Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Ebert
Hi Matthew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve worked in schools for twenty years. I was a teacher, academy leader, and spent 10 years as a Principal in Baltimore City. During that time I had the chance to work with incredible kids, families, and educators. When I left, it was because I was ready for my next chapter even if I wasn’t sure what that was.
After spending time with current and former school leaders and asking the question, “Where do old principals go when they leave?” I learned that the loneliness I felt in the job wasn’t unique. Being a Principal can be an incredibly lonely job for many and I realized that I wanted to provide holistic support to other principals through honest and practical conversations. There is a lot of conversation with rising principals about data, instruction, and accountability but not about actual leadership — about caring for people. My hope was to be able to work alongside school leaders and provide that kind of care both strategically and in the moment.
In this last year, I’ve had the chance to work with principals in charter, traditional, and independent schools and fill in the gray spaces for them. I get to make the work a little bit less lonely for them and that is a gift.
This year, my work has also allowed me to become a Ted-Ed Speaker, a published author in EdWeek and Edutopia, been featured in the Marshall Memo and a guest on a number of podcasts. It is amazing to be able to share my perspective with others in these different forums. I love having the chance to spread the idea that the greatest strategy to creating wonderful schools for children is to first take care of the adults.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth depends on perspective. I am an accidental entrepreneur. The largest obstacle for me has been transitioning from having a stable paycheck for twenty years into entrepreneurship. Self-employment has uncertainty built in and having to swim in that ocean can be incredibly difficult. Additionally, moving from someone who had to make a lot of decisions before 7 AM each day to someone who had more space to breathe and think took some adjustment. It was (and is) a lot to let go of who I was and who I am.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Ebert Educational Consulting?
We support school leaders so that they can focus on what matters most. Our team provides one on one leadership coaching for principals and assistant principals, supports Charter schools with the renewal process, and provides program management for topics ranging from special education to scheduling.
What sets us apart from others is that we’ve done the work — I sat in the principal’s chair for ten years. This experience allows a short hand when working with other principals. You don’t have to explain the realities or the constraints. I’m never going to pretend with leaders that they can “self-care” their way through this work. We’re going to talk about all of it openly from the hard conversations, to the sacrifices, to the immense joy of leading a team.
I would love for anyone reading this to know that there is no one size fits all strategy with myself or our team. We meet you where you are and discuss how we could support you and we tell the truth. If we don’t think you need us, we say so.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
You are not the first person to walk this path. Meet as many people as you can and listen to their stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eberteducationalconsulting.com
- Instagram: @eberteducationalconsulting
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthew.ebert.12
- Twitter: @eberteducation
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ebert-educational-consulting
