Matthew Bristow-Smith ’14MSA Named 2019 North Carolina Principal of the Year

Every relationship, with every teacher and every student, matters to Matthew Bristow-Smith ’14MSA.

As principal of Edgecombe Early College High School, he led the application-based school to multiple, consecutive years of high performance. The school earned an “A” grade in school performance measures and exceeded its growth target in each of the last four years during Bristow-Smith’s tenure.

On May 10, he was named the 2019 North Carolina Principal of the Year.

Smith earned his master’s of school administration from the NC State College of Education in 2014 through the Northeast Leadership Academy.

A former high school English teacher, Bristow-Smith said he is driven by a sense of hunger that keeps him focused on helping students and teachers grow and succeed.

Bristow-Smith also said he strives to create a family culture at Edgecombe Early College and works hard to ensure he is opening doors for students.

“We are all committed to preparing kids for what comes next,” Bristow-Smith said.