Around the Community, May 2021

Principal Jody Matthews of Homecroft Elementart Named 2021 District Administrator of the Year!

Congratulations to Homecroft Elementary School Principal Jody Matthews, Perry Township's 2021 District Administrator of the Year!

Mr. Matthews has spent his entire career in numerous roles with Perry Township Schools. He has always been a champion for his school, his teachers, and his students. You will often find him at sporting events throughout the district, cheering for our teams, spending a weekend watching Homecroft Hornets in their youth leagues, and even attending graduation every year to congratulate his former students.

Under Mr. Matthews’ leadership, Homecroft has been rated an ‘A’ school for six of the last seven years, including two times in the top 25 of all elementary schools for growth. This achievement is especially impressive because he helps his teachers provide a high-quality education to a diverse student body, which includes more than 30% English learning students.

Mr. Matthews is committed to being a lifelong learner, and he is passionate about growing his teachers. He believes in surrounding himself with experts and staff that can provide great insights, and he takes on hard conversations with compassion and empathy.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Matthews embraced this challenge and found ways for his teachers to connect during the shutdown. Recording book readings with his teachers, virtual spirit week, and Facebook live streams are just a few examples of how he connected with students and families.

Mr. Matthews recognized challenges that faced our teachers during virtual instruction. He worked with the leadership team to develop professional development around resources, technology platforms, and coaching to improve education. Mr. Matthews quickly identified that live synchronous teaching and interactions, despite challenging logistics, led to better student engagement and academic outcomes. Once he formulated a plan to foster synchronous learning in a remote setting, he saw student attendance spike to an impressive 97%.

Mr. Matthews continues to strive for personal growth. While he is very competitive, it is done for the betterment of his staff and students. Mr. Matthews is constantly reflecting on how instruction is performed and how to do it better.

Thank you for your commitment to your students, staff, and the Homecroft community Mr. Matthews!