Morristown, N.J. (March 9, 2020) – Matthew A. Spelker has successfully defended his dissertation at the Saint Elizabeth University to earn an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.

Dedicated and passionate, Matthew A. Spelker has been involved in education for many years. Most recently, Spelker was named Superintendent of the Harding Township School district, where he worked with the Harding school community to improve instruction, school climate, and the academic achievement of its students.

In 2013, the Harding Township School District partnered with the Saint Elizabeth University and the United Way to implement the Social Emotional Learning Initiative (SELI). Spelker's dissertation titled, "The Impact of a Social Emotional Learning Initiative on a School's Climate, Bullying, and Academic Achievement" explores the impact of social and emotional learning on students' education. Social and emotional learning is an essential part of education and the creation of a safe learning environment where students can thrive.

Over a five-year span, the study examined the impact the initiative had on the district's behaviors regarding bullying and violence, the teachers', parents', and students' perceptions of the school climate, and the teachers' perception of the school's academic performance.

Spelker earned a Bachelor of Art in History in 1989 from Dickinson College, completed his A.C.T training and earned a Master of Art in Educational Leadership from the Saint Elizabeth University in 2006.