Matthew Brunk
Matthew Brunk has stepped up to serve Stilwell Public Schools as superintendent, and feels like it’s the dream job his been hoping for.
“I'm so excited to have the opportunity to lead Stilwell Public Schools. I grew up in Stilwell, graduated from Stilwell High School, and now my wife Cory and our three kids: Miles, Flynn, and Marlowe, proudly call this community our home,” Brunk said.
Stilwell a great place to call home, he said,
“Stilwell is a beautiful area with great people.”
His path into education began with a detour. He earned a bachelor's degree from Northeastern State University and a master's in educational leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is now finishing a doctoral degree in education at Arkansas State University.
“I didn't have a traditional path into education, but I couldn't have asked for a better career, and I'm so thankful for the opportunities I've had to teach and lead in the Stilwell School District,” said Brunk.
In 2008, he was attending law school.
“But deep down, I had always wanted to be a teacher in my hometown, I wanted to make a difference, and this was an area where I could do so,” he said.
So he left law school, returned to Stilwell, and began substitute teaching at Stilwell Middle School the next day.
“This experience started me on the path to becoming an educator at Stilwell. During my time at SPS, I've taught special education, math, and history. I've driven a bus, worked in our alternative academy, and led our preschool. I've been the high school vice-principal, high school principal, assistant superintendent, and now superintendent,” said Brunk.
He endeavors to put the lessons learned from working with some of the best educators into practice.
“I’ve had the great opportunity to work with many great educators, and we've accomplished many things. Over the years, I've tried my best to be kind, respectful and do what is best for students,” he said.
As the high school principal, Brunk helped provide additional opportunities for students by implementing a power hour, a long lunch that gave students more time to eat, meet with mentor teachers, and get more information about future scholarships.
“I reached out to individuals outside of education with leadership skills I thought would impact our students. For example, I hired Faith Phillips, who became a life changer and mentor for many of our students. I worked with Tanner Turman to implement our college and career center where students can receive scholarship information, work on concurrent classes, and get post-secondary support,” he said.
Because of the hard work of staff and leadership, SHS received the Power of Hope Award given to only five schools in the nation for the innovative programs implemented for students.
“As assistant superintendent, I helped bring a daycare to our district, facilitated upgrades to our early childhood buildings, and supported our early childhood teachers and students,” he said.
The daycare really filled a needed niche.
“It has been fantastic for our district; we have wonderful daycare employees who go above and beyond for our little ones. Stilwell Little School has been an excellent resource for our teachers; I know it was for my family,” he said.
The school year is going well, and there are student successes in the first semester.
“As always, we are most proud of our student successes. We have outstanding students who excel academically and in their extracurricular activities. We hope to continue providing an environment that promotes our students' accomplishments,” he said.
Brunk said his goals include providing a safe environment for students.
“My main goal is to create an excellent foundation for future success in all areas. Getting the little things right will pave the way for getting the big things right,” he said.
Another one of his goals is to be in each building consistently.
“It's easy to get bogged down with paperwork in this position, but it's very important to be at each school site frequently to know what the district needs,” he said.
Safety is always a factor.
“I will do everything in my power to ensure students are in a safe place to learn. I will strive to increase the opportunities for our students academically, athletically, and socially. I will help secure resources for all our students and programs,” he said.
Relationship building is also important, he said.
“My goal is to always be kind and respectful, while willing to make the hard decisions to create a better school for our students. I want our school to communicate better, be more transparent, and reach out to the community for input,” he said.
It is his hope that working with students, parents, teachers/staff, and community members,
“will help create positive and lasting change for the school and great students.”
Brunk said he values the lessons and wisdom other educators have shared with him
“I’ve learned so much from great individuals over the years. All the great teachers I had growing up in this community, my dad Billy Brunk and mom Janice Brunk, my first boss, Charles Bennett, and many more,” he said. “I've taken what they've taught me and have done my best to lead with respect for others, wisdom, and innovation, and I want to continue that as Superintendent of Stilwell Schools.”
Brunk said,
“I want the community to know I will do my best to make Stilwell School a great place to be and learn. I love this school and want it to be the best it can be.”
