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Schools

New Principal Takes Helm at Revere High School

Phillip King making quick transition from Parma City Schools.

When Revere High opens for the first day of school on Wednesday, Aug. 24, principal Phillip King faces his first hurdle: building a host of new relationships with the faculty, staff and students.  

“I think that’s gonna be a big challenge for me because everyone is new,” King said. “I didn’t know anyone before I came to Revere. That’s going to be the biggest challenge for me to start out with.”

As a Revere High alumna, his wife, Kendra Hostetler King, should prove a helpful guide.

“First of all, she got me directions in how to drive to the school,” King said. “We actually drove by to make sure I knew where it was and everything before I had my interviews. We walked through the building and she said things have changed quite a bit since she’s been here.”

King was named principal on July 19 by the Revere Board of Education.

At the time, Superintendent said, “Phil impressed the search committee with his passion and his thoughtful answers to the interview questions.”

King, who has 21 years of experience in education, was most recently deputy principal at Parma High. “I started at Parma High School as a math teacher, drama director and I moved on to become a basketball coach as well,” he said.

Like John Mellencamp – one of his favorite '80s rockers – King grew up in small town Indiana in tiny Mentone, “population 850 at the time...(Mellencamp) was a big hero where we lived,” King said.

“I went to college at Bluffton College, but I started at St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind, played a little basketball there, and then moved on and went to Bluffton College," he said.

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"Actually, I played football at Bluffton and was involved in music as well. I played quarterback. I wasn’t a starter, but I did get to travel with the team, and I held for extra points and field goals. I did get to play a few downs every now and then at quarterback.”

King said he’s concerned about recent cuts in state funding for school districts across the state, but it wasn’t a deterrent to his moving to Revere High School.

“Oh, I think any educator is concerned about the cuts in funding throughout the state," he said. "Cuts in funding is not just an inner-city issue, it’s an issue across the state and it hits all districts...It’s hitting everyone and it’s a big concern.”

In the meantime, King is looking forward to his time at Revere High School.

“I’m extremely, extremely excited about being here. We have a great group of students, a great group of teachers and the parent support is just wonderful, and we’re on the cusp of being just out of this world," he said. "I’m really glad to be part of that because we’re going to make things  happen here in the district and at the high school.”

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