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Matthew Montgomery

Matthew Montgomery

Role: Superintendent of Schools K-12 (Ph.D.) Organization: Lake Forest School Districts 67 & 115 (Lake Forest, IL — Chicago area) Email: mmontgomery@lfschools.net Phone: 847-604-7401 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-l-montgomery-ph-d-41365a70/ Relationship Depth: New Connection (via Christine Bywater)

Professional Background

  • Superintendent of Lake Forest Elementary District 67 and Lake Forest Community High School District 115 (since July 2021)
  • Ph.D. in Educational Administration, Kent State University
  • Former high school science teacher (Canfield, OH) — STEM roots
  • Previously superintendent at Waterloo Local School District (2013) and Revere Local School District (2015), both in Ohio
  • Led successful $105.7 million referendum at Lake Forest
  • Developed “Portrait of a Learner” initiative and comprehensive strategic plans
  • AASA Lead Superintendent; co-chairs AASA STEM Leadership Consortium
  • Self-described “proponent of lifelong learning”

Connection to Reuben’s Work

  • Introduced by: Christine Bywater (CSET/PLEX)
  • Opportunity: Bringing teachers and admins from Lake Forest to Stanford for PD
  • Visit dates: Monday March 30 – Wednesday April 1, 2026
  • Christine will send the full schedule
  • D-school workshop + Dan’s design thinking + AI literacy content
  • Reuben’s time slots: Tuesday March 31 starting 3:00 PM; free before noon Wednesday April 1
  • Proposed sequence: Intro → Flash Lab → punch line
  • Build-a-Bot may also fit (online self-paced component as follow-up)

Why This Matters

  • District-level leader who can bring teams (teachers + admins) — not just individuals
  • STEM background makes him naturally aligned with AI/emerging tech in education
  • Lake Forest is a well-resourced suburban district — potential model site for Flash Lab adoption
  • If teachers go back and run Flash Labs in their schools, this is a [MULTIPLIER] story
  • Fits Chain 1 (Format Design → Formats Travel → Capacity Building) and Chain 2 (Strategic Filter → Right Format → Higher Leverage)

Interactions

  • Feb 26, 2026 — Introduced via Christine Bywater meeting; visit to Stanford planned for March 30 – April 1

Next

  • Wait for Christine to send schedule for March 30 – April 1 visit
  • Plan Flash Lab session for the available time slots (Tue 3pm or Wed morning)
  • Consider what “punch line” looks like — how to make the experience sticky for when teachers return to Lake Forest

Last updated: Feb 26, 2026

Source: people/matthew-montgomery.md