Mathew Neal was handed the reins of the Moffat County School District on July 1 and has embarked on an ambitious start toward his journey as the superintendent of schools.

Growing up on a ranch in between Fort Collins and Walden, Neal saw Craig as an opportunity to return to his roots and lead a school district that embodies the values of hard work, has strong community connections and is ready for stability.

Having been in the district for only two weeks, Neal’s calendar is already full.

His primary goal in his first 100 days on the job is to meet with as many community members as possible. He is scheduled to meet with 27 community leaders in the coming month, and Neal is conducting one-on-one conversations with the members of the school board.

“Listening and learning are essential,” Neal said.

And it is his hope that, through dialog with stakeholders, a collaborative vision can be formulated that will advance the district.

A strong proponent of systems thinking, Neal was quick to express that “relationships are the heart of education. I wish to create a culture based on community.”

Among the groups that Neal is planning on strong engagement with is the ministerial association, city government leaders and the business community. A pastor’s breakfast is being organized to bring spiritual leaders together to help strengthen the bonds with the school district and provide support when needed.

The challenges facing the district are many, and Neal is well aware of the hurdles he may be facing.

Serving as the third superintendent in as many years, he would like to bring a sense of stability and continuity to the district and begin working on long-range goals that can be implemented with fidelity and collaboration.

With uncertainty facing the district in light of impending closures of the power plant and coal mine, Neal hopes to work with other community leaders to develop a positive vision for the future of the region that has found itself in the midst of economic and social transition.

Changing demographics and enrollment patterns will force the district to make adjustments, but Neal feels that this can be done in a constructive and proactive manner.

Specific initiatives that Neal feels need to be addressed in the short term include crisis and facilities planning. Working with the board to develop mutually connected goals, Neal feels that a comprehensive facilities plan needs to be developed to address the learning needs of students and staff. Likewise, a sound safety and security plan needs to be implemented that is created in harmony with the school district’s resource officers and the local law enforcement community.

Perhaps the most pressing issue facing the district that Neal hopes to address is unity. Superintendent turnover may have led to individual buildings acting as “disconnected silos.”

Neal hopes to bring all buildings and entities in the district into one fold, noting that “decentralization does not work. The better systems are, the better able they are able to service students.”

Quoting French author Alexandre Dumas from the novel, “The Three Musketeers,” Neal said he hopes that all employees of the district adhere to the mantra of “All for one and one for all.”

Neal comes to Moffat County with vast experience in education.

Receiving his bachelor’s degree from Mississippi College, Neal started his career as a business education teacher before earning his Master’s of Business Administration from Colorado State University. He earned his doctorate in education from the University of Southern California and also received a certificate of superintendent leadership from Harvard University.

His educational administrative journey has seen him serve as the executive director of the Brighton/Durango School Districts, the director of strategy and innovation for the Denver Public Schools, superintendent of the Sweetwater County School District in Rock Springs, Wyoming, superintendent of the International Baccalaurate American Schools Middle East in Kuwait and as president of MRJB Educational Consulting in Colorado.

Neal’s family is settling in to the community after purchasing a home in Craig. In his free time, Neal enjoys all that Colorado has to offer including mountain biking, skiing and spending time with family.

The Moffat County School Board extended Neal a three-year contract upon his acceptance of the position and will be compensated $175,000 for his first year of employment. While an increase from his predecessor, it is typical for incoming superintendents to earn more than an outgoing school leader.

Neighboring district Steamboat Springs, a district of comparable size, payed their superintendent $210,000 during the 2023-24 school year.