Principal McMillan is an enthusiastic, motivated, and visionary leader who has served at the helm of Westfield Middle School since 2022. Prior to joining the Westfield community, he served as an elementary school principal and middle school English teacher. He attended Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Bachelor of Science in Education, and Master of Education degree. Mr. McMillan also attended the Leadership Academy where he earned his administrative licensure.

It is Mr. McMillan's belief that the combination of positive relationships with students and staff, high-quality academic instruction, and strong partnerships with families is the foundation for success. He often quotes Maya Angelou who once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Mr. McMillan's approach to leadership is rooted in collaboration, and he believes that each member of the school community must play an active role as teacher and learner, leader and follower, and speaker and listener. In turn, this shared responsibility will lead to a collective effort that is focused on increasing the impact of learning that is learner driven and evidence informed.

Outside of school, Mr. McMillan enjoys beekeeping, traveling, cooking, and spending time with his wife and two daughters. He lives a short drive from Westfield in the serene hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. He can be reached at jesse.mcmillan@schoolsofwestfield.org