In the next twist on a winding journey, reporter Matt Denis joins the Idaho Ed News staff this week.

Denis will live and work in Boise and focus his attention on Treasure Valley schools. He also will investigate statewide issues that impact teaching and learning.

“Matt is going to be a good fit with our team,” said EdNews managing editor Jennifer Swindell. “He’s curious and he cares — two valuable traits for a journalist. And bonus, he brings more teaching experience to EdNews.”

Originally a secondary educator from Detroit, Mich., Denis transitioned to reporting in 2017, earning his master’s in journalism from the University of Oregon in Eugene. Post graduation, Denis earned the opportunity to stay in town and join the enterprising team at The Register-Guard, the local newspaper. Here Denis helped to found CAFE 541, a new section that covered the ever-bubbling creative scene in Eugene, Springfield and greater Lane County.

After three years at The Register-Guard, Denis made the move to freelance reportage on a national level, publishing most of his work for The Manual, a digital magazine directing (primarily) Millennial and Gen Z men to an engaged lifestyle. While life as a remote reporter had its perks, Denis found himself in need of a mission, which he is happy to have found with Idaho Ed News. (What better place for a former teacher turned gritty reporter?)

Denis will apply his endless curiosity and experience as an indefatigable researcher to helping Idaho Ed News accomplish its watchdog mission “to hold educators and lawmakers accountable for taxpayer dollars and student achievement.”

EdNews is starting its 11th year and had more than 2 million pageviews last year.

You can follow Denis on Twitter @matthewddenis and send him tips to [email protected].