An educator who’s worked nearly two years as assistant superintendent of Mesa County School District 51 has been selected to lead the district.

The Mesa County School Board announced Brian Hill will become the next superintendent.

Hill will succeed Diana Sirko when she retires next year.

Hill was hired in July 2019 as assistant superintendent.

Before joining Mesa County School District 51, Hill worked a total of 11 years as a teacher, supervisor, principal and special assistant to the superintendent in the 80,000-student Austin Independent School District in Texas. 

He was named Austin Independent School District Teacher of Promise his first year, Campus Teacher of the Year in 2010-2011 and Region XIII Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Member of the Year in 2019.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from East Texas Baptist University and both master’s and doctoral degrees in education from the University of Texas at Austin.

Sirko isn’t expected to retire until June 2022, but the school board opted to name a successor to retain talent in the district.

Sirko joined Mesa County School District 51 in 2018 as interim superintendent and became permanent superintendent. When she retires, she’ll complete a 46-year career in public education.