Four classrooms. Four different math courses. 29 years of teaching. To some, he is “coach.” To others, he is “Mr.” To many, he is an inspiration.
Michael Hill was a math teacher at Trinity for 12 years, after having taught at Winter Park High for 17. Before departing from his teaching career, Hill taught pre-algebra, algebra, geometry and college algebra. He also worked with the cross country and track and field teams as a coach and official timekeeper for meets.
Now, Hill has retired from teaching to dedicate more time to his track and field timing company, Elite Timing & Event Management.
“We’d like to host events as the former head track coach of Winter Park High School where we hosted the state meet for years,” Hill said. “I feel very comfortable in a directorship role. I’ve done everything from compete to officiate the time.”
Hill has been surrounded by track and field his entire life. His largest role-model was his high school coach; his best man at his wedding was a former teammate; and he has even coached numerous high school athletes to state championships.
His love of sports and math perfectly blend together to form the passion he has for this profession.
“[There are] 34 events, 17 boy’s, 17 girl’s events and within each of those you can have 15 to 40 kids competing,” Hill said. “So if you do the math, that’s hundreds and hundreds and sometimes thousands of points of data that have to go in through me, and none of them can be wrong… I love the pressure.”
Along with prioritizing his entrepreneurship, Hill plans to spend the rest of his free time helping others and being with his loved ones.
“I think the first thing is to expand my business and help others, and if I get bored I can always tutor math and [I’ve] got a few years of doing that,” Hill said.
Since leaving teaching, Hill has certainly made the most of his time.
“I did a half Ironman race in Oregon and then visited my family in Colorado,” Hill said. “So it’s been a full summer of go-go-go. I’ve probably traveled more this calendar year than any previous two or three combined. Not so much with retirement but just the way it worked out.”
Hill’s plans don’t end here. After having to cancel his trip previously due to COVID-19, Hill would like to visit his birthplace, Switzerland, for his 30th wedding anniversary. However, ending his teaching career still hasn’t sunk in yet.
“Every teacher goes on retirement for two months out of the year anyway, so it still feels kind of like it’s still summer,” Hill said. “I know school has started, but in some ways, it’s not quite hit me any differently than another summer would.”
As the end of a school year approaches, teachers typically publicly disclose their resignation. Hill, on the other hand, kept his leaving lesser known.
“I did not make [my retirement] known until right at the end of school,” Hill said. “I told the people I had to tell earlier in the semester, just out of respect and who I had to tell. But I didn’t tell even my close friends here till maybe two weeks before school and I didn’t tell my students just because I didn’t want them distracted.”
Sophomore Everest Lochbryn was one of Hill’s students and was surprised to hear about his favorite teacher’s sudden leaving.
“He was a very enthusiastic teacher,” Lochbryn said. “The way he did his lessons and the way he talked and taught us made it more engaging, and I feel like I remember that more than some other classes … It was obviously sad because I like to still talk to teachers after I’ve left [their] class. But I’m happy for him. I’m sure he and his business are doing well, and so I wish him all the best.”
Hill wasn’t just a teacher or a coach; he was a man who genuinely enjoyed what he did and strived to be a role model for all students.
“A colleague here told me on the last day of school, ‘you’ve got a golden ticket if you ever change. Math teachers are needed, and you could always find a job,’” Hill said. “My response was ‘I don’t know that I ever want a job’ and I’ve never felt like teaching was a job.”
