Principal Campbell enters his 34th year in education with the start of the 2026-27 school year.
As Shawnee High School students return to the classroom for the 2026-27 school year, Principal Matthew Campbell is looking forward to something that has kept him energized throughout more than three decades in education: the excitement students bring with them each September.
Campbell is entering his 34th year in education and 21st year as principal of Shawnee. He began his career as a history teacher and also coached basketball and tennis.
“The energy that the students bring to school in September really gets me motivated to start the school year,” Campbell said.
Among the most noticeable changes this year will be implementation of New Jersey’s new law regarding internet-enabled devices in schools. For Shawnee students, however, Campbell doesn’t expect the adjustment to be dramatic. The school has used classroom caddies for students’ phones and other devices for the past two years.
Another focus will be the Shawnee Leadership Academy, which enters its second year.
The program trains a group of juniors and seniors in leadership skills and gives them an opportunity to put those lessons into practice by helping freshmen make the transition to high school. Upperclassmen will work with ninth graders through a series of lessons designed to help them adjust to their new environment.
Preparing students for life beyond Shawnee remains one of the school’s biggest priorities.
Whether graduates plan to attend college, enter the military or join the workforce, Campbell said the goal is to make sure they leave high school equipped to succeed on their chosen path.
Shawnee enters the new year after students recorded accomplishments across academics, athletics and extracurricular activities in 2025-26.
Athletic teams captured five sectional championships, while the Debate Team became South Jersey League champions. Shawnee also had the highest-scoring student in the South Jersey Math League.
The school’s choirs earned multiple awards at Music in the Parks, while the theater department staged productions of “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Newsies.” Shawnee’s esports team added another major accomplishment with a state championship.
For incoming freshmen, Campbell’s advice is to become involved and be willing to try something new. For parents, he recommends supporting their children while also giving them room to navigate high school independently.
Students, he said, need opportunities to learn how to handle adversity and move forward when things don’t go their way.
They don’t have to do it alone.
Campbell wants students to begin the year knowing that every member of the Shawnee staff is there to support and guide them.
That support is part of what Campbell considers Shawnee’s “formula for success”: caring parents, students who want to learn, a dedicated staff and a community willing to invest in the long-term success of its students and school.
