Matt Renwick
The Mineral Point Unified School District is proud to name its new elementary principal, Matt Renwick.
Mr. Renwick emerged as the top candidate from a pool of very strong applicants following an extensive interview process on May 16. He was approved by the Board of Education at a meeting May 23.
Mr. Renwick is currently in his 17th year in public education which began as a 5th and 6th grade teacher in a country school outside of Wisconsin Rapids.
After seven years of teaching, he began service as Dean of Students at a junior high, which developed into an assistant principalship, along with athletic director duties.
His most recent position was that of principal at Howe Elementary in the Wisconsin Rapids School District where he has enjoyed the curriculum, instruction, and assessment side of education.
He is a 1995 graduate of Pioneer Westfield High School, a 2000 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in Elementary/Middle Level Education, earned his Masters in 2005 from the University of Wisconsin-Superior in Educational Administration, and most recently obtained his licensure as a Director of Instruction in 2015.
As principal of Howe Elementary, the school has been recognized as a Title I School of Recognition for the last eight years in a row (2008-2015) and as a Spotlight School the last three years (2013-2015) through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
He is a member of the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA), National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), Wisconsin State Reading Association (WSRA), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Mr. Renwick is also a blogger (readingbyexample.com) earning the following accolades: Top 50 Education IT Blogs – EdTech K-12 (2013, 2015, 2016), SmartBrief Content Editor Award (2013), and Top 100 EdTech Influencers (2015). He has published two books about educational technology. His third, about digital portfolios in classrooms, comes out in 2017 with ASCD.
“A school should be a community of learners, a place where students and teachers want to attend daily. This is made possible by providing engaging instruction, facilitating reliable curriculum and assessments, and developing a culture of inquiry, innovation and equity,” said Renwick.
He stated in a letter to the Board of Education he was drawn to Mineral Point in part because:
- Educators both within and beyond the district have spoken highly about Mineral Point.
- High quality instruction and investing in educators and students is a priority.
- Leaders in Mineral Point support public education.
- A smaller town can allow for closer community connections and unique partnerships.
- Small class sizes, relevant learning experiences, and a focus on innovation are valued.
- Opportunities in the area to grow as a professional and as an individual are available.
Matt is married to Jodi, also a public educator, going on 14 years. They have two children, Finn (9) and Violet (7), who currently attend Howe Elementary School as 3rd and 1st graders, respectively. Matt enjoys gardening, writing about education, and watching baseball. He also recently earned his black belt in tae kwon do.
Notes Matt, “Our family is excited to be a part of the Mineral Point Unified School District and the surrounding community. The progressive approach Mineral Point has embraced regarding learning as a lifelong endeavor was a major reason why I applied for this position. I look forward to partnering with the students, staff, families and community to provide the best educational opportunities possible.”
Mr. Renwick will officially begin his duties July 1, 2016.