For the past fourteen years, I have worked in the Solon Community School District (Solon, Iowa). When I interviewed for a teaching position in 2004, I had no idea Solon would be such a wonderful place to work. During that interview, I found out the high school building was only a few years old and principal at the time told me there were occasional “Taco Tuesdays” in the staff lounge, so it sounded like a good place to land a job! Beginning with my first months as a teacher, and later as a district administrator, I am grateful for the way Solon staff allowed me to ask lots of questions and learn from making (many) mistakes. Solon is a tremendous place with high expectations for adults and students. I feel blessed beyond measure to have called the Solon Community School District my professional home for so long. Many, but not all, of the ideas on this blog were somehow related to my professional experiences and thoughts in Solon.
Beginning in August 2018, I will transition to a tenure-track assistant professor of educational leadership at the University of Northern Iowa. In this position, I will teach aspiring principals, central office administrators and superintendents. Our mission is to develop and nurture reflective leaders of learning, service, and change in schools who positively impact students. After finishing a doctorate degree last year, I had no idea an opportunity in higher education would present itself so soon, and one that will allow my family relocate to a familiar part of the state while our three boys are (hopefully) too young to remember it. Mentoring and teaching future school leaders is a professional chapter I have been looking forward to for a few years.
While I will begin writing more regularly in peer-reviewed journals as part of my new responsibilities, I hope to communicate even more frequently on this blog, too.
Congratulations!
Congrats Matt! You will do a great job leading admins. We definitely need quality people like you teaching them the ropes 🙂
Onward Dr. MT! The future of education is in your hands and I can’t think of better hands in which to place this responsibility. Shake those Panthers up!
Congratulations Matt!
Congratulations, Matt! I know how you feel — when people ask me what it would take for me to leave Colorado, my answer always begins with, “Well, if UNI offered the right kind of job…” I’m happy for you and your family and I look forward to seeing you someday on campus!
I’ll be sure to let you know when the next math education opening is posted at UNI! 🙂
Wow, what an opportunity, for both you and UNI! Congratulations, Matt! I am looking forward to seeing you in your next adventure.
Thank you, Evan. Looking forward to seeing you online or at an upcoming conference!
Hey Pal,
You’ll crush this just like you’ve crushed every other role that you’ve ever filled. You are a thoughtful guy who is committed to improving. Can’t think of anyone that I’d rather see teaching principals.
Well done!
Bill
Thank you, Bill. I plan to share a few of your blog posts with future principals!