New Principal Leads Highland View Academy

“Highland View Academy [HVA] has all the critical resources to be a highly successful school in the early 21st century,” says Malcolm Hutchinson, EdD, (pictured) about why he accepted the call to be HVA’s new principal.

Story by Lori Zerne

“Highland View Academy [HVA] has all the critical resources to be a highly successful school in the early 21st century,” says Malcolm Hutchinson, EdD, (pictured) about why he accepted the call to be HVA’s new principal. Two other aspects of HVA also attracted him to the school. After working with grades kindergarten through 12 for the past few years, he is looking forward to focusing on just high school students. And, as a country boy from New Hampshire, he, along with his wife, Nada-Gaye Kaiser Hutchinson, enjoys the school’s rural setting.

Hutchinson’s experience particularly suits him for fostering a new vision at HVA. He has a bachelor’s in theology and two master’s degrees in education, and holds an doctorate in educational administration from Andrews University. This theoretical background has been solidified by his real-world experience in business and education. He has owned several businesses and served as national director of Real Estate and Facilities for Affiliated Computer Services, a Xerox company. He has taught fifth-graders through doctoral students in a variety of subjects.

His administrative experience includes serving as principal of three Adventist academies, most recently Richmond Academy in Richmond, which experienced a 30 percent enrollment increase under his leadership. Hutchinson plans to use those skills to further focus the vision for HVA by providing creative and dynamic leadership while working with administration, faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents and board members. He wants to forge a new, highly effective, viable and cost-affordable educational ministry model.

To focus HVA’s vision, Hutchinson is gathering key research data. To underscore his priorities, he requested that the HVA board retain GraceWorks Ministries to conduct a Chesapeake Conference-wide survey of the perceptions, effectiveness and qualities of the educational ministries of the school. Hutchinson adds “This survey is broad-based, and I need to hear from all vested groups and interested parties. …Over the coming weeks and months, many of you will be contacted via email and other communications to participate in the survey that will assist in focusing and forging the future of HVA.”

Hutchinson and HVA’s faculty and staff look forward to working together to shape this future with the wider school community.