Brian Murphy

The Marshalltown High School girls basketball program has found its new head coach, and Miller Middle School has its new English as a Second Language instructor.

Brian Murphy is both.

Murphy’s hiring for the aforementioned positions was approved by the Marshalltown Community School District’s Board of Education on Monday night. Murphy and his family have lived in Marshalltown for the last three years while teaching and coaching at the Meskwaki Settlement School.

“We’re excited to have Brian on board,” said MHS activities director Rollie Ackerman. “He’s proven to be a very knowledgeable basketball coach, and more important, a good person who is going to be a good fit for our coaching staff.”

Murphy, who was the head coach for one season of girls basketball at Meskwaki, replaces Stacy O’Hare who resigned in February after six years at the helm of the Bobcat program.

“It’s all about a team-first concept where every individual is doing what the team needs,” Murphy said of his basic coaching philosophy.

Meskwaki posted a 12-9 record in Murphy’s one season as the head varsity girls basketball coach. Brian and his wife Sarah taught in the Meskwaki schools for seven years, but both have found jobs in the Marshalltown district.

Sarah will be the new physical education teacher at Woodbury Elementary, while Brian will take over the ESL position at Miller Middle School.