Mr. Matt Musselman is McNicholas High School’s psychologist, helping students through their academic and personal lives. He has held this position at McNick for 23 years, and will now be retiring to enjoy time travelling, but will continue to be involved in McNicholas activities.
Q: How did you find your passion for this work position?
A: It started out with having good teachers and coaches when I was in high school and college. I’m from a big family so I’ve always [enjoyed] being around lots of people. I [also] enjoy helping people with the highs and lows of their lives. That is where it kind of started from and I think that’s probably most of it.
Q: What’s your position, what are your duties and responsibilities?
A: So, I’m employed by Cincinnati public schools, but I’m in a position called nonpublic support or auxiliary services. So, part of that, I work two days a week at McNicholas High School, two days a week at Guardian Angels, and one day a week I travel around the city mostly to Springer School, sometimes I will go to Purcell Marian or do crisis teams. If there’s been a death of a student or a teacher around Cincinnati, I help out with those kinds of counseling.
Q: Why did you choose to work at McNick?
A: So, we’re parishioners at Guardian Angels. My son and daughter both went to Guardian Angels and then McNicholas High School. About 23 years ago, the McNicholas psychologist wanted to switch to a Montessori school, and they asked me to if I was interested, and I was very interested, so it’s been 23 years.
Q: What is your biggest accomplishment at McNick?
A: Just seeing the growth in students and the growth in the school in general and how the McNicholas community has grown and come together and supported all students of all abilities with the SAIK department. I really enjoy just seeing kids move through their high school career. Not just academically, but I really enjoy going to sports events like volleyball basketball, football, theater, all those sorts of extracurriculars and seeing kids grow in their skills and abilities from their freshman year to their senior year.
Q: Why did you decide to leave, and was this a difficult decision for you to make?
A: So, I’m retiring. I have 37 years in total as a school psychologist. Mostly here, 23 years at McNicholas and the other years all in public schools around Cincinnati. So, I want to travel and do some volunteer and mission work. So, I’m looking forward to that. That’ll be great.
Q: What legacy do you hope to leave at McNick and what do you hope for other people to do after you who are going to be in your position?
A: I hope that McNicholas can continue to grow in support of students who are gifted, but also students who have different academic challenges, social, emotional challenges and things like that, that one could struggle with. We all struggle during high school, some years, some weeks, some months, some subjects, we all have struggles and have highs and lows during life. I would say when I talk with kids I say, I have a great life, so many things I’m fortunate to have and I have been blessed in so many ways. Everybody’s life has kind of highs and lows, but when you’re in high school, a teenager, especially they have highs and lows, but they’re bigger and more pronounced, and steeper. It’s a roller coaster kind of ride, which is great in some ways. You want to deal with that adversity and things like that, so you can learn about friendships and relationships and what motivates you and I think that’s good. I hope those things continue at McNick to keep everybody knowing that they’re all one community.
Q: Do you think you’ll continue to be involved at McNick as far as continuing going to the events that you mentioned?
A: Oh yeah. Like I said, I will be for both McNicholas and Guardian Angels. I want to continue to be involved in volunteering and helping different things among that category.
Q: Is this anything else you would like to add to this interview?
A: I feel very grateful and blessed that I would be able to spend so many years here consistently and work with so many great teachers, counselors and intervention specialists in the SAIL program.
The McNicholas Milestone 