Wiscasset Schools: EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
MATT PETRIE - Physical Education teacher at Wiscasset Middle High School
Wiscasset’s Matt Petrie has a Passion for Sports and Athletics That Extends Beyond the Walls of the WMHS Gymnasium
Students know WMHS’s new PE Teacher, Mr. Matt Petrie, as a hands-on, energetic, and fun physical education teacher who is always encouraging participation in sports and physical activity. Mr. Petrie’s passion for sports and working with youth extends far beyond the walls of the gym with the goal of having students work hard to achieve their personal best. Mr. Petrie wants every student to know that when you mess up and fail it is OK, try again, and know you are building confidence. Mr. Petrie’s philosophy of teaching is to provide an opportunity for all learners to experience success, have a safe place to learn, and be able to grow to get better. Providing mentorship and serving as a role model are clear priorities for Mr. Petrie.
At the high school level Matt teaches PE 1 and PE 2. PE 1 is a fitness-based semester which focuses on muscle building and personal physical fitness, making a unique experience for each student. PE 2 is skill based with a focus on team and individual sports and activities. Matt’s classes are inclusive with an emphasis on physical fitness for all, whether team sports or otherwise. One place this is most evident is in Shelter Building, a hands-on survival skills unit in the outdoors. Shelter building enables and encourages students to be active and creative problem solvers in order to identify and use natural materials to build their own survival shelters. Getting the students outside is fun and empowering for all and it ties in closely to Wiscasset’s shift towards expeditionary, place-based learning. His students are moving and utilizing their own physical abilities, problem solving with their peers, and finding personal success. Goal setting is the main idea, as they plan, prepare and apply what they’ve learned and then they get to see the end result. His outdoor and indoor classrooms are true hands-on education!
Matt grew up and attended school in Old Town, Maine where he excelled in sports, especially soccer. On January 20, Matt was inducted into the Old Town Athletics Hall of Fame where he was presented with a lovely plaque. He had the opportunity to personally thank the family in Old Town that started the soccer program that helped him become the athlete and educator he is today. Matt volunteered as a youth sports coach in Old Town and later here in Wiscasset. He often uses his time on weekends and evenings to provide sports opportunities that teach young athletes life lessons like discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
Matt decided to become a PE teacher in high school where he volunteered as a PE Teacher’s helper during his study hall. A student teacher working in the school told him he seemed like a natural and since he loved it so much, Matt pursued a career in Physical Education at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, where he also played soccer. After graduation in 2008, Matt taught PE in Rockland where he stayed until the Wiscasset opportunity opened for him in the summer of 2023. He came to Wiscasset because it seemed like a natural transition in his life. Matt coaches many area students at WCC already and knows the families and students here. Matt and his wife Julie have twin girls who are very active in Wiscasset sports as well, so it seemed as his girls are getting older and more involved in Wiscasset sports, it only made sense to move his career closer to home.
In Wiscasset, Matt has been warmly welcomed by staff, students, and community members. He wants students to know when they leave his class that he has genuinely cared about their wellbeing and tried to give them as much information and confidence as he can without them worrying about making mistakes.
We feel so fortunate to have Matt Petrie on the staff at Wiscasset Middle High School and want to congratulate him on being selected as February’s Staff Spotlight! We thank him for generously giving his time, wisdom and encouragement to shape young lives on and off the fields. Our school and community are better places because of his commitment. We look forward to seeing more of the engaging learning outside of the classroom that Matt will bring to our students!
