Meet the new assistant principal at Bowler

By CHARLENE PAUL

Moapa Valley Progress

Matt Bennett began the 2018-19 school year as a new Buccaneer at Grant M. Bowler Elementary School. He has taken on the position of Assistant Principal at the Logandale school.
“We are so lucky to have Matt,” said Principal Shawna Jessen. “He brings over ten years of administrative experience and a shared vision to increase growth in our students.”

Bennett comes to Moapa Valley from Virgin Valley Elementary School where he served as assistant principal for ten years. “When the assistant principal position at Bowler opened up, I was excited,” he said. “I will miss Virgin Valley Elementary, but challenge and change are good things.”

It is exciting to listen to Matt talk about the vision of learning and of growth he shares with Jessen. “It is great to be on the ground level,” he explained. “We are working together to teach the kids about processes like paying bills, engineering, and so much more. Making learning about more than curriculum is so important.”

When he graduated from Southern Utah University (SUU), there were no teaching jobs in southern Utah. He was told to put his application and resume out there, and then be patient as he volunteered while waiting for a position to open up.
“Since I had a family to feed, volunteering wasn’t going to cut it,” Matt said. “So, I headed south of the border to Clark County.”

He began working in Mesquite and has been commuting from his home in St. George for 20 years now.
“The drive isn’t bad,” he said. “It gives me a lot of time to listen to good books.”

Matt and his wife Jennifer are the parents of four children. Their oldest daughter is married, and their oldest son is a student at Dixie State University (DSU). Their youngest son is a senior at Desert Hills High School in St. George, and their youngest daughter is in the second grade.

When asked about the future Matt said, “It is important to start where we are. What really matters is the direction we’re going.”
“Working with Shawna is great,” he added. “She is good people. We are both excited about this year. The sky truly is the limit.”