Dr. Toya Harrell-Matthews currently serves as superintendent of the Clarksdale Municipal School District. Dr. Harrell-Matthews, a Clarksdale Mississippi native, has worked within the Clarksdale Municipal School District for twenty-three years. From 2017-2022, she served as an Assistant Superintendent of CMSD, where she was responsible for directing and supervising the general activities of developing, implementing, and evaluating all district curriculum and instructional support programs for Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade. She was also instrumental in bringing the Coahoma County Early Learning Collaborative to the college district.
Dr. Matthews’ guiding philosophy is formed by her desire to make sure the needs of all children are met and foundational teaching and learning experiences provide progressive and sound decisions for the education of each student. “My ultimate goal is to advance the work that has been done with all stakeholders, including the college board and the Clarksdale community, as all of us strive to supply a high quality, data-driven, goal-oriented educational experiences for each child being served within the Clarksdale Municipal School District,” Dr. Harrell-Matthews.
The daughter of lifelong educators, her public education profession is centered around her strong will of advocating and supporting efforts of the absolute best educational opportunities for all students. Furthermore, her parents instilled in her an everlasting work ethic and keenness for the well-being of others.
Harrell-Matthews began her profession in 1999 with CMSD as a School Counselor, happening to function a principal and as an Elementary Curriculum Director – a task that included mentoring and evaluating elementary instructional staff and identifying resources to satisfy contract requirements.
Superintendent Harrell-Matthews is a 1993 honor graduate of Clarksdale High School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Tougaloo College. Moreover, she earned a Master of Arts in School Counseling from Delta State University, an Educational Specialist degree, and a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Mississippi State University.
Dr. Harrell-Matthews serves on the board of the Reading Road Map, Incorporated, a former fellow with The Southern Education Foundation – RELN, a graduate of Leadership Clarksdale, a member of the National Education Association (NEA), and the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP).
