Principal's Message

Dear Peninsula School Students and Families, 

My name is Matthew Houghton and I am excited to be the new principal of Peninsula School.  The staff have been very busy preparing the school and classrooms for the students' return to school on Tuesday, August 29th.   The floors and hallways are shiny and clean, and the classrooms are bright, organized and inviting.

I am originally from Massachusetts but grew up on Pemaquid Point in New Harbor, Maine.  The local coast here certainly reminds me of the beauty there.  I have been a principal for many years.  Most recently I worked at All Saints Catholic School in Bangor, before that I worked as a principal in RSU #3 in the towns of Monroe and Brooks.  I have also worked at the Department of Education in Augusta, and as a principal at the Laura Richards School in Gardiner and Miller School in Waldoboro.  

I have been married for 18 years to my wife Kate, and have three wonderful boys.  Colby lives in Southwest Harbor and works for Savage Tree Service, Noah begins at Bates College in two weeks, and Arlo is going into 5th grade.  Because the opportunity to come here came quickly, our current plan is for Kate and Arlo to remain at our home in Monroe, which is near Belfast.  

Together, the Peninsula School staff and I will teach and model for each student the values of humility, honesty, compassion, humor, responsibility, and resourcefulness. We want each individual student to be proud of who they are, their community, and their school.

My philosophy of education is that it should be student centered, engaging and designed to meet the needs of each individual learner. School should be a fun and safe place to learn and grow.  Families are a critical part of the process as you have the best knowledge of your children, and your continued support of  their education is invaluable to them and us.

I truly look forward to meeting you and getting to know your children over the course of this school year. Please feel free to call the school or email at mhoughton@rsu24 if you have any questions. My door is always open.

Sincerely,

Matthew Houghton

Principal, Peninsula School