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# Matthews withdraws from Santa Monica-Malibu superintendent search
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/060106-story-20060601-2/
- Published: 2006-06-01T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T18:10:50.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import

this year for a similar position in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Matthews, who has served as an assistant superintendent after a stint as principal at Malibu High School, said he feels he does not have the qualifications to match what the school board is looking for in the next leader of the district.

“The board wants someone with years of experience as a superintendent and I wanted to respect those desires,” Matthews said. “It is very important for the board and the next superintendent to be a good match, and after reading the qualifications and the search criteria,I felt it wasn’t appropriate for me to seek that position at this time.

“I respect the board’s desire to hire someone with more experience.”

Matthews told board members of his decision at the last school board meeting, held May 11, said Kathy Wisnicki, school board vice president.

“I think that we (school board members) were all expecting him to submit an application,” Wisnicki said. “But we understand his reason for wanting to gain more experience. We value Mike’s work in the district and appreciate the job he has done as interim superintendent.”

Some had expressed hope that Matthews would apply for the job and that he would be selected, for Matthews has shown a strong commitment to students and faculty, and he has a familiarity with plans already underway to raise student achievement.

Matthews was also the only potential candidate on the public’s radar, since the board has decided to make the superintendent search confidential.

“I’m very disappointed,and people who know me will be surprised to hear that,” said Tricia Crane, a former chair of the District Advisory Committee that advises the board on Special Education, and a critic of Matthews when he was principal at Malibu. “I think Matthews has made mistakes in the past, but he has talked openly about them and shown that he is sincere and really cares about the kids.”

Friday is the last day for those interested in the position to submit applications.Wisnicki said the board will conduct an initial screening this weekend, following a school board meeting tonight in which the board will hear from the public on what qualities they want represented in the next superintendent.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 1, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)