It’s been a whirlwind two weeks for Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Matthew Cheeseman. Since starting with Beaufort County schools Jan. 2, Cheeseman has had a busy schedule — he’s met with 14 principals, as a group and individually, held a directors meeting, visited 8 of 14 schools, met with county commissioners, the county manager, attended regional meetings of superintendents and finishing a graduate school course.

“It’s transition vs tradition,” Cheeseman said. “What are the traditions we need to hold onto in the work we’re doing? What are the transitions we need to make in order to make it more efficient or effective? Then, ultimately, what is our vision and what are our desired student outcomes?”

Having taught and worked in administrative roles in school systems throughout the country, Cheesman has seen a lot of experimentation and ways of doing things. From big city issues in Chicago to smaller communities such as Perquimans County, he says he’s seen a lot of things that work and a lot of things that don’t. Those experiences will help inform his decisions here.

“It’s given me a growth metric that maybe that other people don’t see,” Cheeseman said. “Even though Beaufort County Schools might be trying something new, it’s not new to me.”

Among the things he sees BCS already doing well is hiring high-quality people throughout the system and using the funds available to ensure students are getting the best quality education possible. Cheeseman complimented the Board of Education for its strong vision and the degree to which its members care about students and staff members.

Items for continued improvement include academic growth, safety/security, calendar flexibility, working with local legislators and system-wide financial stability. Cheeseman hopes to provide BOE members with a financial dashboard each month to keep tabs on system finances, and at the school level, he is working to meet with teachers, school improvement teams and principals to keep open lines of communication.

Ultimately, Cheeseman hopes to continue something that his predecessor Don Phipps laid the groundwork for — building relationships and partnerships with the community, teachers and students. In his daily duties, the new superintendent moves with what he calls a fierce sense of urgency.

“It’s almost a customer service mentality,” Cheeseman said. “The people we work for and on behalf of are the children and their families.”