Current Director of Student Life Matthew Peer will take on a new role as director of Upper School, effective July 1, 2014, announced Headmaster Tom Whitworth today.
“In his three-and-a-half years at Darlington, Matt has been instrumental in helping to shape the culture of our Upper School community,” Whitworth said. “He has always been very intentional in his work with students, teachers, staff members and parents to enhance the student life experience at Darlington’s Upper School. But even more importantly, Matt believes in people and is willing to invest in them. His department supported his candidacy unanimously, and that speaks volumes about his ability to lead and build a team.
“From the moment I met him back in 2010, I could see that Matt had excellent instincts. Now, after working with two directors, he is more than ready to take the next step,” Whitworth continued. “He has a vision, a grasp on the big picture, a passion for this school and our students, and I absolutely believe that he is the right person to chart the path for Darlington’s Upper School moving forward.”
Peer was selected from among three internal finalists who interviewed with the Upper School Director Search Committee. He replaces Max Roach, who is leaving at the end of the school year to become head of Jackson Hole Community School in Wyoming.
“I learned so much more about Matt and his leadership style throughout this process,” said science teacher Mike Hudson (’94), chairman of the Search Committee. “As director of student life, he already has a great deal of experience in resolving conflicts and having difficult conversations with students, teachers and parents. But he also has a leadership style that I would describe as ‘personal.’ He encourages open communication of needs, wants, strengths and weaknesses. It became very clear to us that Matt is someone who listens and then acts. For that reason, he is also someone from whom people expect results, and he has proven time and time again that he will deliver.
“From the beginning, we were looking for a candidate who would be approachable, accountable and who could give the school a long-term commitment,” Hudson continued. “Following an extensive interview process, the committee unanimously agreed to recommend Matt Peer as the next director of Upper School.”
After talking with Peer himself, Whitworth then took the committee’s recommendation to incoming Head of School Brent Bell, who met separately with Peer.
“Matt and I share the ideal that schools exist for students,” said Bell, who will replace Whitworth upon his retirement in July. “In all of my encounters and conversations with Matt, I have been struck by his clear commitment to Darlington and its students. Personally, I could not be more pleased that Darlington had such a strong pool of internal candidates for this position. Matt’s appointment and familiarity with the school will help immensely in our execution of the school’s mission.”
Peer joined Darlington’s student life staff as director in 2010 with a decade of teaching, coaching and administrative experience under his belt. Since then, he has been selected to present at multiple conferences for The Association of Boarding Schools and the Georgia Independent School Association on topics ranging from the creation and implementation of Darlington’s new Substance Abuse Policy to other residential life issues.
Peer came to Darlington from Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut, where he taught AP World History, Western Civilization and Study Skills for seven years and served as assistant dean of students. Peer was named Avon Old Farms’ 2008 Fanning Faculty Award Winner and is also a recipient of Darlington’s 2012 Brown Faculty Award. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from St. Lawrence University and an M.A. in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University.
“I am honored to be chosen to lead such an amazing group of faculty and students and help write the next chapter of Darlington's history,” Peer said. “I have learned much in my time here from the headmaster and directors I have worked with, and am eager to build upon the programs they have implemented. I look forward to working with Brent Bell and his team to help strengthen these programs and ensure that each member of this community strives to embody the Tiger Way.”
Whitworth added that he would like to thank Hudson and the members of the Upper School Director Search Committee – Chris Allen, Jill Babb, Josh Hembree, Tara Inman, Beth Pollard, David Powell and Kim Tunnell – for their work.
“This is a critical hire for Darlington and I am so proud of the way Mike and his team handled this process,” Whitworth said. “They included students and parents on various interview panels; they conducted surveys with a group of resident parents as well as with other faculty and staff members. Their attention to inclusivity should be commended and ultimately led them to – what I believe to be – the right decision for Darlington at this time in her history.”
Peer and his wife, Jessica, a teaching assistant for grades 1 and 2, are the parents of current Darlington students Jackson (’24) and Ella (’27). They currently live on campus in the Scott House and look forward to staying on campus when he transitions into his new role.
