New Queen Anne's County superintendent emphasizes student achievement, cites pre-K expansion

Matt Kibler, the newly named superintendent of Queen Anne's County Public Schools, introduced himself to the community and said student achievement will be his top priority. "I'm Matt Kibler, and I was just named the new superintendent for Queen Anne's County Public Schools," he said at the start of his remarks.

Kibler framed his appointment with personal and professional background: he said he was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, attended Boonesborough High School, and chose Washington College in Chestertown because the Eastern Shore reminded him of his hometown. He said he came to the district in 2001 and that this is his fifth year working in Queen Anne's County schools, most recently serving as director of accountability implementation to oversee blueprint work.

Why it matters: The superintendent sets district priorities and influences policy, budgeting and program direction for all K‑12 schools in the county. Kibler highlighted tangible work already underway — notably an expansion of full‑time pre‑K — as evidence of the district’s focus on early learning.

Kibler said one of his principal accomplishments in the district has been expanding full‑time pre‑K slots. "Taking from a 100 full time pre k slots to over 300 in just 3 years," he said, and described the growth as “great for the students of Queen Anne's County.” He linked that work to his broader emphasis on early grades, calling watching children learn to read “one of the most amazing things” he has witnessed.

Kibler rooted his decision to return to the district in family reasons: he said he sought work where his sons would attend school and where he could engage with local families. He described his career start as a high school math teacher and said he values work with older students as well as appreciation for early‑grade instruction after becoming a parent.

Kibler also offered a personal, informal note about accessibility and community spirit. He joked that a sweatshirt and sweatpants are his off‑duty uniform and said, "When you see me in the suit, that's the uniform for the job." He added he will strive for neutrality at local events, saying he lives in North County but will "root for both teams equally," and described graduation as “the culmination of a student's career” and the highlight of the year.

Kibler closed by setting a clear decision rule for his leadership: he said his choices will be guided by one question — how a decision affects students and prepares them for their next step in life. He stated student achievement "will always be my number 1 goal."