Matt Thomas

English Teacher, Coach

[Mr P MBE @ICT_MrP]

I really miss kids being bored…

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

When I was a high school principal, I interviewed a teacher named Jake Huggins. He seemed like a good candidate—friendly, experienced, and thoughtful. I believed he could be a solid addition to our faculty. But any lingering doubt disappeared when he answered one particular question. It has always been my favorite.

I asked him, “Jake, in every school in America, you can place teachers on a continuum. On one end are those who don’t seem to want to be there. They’re always complaining. Their colleagues wonder why they haven’t retired yet. They drain the energy of the building. But on the other end are teachers who are excited to come to work. They love their students. They value their colleagues. They lift the spirits of everyone around them. When graduates come back, these are the teachers they want to see.

So Jake… what’s the difference between these two teachers? What is the X factor? Because that’s what we’re looking for.”

Most teachers answer that question by talking about passion. Or purpose. Or the desire to make a difference rather than just earn a paycheck. Those are good answers. But Jake said something different—something I’ve never forgotten.

He said, “I think almost every teacher starts out idealistic. They love kids. They want to change the world. But after a few years, you hit a wall. You realize how hard this job really is. There are endless papers to grade. Some students make it incredibly challenging to teach. And parents aren’t always supportive.

Some teachers never move past that reality check. They burn out. But others do. They keep their sense of purpose in spite of the challenges. The work is hard, but they remain convinced it matters. Some students are difficult, but they know those students need someone who refuses to give up on them. They face adversity, but they don’t let it steal their passion. Those are the teachers who make a difference year after year.”

We hired Jake.

A few years later he was named the school’s Teacher of the Year.

So today, I salute Jake—and every educator who has faced that “reality check” and chosen to keep going. The ones who remember their whyon the hard days. The ones who refuse to let frustration turn into cynicism. The ones who continue to believe, even when the work is exhausting.

Because those are the teachers who change lives.
And they do it… year after year.

Cheers,

Danny

[Matt Thomas @ThomasMattW]

Hi All,

This is in honor of Mitch Sterling. His mom is a wonderful lady who deserved better.

Change Indiana law to mandate blood tests after serious accidents - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/WA50mypYYO via @Change

[DePauw XCTF @DePauwXCTF]

2025-2026 Women’s Track & Field Team Captains!

[Valpo HS Boys Basketball @vhsboyshoops]

Thank you to all who helped us honor Coach Bob Punter tonight! 🏀💚🐐 #HOF #Legend

[DePauw Tigers @DePauwAthletics]

🔥ALL-NCAC🔥

Women's Honorees
Grace Thomas - 6th in 22:44.5 - First Team
Grace Flores - 9th in 22:59.5 - Second Team
Amzie Maienbrook - 12th in 23:16.1 - Second Team
Meghan Zopel - 18th in 23:36.9 - Third Team
Angela Coulopoulos - 21st in 23:42.2 - Third Team

[NCAC @NCAC]

Top 7️⃣ times of the @NCAC Women's Cross Country Championship 6k 🏅

#NCACPride | #ncacxc25

[NCAC @NCAC]

Congratulations to Grace Thomas of @DePauwAthletics for being named @NCAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week!

#NCACPride | #ncacxc

📰 | https://t.co/XUsRePcWJ2

[DePauw XCTF @DePauwXCTF]

Top-10 list additions after a great weekend of competition! 🐯

[DePauw Tigers @DePauwAthletics]

The USTFCCCA has named its 2025 All-Academic Athletes, and 10 were from the @depauwxctf teams! These athletes had to have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 and finish in the top 25% in their regional meets. Join us in celebrating them! #TeamDePauw #d3xc

[Matt Miller 🗑️ @jmattmiller]

Watch this and tell me with a straight face that AI is going to make teachers obsolete ...

[Andrew Old @oldandrewuk]

It’s striking how much education research concentrates on the experiences of excluded or suspended children, while ignoring the far larger group affected by their peers' misbehaviour.

[Hoops @Hoopss]

Everytime I get mad at my sports team for losing, I remind myself of what Giannis said. Arguably my favorite response to a reporter ever.

[DePauw Tigers @DePauwAthletics]

Results from the @depauwxctf NCAA DIII Regional: The women placed 1st overall, recieving an automatic bid to the Nationals on Nov 23rd. The men finished their season strong with a 9th place finish. #TeamDePauw #d3xc

[DePauw Tigers @DePauwAthletics]

Scoring one point more than the 2023 Great Lakes Regionals, the women's @DePauwXCTF team totaled 91 points to claim the program's first NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Title.
https://t.co/SlTB0ZH9gx

[DePauw Tigers @DePauwAthletics]

Totaling just 26 points, and paced by the 2024 North Coast Athletic Conference women's cross country champion, Lily Monnett, the women's @DePauwXCTF team won the program's first NCAC Cross Country Championship.
https://t.co/TVCBPoLGHe

[NCAC @NCAC]

Congratulations to the 2024 NCAC Women's Cross Country All-NCAC Teams! 🌟🏃‍♀️

#NCACPride | #ncacxc24

[Matt Thomas @ThomasMattW]

@jmattmiller Toolkit

[Matt Thomas @ThomasMattW]

@vhsboyshoops Thank you!! Gotta lotta help along the way…especially as a kid from @vhsboyshoops coaches: Gott, McGonigle, Rhinehart, Barthold, Punter. Keep it going….

[Matt Thomas @ThomasMattW]

@coachmikeavery Thanks Mike!