ATHOL –Matt Ehrenworth, superintendent of the Athol Royalston Regional School District (ARRSD), received high grades on his first evaluation from the School Committee.

The evaluation was based on Ehrenworth’s performance for the 2022-23 school year, his first as leader of the ARRSD. Ehrenworth earned scores of ‘exemplary’ or ‘proficient’ in most categories and in those items that measured progress toward specific goals, he was deemed to have exceeded expectations. Results were presented by School Committee Chair Tammy Duquetts at the Sept. 20 meeting.

In working toward specific goals to improve professional practice and the district overall, committee members said Ehrenworth had exceeded expectations and met student learning goals.

Regarding overall performance, Ehrenworth was given a grade of ‘exemplary’ when it comes to the areas of management and operations, family and community engagement, and professional culture. He was rated ‘proficient’ regarding instructional leadership.

Reading from the comments, Duquette quoted one committee member who said, “Matt hit the ground running or, as he would say, ‘hit the ground listening.’ In Matt’s first year, he demonstrated his ability to cultivate a shared vision that promotes the growth of students and the success of all staff. (He) has demonstrated through the negotiations process his dedication to our students and best practices for staff.”

It was determined that Ehrenworth had met goals established by the committee to work with stakeholders to assess district needs, develop strategies to meet those needs, and establish measures to assess progress. He exceeded expectations for developing community partnerships and increasing the district’s presence in the community.

Another committee member wrote, “The (district) has done a complete turnaround with Matt at the helm. I have received so many positive compliments from teachers and people in the community saying he is a ‘breath of fresh air, an asset to our district, very active in the community, and a pleasure to talk to.’ I am very satisfied and extremely happy with his performance overall.”

Ehrenworth was also lauded for fostering a “cohesive/collaborative culture” which encourages students and staff to contribute to the community and feel valued for what they “bring to our district.”

“I am at a loss for words but, as a lot of you known, that is not humanly possible for me. Truth be told, I’m thrilled to have this evaluation be presented to the public,” Ehrenworth said. “And it’s not about me or my name on this document. When I view this evaluation, I replace ‘Matt’ with ‘the district.’ This work is not mine; this work is the work of the entire district and my team.”

Ehrenworth credited his administrative team, teachers and support personnel for working together to move the district forward.

“To me, this assessment is for the district, and I’m thrilled to hear that people are feeling and seeing that things are moving in the right direction,” he said. “I cannot take any of the credit without saying it’s equally shared with every member of this community, which is part of the district team.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.