Ellis begins as Lind-Ritzville Schools superintendent

As the former Royal High School principal, Matthew Ellis began his role as superintendent for the Lind-Ritzville Cooperative School District at the beginning of the month.

Ellis fills the vacancy left by former superintendent, Rob Roettger, who worked in the role for five years. He brings experience as an administrator and a passion for ensuring every student in the districts can receive the highest quality of education possible.

Education and a passion for learning have been in Ellis’ blood since birth, with both his mother and father working as educators in his hometown for the Prosser School District. After graduating from high school, Ellis remained focused on continuing his education with the goal of working in schools as a teacher and eventually an administrator.

Ellis received his Bachelor’s of Science from Oregon State University (OSU). While attending OSU, he was also named as a Pac-10 Champion.

After receiving his Bachelor’s, Ellis attended the University of the Cumberlands. There he earned his Master in Arts of Teaching.

After receiving his Master’s, Ellis worked as an assistant wrestling coach for Stanford University. During his work with the athletes, he sustained a neck injury, and with the encouragement of his parents, he made the decision to return to Washington and get back into the classroom.

Ellis began as a teacher at Grandview High School, where he worked for four years. During his time as a teacher, he also completed a two-year administrative intern program.

His work as an intern led him to the position of assistant principal at Pasco High School. After holding the position for a year, he moved to becoming principal of Royal High School. He held the position of principal for three years until making the switch to Lind-Ritzville.

Ellis is in the process of earning his Superintendent Certificate, which he is on track to receive in June 2017.

For Ellis, the Lind-Ritzville superintendent position not only provides a challenge and an opportunity to further his career, but also allows him to work within two small communities with the goal of bettering the districts.

Ellis said, “My core belief is that every child deserves the best education possible. We have to offer the best education for students, in either Lind or Ritzville, that’s my primary goal.”

Ellis stated Roettger has done a fantastic job with the two districts, and his work allows Ellis to begin on a strong platform to continue working towards improvement of the schools. Roettger’s leadership and dedication to the districts is evident, Ellis said, and he does not plan on implementing changes soon because of the quality of work Roettger has achieved with the districts.

With only a couple of weeks under his belt with the districts, Ellis said he is focused on listening and learning. The system is filled with individuals who have worked for the districts for countless years, and Ellis stressed the importance of working closely with them in order to ensure the districts are on the best track possible.

Ellis said the academic cooperative is truly a unique and important factor of his reason to pursue the superintendent position in the area. Ellis said the two communities combining resources and working together is a positive contribution to the students and the quality of education they will receive in Lind or Ritzville.

While Lind-Ritzville High School is benefitting from the addition of a new principal, both the Lind School District and the Ritzville Grade School are continuing with administrators from the previous year.

Ellis said the administration team is a strong group of individuals who are passionate about education, and he is looking forward to utilizing their expertise to strengthen the schools and the level of learning in the districts.

The most important factor of the administration team is their investment in the communities, Ellis said. All of the administrators reside within the school districts boundaries and they are dedicated to improving the education and experience of students in place where they live.

Ellis said each community has a draw aside from the schools, with Lind hosting the annual Combine Derby and Ritzville serving as the seat for Adams County.

He describes the lifestyle as a “throwback community,” where parents can feel safe raising their children and residents enjoy a true sense of community.

As Ellis continues to immerse himself into his new role, he is continuing to learn about the districts.

After the Ritzville School District bond failed twice last year, Ellis said he has begun to familiarize himself with the bond information, and will rely on the Ritzville School Board to determine the course of action for the upcoming year.

Ellis said he is excited and privileged to have the opportunity to work with so many professionals in the school districts, and also to become a member of the Lind and Ritzville communities.

He is currently looking to purchase a home within either community to help improve his outreach with community members.

Ellis can be contacted at [email protected], or by phone at 509-347-6836.