Ramsey Superintendent Matthew Murphy Named Communicator Of 2020

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — For the first time, the New Jersey School Public Relations Association has handed out a top communicator award, and Ramsey Superintendent Matthew Murphy is the recipient.

The newly developed award recognizes exemplary leadership and commitment to enhanced communication and relationship-building between public schools and the stakeholders they serve.

NJSPRA President Lori Perlow, communications director at the Camden County Educational Services Commission, presented Murphy with the award via video during the Ramsey Board of Education’s virtual meeting on May 26.

“Since taking on the position of superintendent in 2013, Dr. Murphy has made communication a top priority,” said Perlow. “He relies on a wide variety of different modalities to reach his staff, students, parents, and taxpayers, which is essential in today’s sophisticated environment.”

In her nomination letter, Ramsey Board of Education President Laura Behrmann outlined how Murphy, a resident of Ridgewood, effectively uses print, video, social media and face-to-face communications to relay a continual flow of information around the entire district, from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Veteran school communication professionals from across the country served as judges for the award and unanimously agreed Murphy should be the 2020 recipient, according to a news release.

One judge stated, “This is a powerful example of a true storyteller-in-chief and a chief brand communication officer.”

President Behrmann agreed. “Dr. Murphy is an integrated member of the community not by residency, but by leadership, and his efforts have enabled treasured paths of two-way communication,” she says. “From professional colleagues to the next generation of youth, he continually works to build relationships.”