — parents, community members, administrators and teachers,” Pierce said. “No matter what, whatever the need is, somebody in this community steps up, and that support is always there.”

Even after he settles into his new job in West Glacier, Pierce plans to stay involved with the Bigfork district as a volunteer. His wife, Darcey, will continue to teach fourth grade at Bigfork, and his daughter, Hailey will be a first-grader at the school next year.

“I will still be connected to the school through them, and that is what has made this choice easier,” he said.