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Matthew Gould is an experienced head with a passion for educating young children. He believes wholeheartedly in Norwood’s commitment to educating the whole child in a joyful and nurturing learning environment. Matthew sees the PK-8 model as one that celebrates childhood and provides the right combination of academic challenge, joy in learning, creative expression, character development, and leadership.

From 2004 to 2014, Matthew was head of a Community School in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned his BA in sociology and anthropology from Earlham College and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Chicago. Matthew began his career in education as a kindergarten teacher at Newtown Friends School in Pennsylvania, where he also taught second grade. While studying at the University of Chicago, Matthew taught at the Murray Language Academy, serving as an assistant kindergarten teacher and providing individual instructional support. In 1997, Matthew became assistant head of school and head of lower school at Far Brook School, Short Hills, New Jersey, where he served until 2004.

Matthew’s community leadership highlights his commitment to diversity and inclusion, as well as his resolve to be a life-long learner. He was an active member of the Independent Schools of St. Louis where he chaired the Teacher Hiring Fair to Promote Diversity which resulted in 21 teachers of color being hired by local independent schools in the St. Louis area since 2007. Additionally, Matthew has served on various independent school associations’ accreditation teams contributing to the review and evaluation of independent schools and educational best practices. He currently serves on the boards of the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW) and the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS).