Matthew Burrows was one of the youngest superintendents in Delaware’s history when he took the helm of the Appoquinimink School District in 2011. In the ensuing years, the district has grown from 11 buildings to more than 20 and has been named Delaware’s best school district multiple times. And Burrows, who says he doesn’t like talking about himself, was named Delware’s 2024 Superintendent of the Year.
In this video Q&A, Burrows details how he and his team are managing that growth, including the passing of several referendums and why the district built the state’s first K12 campus (and why it’s currently building another). He also offers guidance to other leaders on changing high school start times and how the district worked with more than 400 partners to create engaging college and career pathways that set students up for post-high school success.
“A lot of times when you’re in a successful place you can get complacent and tied up patting yourself on the back,” Burrows tells District Administration. “We’re continually pushing for the next thing, the next innovation… My main thing is that kids have choices when they graduate from our high schools.”
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