BIOGRAPHY

Ms. Mathews' teaching career began in the Buffalo, New York District as a Reading Teacher in January 1978. She was assigned to two schools; Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts and Public School #26 (B.A.V.P.A. and P.S. #26). While working in this capacity she developed effective reading strategies tailored to meet the schools' instructional needs. The position provided her opportunities to teach students ranging from grade levels three through twelve. She also developed a reading laboratory at Grover Cleveland High School's summer program.

In 1979, Ms. Mathews changed departments and started her career as a Teacher of English. Assigned to the same two schools, she taught English to grades seven through eleven and wrote and directed many school programs which incorporated the efforts of many teachers and students in order to enhance the learning process. The various programs included plays, poetry productions, musicals, and community involvement. She also taught at Bennett High School's summer program.

Assigned to a full time position at B.A.V.P.A. as Program Coordinator/Department Chairperson, in September 1988, Ms. Mathews used the position as an internship in Administration. Additional duties included working with the principal to encourage department chairpersons to initiate peer coaching, as a vehicle for staff development, chairing the School Advisory Council and supervising faculty in the development of writing course descriptions for a proposed handbook to be used to apply for state certification as an Arts Academy.

With a limited teaching schedule, as English Department Chairperson at Performing Arts, in 1989 Ms. Mathews assisted the principal with orientation of newly assigned staff members, kept the department informed of District's policies, supervised department procedures and materials, coordinated programs related to the department, informed faculty of all communication related to the department, worked with teachers to encourage remedial instruction, worked with resource staff to improve instruction and chaired all department meetings.

Her very rich and rewarding background helped to prepare her for administration. In September 1990, Ms. Cynthia Mathews was appointed Assistant Principal of an Elementary School and assigned to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Multicultural Institute. In this capacity she assisted the principal with supervision, governance, conflict resolution, personnel administration, daily operations, management of facility, design and management of instruction, and community relations.

On September 1995, Ms. Cynthia Mathews became Principal at Highgate Heights Elementary where she implemented the improvement of the instructional program, was overseer of building operation, established clear communication with Central Office, faculty, staff, students, parents, and community in order to effectively orchestrate the District's goals and policies. Under her leadership the school was awarded the “The Basic School: A Community for Learning “grant and made tremendous growth in academic achievement.

In January 2000, Ms Mathews was assigned to Central Office to perform the duties of Acting Director of "Pupils with Compensatory Educational Needs" (PCEN). This grant provided for seventy-eight and a half (78.5) teachers kindergarten through six (K-6) and thirty-one (31) teachers seven through twelve (7-12) across the District’s schools. These academic intervention services provided additional intervention which supplemented the instruction provided in the general curriculum and assisted students in meeting the State learning standards.

Ms. Mathews returned to a Principalship in July 2001 during the District’s first reconstruction period. She was the building administrator for two buildings scheduled to close. One of these, Public School #40 also was rewarded the “America’s Choice” and Reading for Results” Grants. In 2002, BOCES published a list “Grade 4 ELA Top 100 Most Improved Schools Comparing 2002 vs. 2004 Criteria: Number Tested >=200 for 2002 and 2004. Sorted by County Order then by the Difference Between % at Levels 3 and 4 for 2004 and 2002.” P.S. #40 was in first place in Erie County with a 27.58% increase in ELA 4^th Grade performance. She supervised the discontinuation of programming at Indian Park Academy and Public School #40.

Ms. Mathews was the former principal at Roosevelt Early Childhood Center #65. During her five year administration, with the advantage of the "Reading First" grant, the school has maintained the status of “School in Good Standing.” The District’s ELA results for the school year 2008-09 landed PS #65 in the top ten schools with achievement of Levels 3 and 4 for her third and fourth grade learners, a distinction she and her faculty and staff are extremely proud to share.

On July 1, 2010, she retired with 36 years of service.