Beloved Gym Instructor Named Hartland's Teacher of the Year

When Matt Conway was recently honored as Hartland's Teacher of the Year, the humble 40-year-old who is shy about himself didn't surprise his friends and colleagues with his reaction.

“I think the first words out of his mouth were, 'I don’t deserve this,'” said fellow teacher Bonnie Sabo.

But his peers and his students at Round say Conway was more than deserving, calling him the school's "heart and soul" and the "glue" that holds the staff together. With community involvement that includes a organizing a veterans reading program and care package program for the troops overseas, Conway is always trying to make an effort to give back while showing and teaching others to go above and beyond, they say.

“It’s not a 9-to-5 job, it’s 24/7 for him,” said Karen Pigott, a Round kindergarten teacher and Conway’s mentor when he first started 15 years ago. “And he’s always thinking of something else. … He’s always got something in the back of his mind, thinking of doing something for the school. He’s a team player all the way, but it’s more than that. This is his second family.”

The roots at the school run deep as Conway met his wife Jennifer, while the two taught at Round. She and their two children are proud of his achievement. So are his parents and telling them, Conway says, was the most special part about winning.

“They were the first people I thought of, actually,” said Conway, who lives in Novi. “They're very proud. They know I work hard, but there is a reputation that comes along with being an elementary gym teacher. It’s an old reputation of course, the dodge ball teacher.”

Brings fun to the classroom

Conway, however, according to his peers, is far from the old stereotype of the distant teacher who fills up the gym hour with kids throwing balls at the walls. Instead, his classes seek to incorporate as many school and life lessons as possible, such as a rock wall that includes school sight words meant to help the kids with their academic literacy program as well.

"He puts a lot of fun back into teaching and learning," Sabo said.

Round Elementary school principal Dave Minsker said Conway "probably is the the heart and soul of this building."

"The reason for that is that he is a PE teacher, but he does well above and beyond that," Minsker said. "Every lesson that he teaches is not just about sports. It’s about sportsmanship. It’s about teamwork. It’s about making good decisions.”

'Like the glue that holds us all together'

Fifteen years ago, when Conway accepted the physical education teaching position at Round Elementary, he was a fresh-faced, energetic Eastern Michigan University graduate. 

“When he walked in, he looked like a 13-year-old,” said Pigott. “With his skinny little legs and just his face, and we all thought, 'oh my gosh.' And now, he’s grown into a man.”

A man that always knew he wanted to teach and according to Piggott, never lost his desire to keep making himself better. One that has a nice word for everyone he passes in the hallway and who also enjoys pulling good-natured pranks on his fellow teachers. With past pranks that involve Saran Wrapped car doors, Christmas trees and missing vehicles that magically appear at neighboring schools, Conway helps keep his building fun, energetic and family-oriented.

“Everybody that comes back who used to go here goes directly to him first,” Minsker said. “He’s the face of the building. He’s the one who develops all the relationships with those kids. He’s a genuine guy. He’s honest, he’s trustworthy.”

Second-grade teacher Sabo says: "He’s like the glue that holds us all together.”

“I can’t explain it any better than that," Sabo added. "He’s always coming up with ideas to make the school better. He always gets excited about new things.”

Community involvement

Conway also has an ability to get his students excited about new things as well. Round will show a strong presence at the Memorial Day 5K Run in Hartland with more than 170 students, parents and teachers participating in the event, thanks in part to Conway.

What started off several years ago with an auction item that included training for a 5K run, has grown into a school event open to all second through fourth grade students and their parents.

“It’s amazing because the numbers that he has right now is a direct reflection of what he does,” Minsker said. “The parents trust him.”

Lisa Sprader is one of those parents who is in her second year of participating and training with her children for the run.

“I think the kids love him,” she said. “He gets them so excited. They want to do this. They want to please him.”

With only one daughter still at Round, Sprader credits Conway for helping to motivate her older daughter as well, currently at .

“Let me tell you, my older daughter is here, the laziest kid in the world,” Sprader said. “And he actually talked her into running with them. She won’t even get off the couch, I’m not kidding. How he ever got her to do it, I have no idea.”

Round Elementary parent Kelly Richter agrees that Conway's influence is what motivated her daughter Delaney to start training for her first 5K as well.

"He's always been her favorite teacher since kindergarten," Richter said. "I see him do more than just teach gym skills. I remember Delaney coming home and counting by twos and thought how did you do that? And I realized she learned it in gym."