About the Superintendent
Gary S. Mathews, Ph.D
(Scroll to bottom for publications by Dr. Mathews)
On July 1, 2010, Dr. Gary S. Mathews began his tenure as superintendent of the Newton County School System. In his 21st year as a school chief executive, Dr. Mathews has served as superintendent in several major venues: St. Johns County (FL), East Baton Rouge Parish (LA), Rockwood School District (metro-St. Louis), Carroll I.S.D. (metro-Dallas), and Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools (VA). A 38-year veteran of public education, Dr. Mathews has also served as a teacher, assistant-to-the-principal, high school principal, assistant and associate superintendent, and instructor at the University of Houston.
In October 2012, Dr. Mathews received the Outstanding Leadership in School/Community Relations award from the Georgia School Public Relations Association. In November of 2007, he was named the “Virginia Curriculum Leader of the Year” by the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (VASCD). In 2006, he was awarded the “ET3 TEC Champion Leadership Award” by the Education Technology Think Tank in Washington, D.C. In 1998, Dr. Mathews was named “Louisiana Superintendent of the Year” by the Louisiana Association of School Executives and, in 1996, he was named “Louisiana Communicator of the Year” by the Public Relations Association of Louisiana. Much earlier in his career, Dr. Mathews was named “One of North America’s Top 100 Up-and-Coming School Executives” by a panel of jurors sponsored by the magazine, The Executive Educator (1988). The author of numerous journal articles, newspaper columns, a monograph, and book chapter, Dr. Mathews has presented at many state and national conferences. Recognized for his expertise in school improvement and increasing student achievement, Dr. Mathews’ work has been featured in three different books: The Revolution Revisited: Effective Schools and Systemic Reform (Phi Delta Kappa, 1995), Keepers of the Dream (Excelsior, 1994), and Making School Reform Happen (Allyn & Bacon, 1993).
From 1993-1995, Dr. Mathews served on the Florida Education Standards Commission following his nomination by Governor Lawton Chiles and ratification by the Florida Senate. Earlier in his career, he was named a Fellow of The National Center for Effective Schools Research and Development at Michigan State University (1987), recipient of Phi Delta Kappa’s Excellence in Education Award (1987), and elected Vice-President and President-Elect of the Mississippi Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (1986). In 1985, Dr. Mathews was appointed to Mississippi’s Advisory Committee on Accountability and Instructional Management.
Dr. Mathews graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge in 1975. A year later in 1976, he earned his teaching certificate in secondary social science from the University of New Orleans. Dr. Mathews earned a master’s in educational administration from Loyola University of New Orleans in 1979 and a specialist degree and doctorate in educational administration from The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg in 1981 and 1982, respectively.
As with previous Newton County superintendents, community service has been important to Dr. Mathews having served on Little League, YMCA, Al-Pac homeless shelter, chamber of commerce, and education foundation boards. He has also served as a PTA President and member of the Rotary Club.
Dr. Mathews lives in the city of Porterdale in Newton County and is married to Patricia Mathews, a retired teacher of the deaf and middle school counselor. They have five grown children--Kelly, Jason, Paul, Danielle, and Wes and two grandchildren--Luke and Ethan.
Publications by Dr. Mathews
April 30, 2013 Read Dr. Mathews' April 2013 End-of-Month Notes
March 28, 2013 Read Dr. Mathews' March 2013 End-of-Month Notes
February 28, 2013 Read Dr. Mathews' February 2013 End-of-Month Notes
January 31, 2013 Read Dr. Mathews' January 2013 End-of-Month Notes
December 20, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' December 2012 End-of-Month Notes
November 29, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' November 2012 End-of-Month Notes
October 31, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews October 2012 End-of-Month Notes
* Test Results 9/10, 10/11, 11/12
*
Assessment Increases-Good News in Georgia
October 24, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' October 2012 Supe's Corner: International Lessons
September 27, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews September 2012 End-of-Month Notes
October 24, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' October 2012 Supe's Corner: International Lessons
September 27, 2012 Attachment: Budget Projections
August 27, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' August 2012 End of Month Notes
August 27 2012 Attachment: 2011-2012 EOCT Results with Retest
August 11, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' August 2012 Edition of Supe's Corner: Ways of Engaging Students to Work
May 31, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' May 2012 End-of-Month Notes
April 30, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' April 2012 End-of-Month Notes
April 16, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' April 2012 Edition of Supe's Corner: Working on the Work
April 9, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' March 2012 End-of-Month Notes
• Accountability
February 29, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' February End-of-Month Notes
• Procedures for Screening & Interviewing Principal Candidates
February 3, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' February 2012 Supe's Corner: Lessons That Last and Matter
Published in The Covington News, February 3, 2012
January 31, 2012 Read Dr. Mathews' January 2012 End-of-Month Notes
• NCSS Quick Notes
December 16, 2011 Read Dr. Mathews December 2011 End-of-Month Notes
Read the December 2011 Supe's Corner: Georgia's New Focus on College and Career Readiness
November 30, 2011 Read Dr. Mathews' November 2011 End-of-Month Notes
• Making Education Work for All Georgians
October 31, 2011 Read Dr. Mathews' October 2011 End-of-Month Notes
Read the October 2011 Supe's Corner: When it Comes to Parent-Teacher Relationships, It Takes Two to Tango
Published in The Covington News on October 2, 2011
September 29, 2011 Read Dr. Mathews' September 2011 End-of-Month Notes (September 29, 2011)
• NCSS Budget Forecast
Read the Superintendent's August 2011 End-of-Month Notes (August 30, 2011)
• Strategic Plan for Teaching-for-Learning-for All
August 2, 2011 Read the Superintendent's July 2011 End-of-Month Notes
July 24, 2011 Read the July 2011 Supe's Corner: Results, Parents, and Professionalism
Published in The Covington News on July 24, 2011
July 5, 2011 Read the June 2011 Supe's Corner: Reflections on Education
Published in The Covington News on June 24, 2011
Read the Superintendent's June 2011 End-of-Month Notes (July 5, 2011)
Read Superintendent's May 2011 End-of-Month Notes (May 25, 2011)
The Impact of Fidelity of Implementation in Effective Standards-Based Instruction
Read Superintendent's April 2011 End-of-Month Notes (April 27, 2011)
April 23, 2011 Read Supe's Corner: Professional Learning Communities Needed (April 25, 2011)
Published in the Newton Citizen on April 21, 2011 and The Covington News on April 23, 2011
(March 31, 2011)
Superintendent's March End-of-Month Notes
Building Background Knowledge Ch. 3 Power Point
Building Background Knowledge Ch. 4 Power Point
Read Superintendent's February 2011 End-of-Month-Notes (March 1, 2011)
• A Strategic Plan for Teaching for Learning for All (See Note #5)
• Superintendent's Recommendations Following BOE Direction at 2/25/11 Planning Meeting (See Note #7)
March 1, 2011 Read Supe's Corner A Tale of Two Lessons
Published in both The Covington News and the Newton Citizen (February 25, 2011)
Read the Superintendent's January End-of-Month Notes (January 31, 2011)
Accompanying Attachments
1.A Strategic Plan for Teaching-for-Learning-for-All
2. Berkmar High School Data
Read Supe's Corner: Powerful teaching includes seven human touches
( Published in The Covington News) (12/25/2010)
Read the Superintendent's December End-of-Month Notes(December 17, 2010)
Read A Strategic Plan for Teaching-for-Learning-for-All (December 17, 2010)
Read Superintendent's November 2010 End-of-Month Notes (November 30, 2010)
Read Superintendent's October 2010 End of Month Notes (October 29, 2010)
Accompanying Attachments
1. The 7th Graders That Could and Did
2. Professional Development for Certified Faculty in NCSS
3. Effectively Teaching Males
Read Supe's Corner: We work "smarter," not harder, when students do the work
(Published in The Covington News) (October 27, 2010)
Read Superintendent's September 2010 End-of-Month Notes (September 30, 2010)
Read Superintendent's August 2010 End-of-Month Notes (August 31, 2010)
Read Supe's Corner: Schools must build background knowledge
(published in The Covington News) (August 22, 2010)
Read Superintendent's End-of-Month Notes (July 30, 2010)
Read Dr. Mathews' Letter from the Superintendent
(published in The Covington News Back to School Section) (July 25, 2010)
Review Dr. Mathews' New Beginnings Power Point to NCSS Leadership (July 21, 2010)
Review Dr. Mathews' Presentation of 4-Year Trends on NCSS Test Data (July 21, 2010)
Read Dr. Mathews' Back to School Letter to Teachers and Staff (July 19, 2010)
Message From New Superintendent (July 1, 2010)