Resurrection Welcomes Dr. Elise Matson as new Principal

Dear Resurrection community,

After a nationwide search, I am pleased to announce Dr. Elise Matson has been hired to serve as our new principal for the 2023-24 school year. Dr. Matson brings twenty-one years of Catholic school leadership and teaching experience including three years as principal at St. John Brebeuf School, four years as the Director of Leadership Formation for the Office of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and eight years in teaching and administrative roles at Trinity High School.    

While serving as the Director of Leadership Formation for the Office of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago, Dr. Matson developed and managed the process to recruit, onboard, and retain principals in the Archdiocese. She served as principal of St. John Brebeuf School where she implemented a personalized learning program in grades 4-8, and she was a teacher and Director of Continuous School Enhancement at Trinity High School where she led professional development initiatives including curriculum design and data analysis. 

Her experience working at Trinity High School supports her dedication to all-girls education. “I saw countless examples of girls being themselves, being leaders, and exploring intellectual concepts that they may have otherwise been uncomfortable exploring. By giving girls a safe space to explore who they are, schools for young women can truly make a transformative difference in the lives of the young women in their care,” said Dr. Matson.

Dr. Matson’s comprehensive leadership, training, and teaching experience supports Resurrection’s goals in many ways. In the coming year, faculty will engage in extensive work to refine and enhance our curriculum, instructional approaches, and the use of data informed decision making. Dr. Matson’s extensive experience in these areas will be an asset to our school community.
Dr. Matson is currently a research assistant and an adjunct Professor at Depaul University where she has developed and led professional development on PBL for teachers in Haidan, China, developed the curriculum for IB leadership certification and teaches politics in education for graduate students. She also started her own consulting firm in 2021 working with universities across the country to create curriculums that support emerging teaching and learning trends and challenges in education.

Dr. Matson has a Doctorate in K-12 Education Leadership from Seton Hall University, a Master’s degree in Education from Dominican University, a Master’s degree in English from DePaul University, and a Bachelor’s degree in History from Concordia University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. 

Dr. Matson’s commitment to women's education coupled with her fervent belief that a solid, innovative and dynamic Catholic education is the vehicle by which our young women will transform society stood out early on in the interview process! I extend our appreciation to the students, faculty, staff, and board members who participated in the search and interview process.

I look forward to you and our students meeting her over the next few months. I assure you, she is excited to join the Resurrection community. Please feel free to contact me directly at rpiwowarski@reshs.org with any questions.

In De La Salle,

Dr. Rick Piwowarski
President