Frontier Selects New Superintendent

Although she is switching to a different school district than she has worked nearly almost her entire professional life, Melanie Blount-Cole feels like she’s coming home. After being retired from education since 2024, the former Frazer school superintendent is returning home to the education field.

Blount-Cole accepted the position as Frontier Schools’ new superintendent of schools last week. The hiring was ratified on Wednesday, July 22.

“I really missed it,” Blount-Cole said of missing being part of a school. “I feel I have so much more to give.”

Her experience includes serving as superintendent in Frazer for seven years and K-12 principal in Frazer for two years. Prior to that, she taught classes for 17 years including grades first, third, fourth, fifth and junior high.

“That’s where my heart is,” she said of education. “I have a love for it.”

She has been helping at the Presbyterian church in Frazer. “It was good, but I felt something was missing,” Blount-Cole said. She shared that a family friend said that she is going back to her specialty.

Her role at Frontier will be as a part-time superintendent. She will work two days a week. Keith Hays will be the school’s principal.

Although she enjoyed her teaching career, she explained that being superintendent also has its benefits. “It’s being able to help staff and students all at once,” she said. “I want to be able to help everybody including the school board.”

After 25 years working at Frazer schools, she says a different school district will be a bit of a learning experience for her.

Blount-Cole has really appreciated her interactions with the Frontier School Board. “I really like the district,” she said. “I feel welcome there.”

She noted that her success in the education field can be traced back to her father, the late Harold Dean Blount, who was the business clerk for the Frazer School District for 43 years.

“Without his mentoring, I don’t think I would have made it,” Blount-Cole said.