Archdiocese of Newark announces the appointment of Mr. Terrance Matthews as President/Principal

Newark, NJ: The Archdiocese of Newark is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Terrance Matthews as President/Principal of Hudson Catholic Regional High School to oversee the school's 533 students in grades 9 through 12. Mr. Matthews' appointment, effective this month, was announced by the Interim Superintendent of Schools Monsignor Thomas McDade. Mr. Matthews has transitioned from his current position as Principal to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Mr. Richard Gariball, who served as President for the last nine years. 

Mr. Matthews is not an unfamiliar face at Hudson Catholic, where he first began his career as an English teacher. Over his 36-year tenure at the school, Mr. Matthews has also held the position of Counselor, Athletic Director, Admissions Director, Assistant Principal, and Principal. 

Speaking of his predecessor, Mr. Matthews recognizes the immeasurable contributions Mr. Gariball made before him, citing his legacy of creating new and vibrant programs that invigorated and elevated the school’s academic profile. Among those programs is the dual enrollment option with St. Peter’s University, through which Hudson Catholic students can simultaneously earn an associate’s degree at a substantial economic savings while completing their high school curriculum. Mr. Matthews looks forward to further expanding the school’s offerings with the addition of a Fine and Performing Arts program to begin in the near future. 

In light of the current challenges created by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Hudson Catholic has been able to respond to its students’ needs by offering in-seat learning five days a week for any family that wants it, with more than half of its student population choosing in-person over virtual. As is the case at many other archdiocesan schools, families have benefitted from the school’s flexibility in giving families the choice between in-seat and remote instruction, and safety protocols have enabled the school to remain open throughout the current year without any outbreaks of COVID-19.

Throughout the challenges of the last year, Mr. Matthews has himself striven to remain accessible to his students, even during the state-mandated closure, taking to social media to produce a series of educational “raps” to lighten his students’ moods and keep them engaged. A Jersey City native for whom education runs in the family – his father was the first principal of McNair Academic High School and his wife is a school nurse – Mr. Matthews earned his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and later a master’s degree from St. Peter’s University. He is known for building a strong rapport with his students, and frequently reminds his teachers that though the times change, the needs of their students tend to remain the same. This lesson rings particularly true in the Hudson Catholic community, which was founded to meet the needs of the sons of European immigrants and now addresses the needs of a very diverse population of young men and women drawn from every imaginable ethnic and socioeconomic group.

Founded in 1964 and originally administered by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Hudson Catholic currently serves a coeducational population of 533 students, with its enrollment steadily increasing in recent years. Mr. Matthews cites a strong commitment to the school’s Lasallian tradition, including a student-centered approach and focus on service to others, as well as the ongoing enhancements to the curriculum and the co-educational learning environment as factors that continue to set the school apart from others in the area. Going forward, Mr. Matthews endeavors to upgrading campus facilities, continuing to increase enrollment, and further engaging the school’s incredibly supportive alumni base.

Composed of 58 elementary schools and 23 secondary schools, the Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Newark serve over 25,000 students across Bergen, Hudson, Essex, and Union Counties. Acting in the spirit of the Gospels and in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church, our schools have successfully prepared a diverse population of students, shaping futures and cultivating leadership for over a century. To learn more about the Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Newark, visit www.CatholicSchoolsNJ.org.