Fowl garb, fair play: Lucey’s legacy of joy, laughter, classroom success

In many schools, dismissal means a line of cars and quick goodbyes. At Willard Elementary School, families linger. They talk. They connect.

It was one of the first things Principal Matthew Lucey noticed when he arrived in Acton nine years ago, and it’s one of the reasons he stayed. 

“There is a grander sense of community,” Lucey said, showing his pride in the camaraderie he found and the spirit he helped build at the elementary school. “There’s laughter, there’s joy, there’s smiles, there’s commitment.”

Lucey is preparing to retire at the end of this school year, closing a career spanning more than three decades in education. He arrived in Acton after serving as a principal in Weston, drawn by what he had heard about this town’s schools. 

“The partnership between parents and the staff,” he said, “It’s very, very true. The family community here is wonderfully supportive and caring.”

That sense of connection became central to how Lucey approached his role. He said he saw his job as less about directing what people do and more about empowering action. 

“My job was to remove hurdles from enabling success in the classroom,” he said. “It’s one of my greatest joys to be able to help others be successful.”

Creating connection

Bryn Hilts, co-president of the Willard Parent Teacher Group, doesn’t think the Willard environment was something that Lucey happened upon. 

“Working with [Lucey] has been great, and ultimately I think our parent community at Willard is incredibly engaged and supportive, and I don’t think that’s by accident,” Hilts said. “I think that comes from [Lucey] and the environment that he’s created at Willard.” 

She said she’s seen him lead and that the engagement comes “top down.” 

“He makes everyone feel valued, respected, seen, heard, and I think people feel that, and so they want to be a part of it,” Hilts said.

Lucey “demonstrates his commitment to families every single day,” schools Superintendent Laurie Hunter told The Bridge, praising his ability to “build bridges between home and school.”

Fine-feathered role model

Hilts remembered many times when Lucey went above and beyond, such as when the PTG asked him to dress up for the school Turkey Trot. 

“We gently brought it up, and he said, ‘I’ll do it; I’ll be the turkey,’” she said. 

She also recalled a moment when Lucey checked in with her about a concern involving her daughter.

“He’s the one who pulled me aside and said, ‘How’s it going? I wanted to see how you’re feeling,’” she said. “We then stood there and had a long conversation about it.

“Whether it’s a small concern or it’s a big concern, he makes the time for you right away,” she said.

Responding to change

Over his years in Acton, Lucey said, the principal’s role has meant responding to constant changes ranging from individual student needs to larger issues like the pandemic.

“Every day there’s a new challenge,” he said. “My job is to provide stability for staff, families, and students.”

That work, he said, has always come back to relationships, adding that he understands “that we’re humans doing our very best work.”

Hilts saw that approach play out when the school welcomed new students from the now-closed state-run emergency shelter.

“He handled it so beautifully,” she said. “He just welcomed, as he does with everybody, that community with such warmth and such grace.”

As he prepares to enjoy a retirement that includes cherished activities such as mountain climbing and golf, Lucey said he hasn’t spent much time reflecting on his departure. His day-to-day work at the school continues.

But he knows what he’ll miss.

“Those times with the students, those times talking to families, those times being in teachers’ classrooms where really great teaching and learning is occurring. Or when I’m partnering with families and sharing in joys or brainstorming plans to address a need,” he said. “That’s the hardest to step away from.”