Monmouth-Roseville has a new high school principal, a move that will force Galesburg District 205 to start the search for a new athletic director.
Eric Matthews, athletic director for Galesburg District 205 the past six years, was unanimously approved as the new principal at Monmouth-Roseville High School at Tuesday’s District 238 school board meeting. The vote was 5-0, with two board members absent Tuesday.
Matthews will replace Jeff Ewing, who starts as the new principal at Galesburg Jr./Sr. High School on July 1.
According to Monmouth-Roseville Superintendent of Schools Ed Fletcher, Matthews’ annual compensation package is $150,847.28. Fletcher noted the district does not pay for TRS or health insurance for administrators.
Matthews will start his duties at Monmouth on July 22.
Fletcher tells WGIL via email, “The Board of Education and I are very happy to welcome Mr. Matthews to the Monmouth-Roseville School District.
“We feel that his past administrative experience has prepared him well to be our high school principal and that he will provide great leadership to our students and staff.”
Matthews started his career as an AD at Monmouth High School — and later Monmouth-Roseville for a year — before serving as district activities director at Farmington for 12 years.
A graduate of Knoxville High School and Monmouth College, Matthews could not immediately be reached for comment.
John Asplund, District 205 superintendent of schools, tells WGIL the now-vacant position of Galesburg Jr./Sr. High School athletic director will be posted Thursday.
“We’ll do an expedited search,” Asplund said. “Considering the short-turned around time, we’re going to have to fill (this position) quickly, because we have lots of things that need to get done before the start of the school year.”
Asplund said he hopes to have a new athletic director candidate to present to the board of education by the July 8 meeting.
“We’ve been very appreciative of everything Eric has done in terms of his organizational skills, hiring great coaches and building staffs,” Asplund said.
Matthews is the second Galesburg High School administrator to leave District 205 for Warren County this year. In March, GHS Principal Tom Hawkins was named the new superintendent at United District 304.
Hawkins will take over for Jeff Whitsitt as United District 304 superintendent on July 1.
