Town Government
School Committee & Superintendent
The Superintendent
Matthew Ehrenworth
About 1,567 students across two towns start their day in the Athol-Royalston Regional School District, and the person who answers for their schooling answers to Athol and Royalston together. Matthew Ehrenworth is Superintendent of the district, which Royalston shares with its larger neighbor Athol. Royalston Community School teaches the town’s youngest students, and when they reach the upper grades they cross into the district’s middle and high schools in Athol. The Superintendent proposes the school budget, sets academic priorities, and is hired by and reports to the elected School Committee, which carries out an annual evaluation. In June 2026 that committee voted to extend Ehrenworth’s contract by three years.
| Role | Superintendent of Schools, Athol-Royalston Regional School District |
|---|---|
| District office | Athol-Royalston Middle School, 1062 Pleasant Street, Athol, MA 01331 |
| DESE code | 06150000 |
| Website | arrsd.org |
The School Committee
The Athol-Royalston Regional School Committee has ten members, elected by the voters of Athol and Royalston, and it sets policy for the shared district, approves its budget, and hires and evaluates the Superintendent. Because the district spans two towns, Royalston voters elect the town’s seats and Athol voters elect theirs, and the committee governs the whole district together. The committee’s leadership was in transition through 2026: its chair and one member resigned in June after the vote on the Superintendent’s contract, and the committee’s own current roster and chair are posted on the district’s committee page.
Full roster and terms: Athol-Royalston Regional School Committee at arrsd.org.
The District at a Glance
- Athol-Royalston district: about 1,567 students across both towns, from elementary through high school.
- Royalston’s own school: Royalston Community School serves the town’s youngest students; older students attend the district schools in Athol.
- Per-pupil spending: $18,889.79 in the district.
- State data: DESE profile (code 06150000).
Meetings & Participation
- When: the committee meets at the Athol-Royalston Middle School in Athol, and its agendas and minutes are posted on the district website.
- Public comment: residents of both towns may address the committee. Check the agenda for sign-up details.
- One district, two towns: the committee governs the schools that Athol and Royalston run together, so Royalston’s voice is its elected seats on the committee.
- The budget: the district’s assessment still lands at each town’s Town Meeting, where every registered voter can vote on it.
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