School Board appoints Matt Utterback as Superintendent
The School Board voted Thursday evening to appoint Matt Utterback as the sixth Superintendent in the history of the North Clackamas School District.
Commending Utterback for how he has given the school district clear direction and leadership in support of the instruction of students, board members expressed admiration for his dedication and hard work since he assumed the role of Interim Superintendent in July. Several suggested that they would not find a better superintendent in a search.
In November, the Board reviewed the results of a community and staff survey, then spent time at two board meetings, including Thursday night, discussing the best strategy to select a permanent leader. The Board considered both a regional search as well as a direct appointment. During the Board meeting, representatives of three employee associations, requested that the Board make the appointment.
“I’m excited by the opportunities that lie ahead. The support of the district staff over the past six months has been tremendous and has demonstrated our shared commitment to our students and the community. With the help of our great staff members, I have a lot of optimism for the challenges we face,” Utterback said. “It is a job that is incredibly rewarding. To have an opportunity to impact the lives of 17,000 students is daunting, but also an opportunity that I relish. I will work exceptionally hard to create a positive experience for students and staff. ”
Utterback’s time as interim superintendent has been marked by an emphasis on making clear goals for staff to support students through effective teaching practices, a focus on equity issues, and removing the barriers to success for each student, as well as an emphasis on developing literacy.
Matt Utterback, 45, has spent his entire career in the school district in several different positions in all three of the school district’s feeder systems. Over the past 23 years as a teacher, school administrator, and assistant superintendent, he has had success working with parents and staff to improve student achievement. He has lived in the district for nearly 20 years. His wife is a high school English teacher in the district and his daughter is a freshman at Clackamas High School.
