My name is Michelle Matthews and I am so excited to serve as principal of one of the very best schools in Duval County, Pine Forest School of the Arts! I absolutely love everything about Pine Forest and I am sure you will, too! It’s hard not to smile when you enter the building; the walls are always filled with student artwork and if you walk down the halls, you’ll hear the excitement of students learning in the classrooms.
As a child, I attended Duval County Public Schools and have been employed by the school district for nineteen years. During those years, I worked as a classroom teacher, a school-based Reading Coach, a district-level English Language Arts Specialist, and also an Assistant Principal. I am eager to begin my seventh year as Principal of our amazing school! One of my very favorite memories of my time spent in the wonderful profession of education was having the opportunity to work alongside some of my former teachers when I taught first grade!
Another special thing about me is that I love the arts…ALL of them! My parents enrolled me in dance classes at the age of 6 and dance studios have been a like a second home to me ever since. As I have grown older, I really enjoy Musical Theatre because it incorporates dancing, singing, and acting. Although I have not yet learned to play an instrument, I enjoy spending times in our Strings classroom and listening to our talented Strings students play! I have two daughters whom both share my love of dance. One is seventeen and is entering her SENIOR year. She also loves Visual Arts and Computer Animation. The other daughter just turned 12 and is entering 7th grade this school year. She enjoys playing her viola and gardening. When I’m not at school or at some type of extracurricular activity with my girls, I enjoy spending the weekends with my family at our home, taking our boat out and enjoying the beautiful sunshine, or traveling to new places. I also LOVE cheering on our Jacksonville Jaguars! In addition to my two daughters, I also live with my husband, and our three pets: Chase, Milo and Viola.
This school year, our school-wide theme will take us back in time to the land of dinosaurs! It won't take you long to discover that the Arts and Academics at Pine Forest are truly T-Riffic!
We are excited to bring this theme to life in so many ways this year! Stay tuned and be sure to keep up with us on our Facebook and Instagram pages!
Should you ever have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me via email or telephone; my contact information is provided below. I also encourage you to LIKE our school's Official Facebook Page (@pineforestschoolofthearts); this page will not only keep you informed, but also allow you to view a "glimpse" of the learning that takes place within the walls of our building each day.
I am looking forward to a wonderful, fun-filled, year full of learning and excitement at Pine Forest School of the Arts...where the Arts and Academics truly do meet Center Stage.
Mrs. Matthews