The Ocosta School Board has named a replacement for retiring schools Superintendent Paula Akerlund.

Kurt Hilyard, currently superintendent of the kindergarten through eighth grade Union Gap School District, has accepted the position.

The formal announcement was made at Tuesday night’s School Board meeting. Hilyard was one of four finalists for the Hoquiam school superintendent opening earlier this spring.

The district received more than 25 applications for the position, said School Board President Debbie Carter-Bowhay.

“Kurt has a lot of budget knowledge and for small, rural schools that’s critical,” said Carter-Bowhay. “He comes with an enormous amount of experience.”

She said the district has been well-served by Akerlund’s leadership. “We‘ve got some big little shoes to fill,” she joked, referring to Akerlund’s small stature.

Asked what initial direction the board will have for the new superintendent, Carter-Bowhay said, “We’d like to continue the growth and some of the successes we’re already having. We appreciate the culture of the district right now and want to keep the atmosphere positive and moving forward.”

Hilyard said he expects the first few months to a year to be a “learn and listen” time for him. “One thing I’ve learned is you don’t come in and start making al ot of changes. My first few months I’ll get input from the community, staff and students and try to find out what strenghts and challenges we have.”

Hilyard started his career in education in 1981 as a math instructor at a small school in Montana. Since 1986 he has worked as a superintendent, the first 20 years at three different districts in Montana. In 2006, he was named Superintendent of the Year in Montana. That same year he took the superintendent’s job at Union Gap.

Since 2012, the Union Gap Middle School has been named a School of Distinction by the Center for Educational Excellence four times. The school was received Washington Achievement Award distinction four times.

The Union Gap district has about 650 students and around 80 faculty and staff members, about the same as the Ocosta District.

Hilyard graduated from high school in Plentywood, Mont., in Eastern Montana, received a bachelor’s degree from Montana State University-Billings and a master’s degree in education from the University of Montana.

Two of his three children live in Western Washington, he said.