Matt Record of Pocomoke Middle School named Maryland Middle School Principal of the Year
POCOMOKE CITY, Md. – Monday morning’s announcements were a bit different inside of Pocomoke Middle School, when Matthew Record, the principal, was awarded as the Maryland Middle School Principal of the year.
“We have some great news to share with you today,” Superintendent of Worcester County Public Schools Lou Taylor said over the speaker. “Your principal, Mr. Record, has been named as the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals Principal of the year.”
To surprise Mr. Record with the honor, over a dozen teachers and staff met in a parking lot at 8 a.m. sharp just a few miles from the school. After caravanning to the school together, the group snuck through the halls making their way to Mr. Record to surprise him with the honor. School officials say the work put into the surprise was worth it to recognize a man who makes a difference every single day.
“He is a constant leader, he is a gentleman who comes to work every day and works hard from the start to the end, he’s a great instructional leader, he’s a great building manager,” Taylor said.
And while Mr. Record is officially Maryland’s Principal of the year, he says it wouldn’t be possible without helping hands.
“It might have one person’s name on it, but it’s got a lot of people’s hands and hearts, and I think that’s the most important thing,” Record said.
And he says for him, it’s all about the students inside of the school every day.
“At the beginning of the day, you have goals that you need to set, and I think the most important thing that you can do is you can look at your students and look at your staff, and you can put your goals aside and meet their needs,” he said.
The Principal of the Year Award is given by the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals. Taylor tells 47 ABC that Mr. Record is the fourth principal in Worcester County to be given this honor. He says that one thing that sets Mr. Record apart from other educators is his determination to make the children in his school not only good students, but good people in the community as well.
