Matthew Malone

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Matthew Malone
Malone in 2013
Superintendent of Fall River Public Schools
In office
2016–2021
Preceded byMeg Mayo-Brown
Succeeded byMaria Pontes (Interim)
Interim Superintendent of Saugus Public Schools
In office
2015–2016
Preceded byMichael Tempesta
Succeeded byMike Hashem (acting)
Massachusetts Secretary of Education
In office
January 14, 2013 – January 8, 2015
GovernorDeval Patrick
Preceded byPaul Reville
Succeeded byJames Peyser
Superintendent of Brockton Public Schools
In office
2009–2012
Preceded byBasan Nembirkow
Succeeded byKathleen A. Smith
Superintendent of Swampscott Public Schools
In office
2005–2009
Preceded byCarol Sager (interim)
Succeeded byLynne Celli
Personal details
ResidenceRoslindale, Boston
Alma materSuffolk University
Boston College

Matthew H. Malone is an American educator who served as the superintendent of Fall River Public Schools from 2016 until 2021. Malone is also the former Massachusetts secretary of education.

Early life and education[edit]

Malone grew up in Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts. During his youth he was diagnosed with dyslexia. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.[1] Malone served in the Marine Corps Reserve for eight years, as a Field Radio Operator within an infantry battalion, the 1st Battalion 25th Marine Regiment and received an honorable discharge with the rank of sergeant.[2] Malone is a combat veteran of the 1991 Persian Gulf War. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from Suffolk University and a master's degree in secondary education and a doctorate in educational administration from Boston College.[3]

Early career[edit]

Malone began his teaching career in 1993 as a paraprofessional and substitute teacher in the Boston Public Schools. He then worked as a high school social studies teacher in Boston from 1995 to 1999 and middle school assistant principal in Duxbury, Massachusetts from 1999 to 2000.[3] From 2000 to 2003 headmaster of Monument High School, a new high school created from the breaking up of the large South Boston High School.[3][2]

From 2004 to 2005, Malone served as special assistant to the superintendent and instructional leader in the San Diego Unified School District. In this role he led the largest high school conversion (breaking up of a large high school into smaller schools) initiative in the country.[2]

In 2005, Malone returned to Massachusetts as Swampscott, Massachusetts' superintendent of schools. In 2008, he informed the Swampscott school committee that he did not intend to renew his contract when it expired in 2010, citing a desire to return to an urban school district. Malone was a finalist for the superintendent's positions in Worcester and Springfield, Massachusetts.[2][1]

Brockton[edit]

On June 23, 2009, the Brockton school committee voted 4 to 3 to hire Malone as superintendent of Brockton Public Schools.[3]

During Malone's tenure as superintendent, he had to cut $12 million from the department budget and lay off almost 150 employees. Student performance at the high school and middle school level improved, but elementary school MCAS test lagged.[4]

At Malone's 2012 annual review, the school committee gave him a composite score of 2.77 out of 5. On November 7, 2012, Malone and the Brockton School Committee agreed to end his contract early. The early termination did not include a buyout or severance package.[4] Both Malone and the school committee stated that the city's residency requirement contributed to his departure.[5]

Secretary of education[edit]

On December 13, 2012, Governor Deval Patrick announced that Malone would replace Paul Reville as state education secretary.[6] He was sworn into office on January 14, 2013.[5][7] Malone led education in the Commonwealth for the Governor Patrick Administration focused on supporting students in classrooms, practitioners in the field, closing achievement gaps, and expanding opportunities for higher education.[8]

Post-secretary career[edit]

In December 2014, Malone announced that he was planning to do an unpaid internship as a butcher following the end of Deval Patrick's term as governor.[9] He also did some volunteer work and interviewed for college presidency positions.[10]

On October 8, 2015, the Saugus, Massachusetts school committee voted 3 to 2 to appoint Malone as interim superintendent.[10] On February 5, 2016, attorneys for Malone and the school committee announced that Malone was resigning effective February 26 due to he and the committee having differing views on the role of a superintendent and the needs of the Saugus school system.[11][12]

On June 22, 2016, the Fall River school committee appointed Malone as the district's superintendent.[13] Malone led the Fall River Public Schools for over five years, leading the system through the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple school turnaround initiatives.[14]

In September 2020, the school committee received multiple complaints of inappropriate behavior by Malone towards subordinates. Malone allegedly harassed and used epithets towards a school department staffer with disabilities and referred to female employees using inappropriate names. In January 2021, the school committee voted 4 to 2 not to terminate Malone, but voted to amend his contract to reduce his compensation and allow for termination under "certain circumstances". In 2022, the employee who was allegedly bullied and harassed by Malone settled his discrimination complaints with the city for $150,000.[15] In June 2021, Malone announced his resignation as superintendent, effective November 1st. Maria Pontes will serve as interim superintendent until a permanent replacement is installed.[16] Malone currently works for the United States Department of Labor.

Personal life[edit]

Malone resides in Roslindale and has two children.[17] He is a registered Republican.[6][9] In 2013, he and a Massachusetts Senate court officer stopped a domestic assault in Dorchester.[18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b DeForge, Jeanette; Ross, Ken (May 4, 2008). "First candidates interviewed for Springfield superintendent". The Republican. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Reis, Jacqueline (October 17, 2008). "Superintendent candidate Matthew H. Malone". Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d "Dr. Matthew Malone Named Superintendent". Brockton Public Schools. June 23, 2009. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Bolton, Michele Morgan (November 9, 2012). "Brockton school superintendent Matthew Malone to leave the job a year early". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Bloom, Alex (January 14, 2013). "Malone sworn in as secretary of education". The MetroWest Daily News. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Johnson, Glen (December 13, 2012). "Brockton school superintendent to be next education secretary". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  7. ^ "Roslindale's Matt Malone Sworn in as Secretary of Education | Roslindale, MA Patch". Patch.com. 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  8. ^ "Race To the Top". Boston.suffolk.edu. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  9. ^ a b "In a career twist, secretary of education to become butcher". MyFoxBoston. December 16, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  10. ^ a b Hinkle, Jeannette (October 14, 2015). "Saugus school superintendent post offered to Malone". Saugus Advertiser. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  11. ^ Hinkle, Jeannette (February 7, 2016). "Malone resigns as Saugus interim superintendent of schools". Saugus Advertiser. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  12. ^ McCabe, Kathy (February 6, 2016). "Former state education chief leaves Saugus schools post". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  13. ^ Gagne, Micharl (June 22, 2016). "Malone is picked to be Fall River's next superintendent". Herald News. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  14. ^ "The Boston Globe on Instagram: "Superintendent Matt Malone bends down to chat with a first grader at Mary L. Fonseca Elementary School in Fall River on Nov. 23. Even as Fall River's infection rates climbed to the third-highest in the state in mid-November, far past the points where other districts closed, Superintendent Malone kept schools open. Children played at recess, ate lunch, and debated in classrooms. But then COVID-19 rates in the city climbed so high that Malone finally gave in, announcing last week a shift to remote school for most students until January. Officials responsible for educating Massachusetts' public school students are grappling with two competing and wildly conflicting narratives: The hopeful one that COVID-19 has not spread widely in schools, especially at the elementary level, and the alarming one of a surging second wave that seems bound to test the limits of that understanding. Superintendents are facing pressure from frayed parents on both sides of the argument, and many are choosing to take what they see as the safer path, limiting children's time in school — often for reasons that have as much to do with logistics and politics as they do with science. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff)"". Instagram.com. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  15. ^ "Lawsuit settled: Fall River schools employee bullied by Matt Malone". Heraldnews.com. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  16. ^ Goode, Jo C. (January 13, 2021). "School Superintendent Matt Malone faces penalties after harassment allegations". The Herald News.
  17. ^ Bloom, Alex (December 14, 2012). "Will Malone's appointment give Brockton more clout?". The Enterprise. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  18. ^ "State education Secretary Matthew Malone, court officer stop assault". WickedLocal.com. September 12, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
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