Matthew Peer has been named director of enrollment management, effective July 1, announced Head of School Brent Bell today.
"Matt has served Darlington well for the past decade," said Bell. "He is a tireless worker, a strategic thinker and is always looking for ways to make the Darlington experience better."
Peer joined Darlington’s student life staff as director in 2010 with a decade of teaching, coaching and administrative experience in boarding schools under his belt and was promoted to director of Upper School in 2014. During his tenure, he has led the revamp and implementation of our current Substance Abuse Policy and our Upper School schedule; he has served on the Strategic Planning Committee and coordinated our Student Wellness Committee; and he has been selected to present at multiple conferences for The Association of Boarding Schools and the Georgia Independent School Association on topics related to student life and academics. He was also tapped to participate in the National Association of Independent Schools’ Learning Group on Student Safety.
"I am excited to have the opportunity to work with our admission team in my new role as the director of enrollment management," said Peer. "The team's knowledge and understanding of the office, relationships with families, consultants, and other key constituents combined with my knowledge and understanding of Darlington's programs, policies, and philosophies will enable us to achieve great things together for Darlington. I am honored that the head of school has chosen me to fill this role. I am confident that together we will recruit great students to come to Darlington where they will be empowered to live out the mission each and every day."
Peer’s boarding school experience is significant. He came to Darlington from Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut, where he taught AP World History, Western Civilization, and Study Skills in addition to serving as assistant dean of students. He was named Avon Old Farms’ 2008 Fanning Faculty Award Winner and was 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.
Locally, Peer is committed to endeavors that position our area youth for success and serves as chairman of the Rome-Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth. He and his wife, Jess, first-grade teacher at Darlington, live on campus and are the parents of Jackson (’24) and Ella ('27).
"I am grateful to Matt for his willingness to take on this opportunity at an important time in the history of Darlington," said Bell. "Matt has great ideas and is ready to listen. I know you will enjoy engaging with him in this role. Please join me in congratulating Matt on his new role!"
