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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

New BOE Appointments

Appointments: Two Assistant Superintendents, Director of Student and Family Services, Program Coordinator II - Infants and Toddlers Program

The Wicomico County Board of Education at its monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 12, approved Superintendent Dr. John Fredericksen's recommendations for the appointment of two Assistant Superintendents, the Director of Student and Family Services, and the Program Coordinator II for the Wicomico Infants and Toddlers Program.


Applicants for all of these positions were assessed and interviewed by a committee, and each of the appointees stood out as the top choice for the position, Dr. Fredericksen said. The appointments take effect July 1.


Bill Cain

Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services

(Cain will replace Charlie Bounds, who will retire June 30 after 40 years of service to Wicomico Schools)


Cain has served as Coordinator of Employee Relations for the Wicomico School System since 2002, and has represented Wicomico on the Maryland Negotiation Service (chairman, 2003-04) and other professional organizations. Prior to being hired in Wicomico, during his career in Somerset County Public Schools, he was the Director of Administrative Services, Special Assistant to the Superintendent/Director of Human Resources, principal of Washington High School and the Tawes Vocation Center, and a physical education teacher. Cain received a bachelor's degree in secondary education from West Virginia University, and a master's degree in public schools administration from Salisbury University.


Margo Handy

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Student Services

(Handy will replace Tom Field, who will retire June 30 after 41 years of service to Wicomico Schools)


Handy has served as Director of Elementary Education since 2004, and prior to that was an Elementary Supervisor and principal of Pemberton Elementary and Prince Street Elementary, spending half of her 30-year career in education in Wicomico Schools. In 15 years in Baltimore County Public Schools, she was an elementary principal, assistant principal, and teacher. Handy is an active member of many local, state and national education organizations. She has won many awards in education, including the Dr. Nancy Grasmick Excellence in Minority Achievement Award, Maryland Distinguished Principal Finalist (2000), and the Milken Educator Award (2000). Handy received a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in educational leadership & supervision from Morgan State University. She is pursuing a doctorate in leadership at Wilmington University, and anticipates receiving her degree in August.


Kim Finger

Director of Student and Family Services

(Finger has served as Acting Director of Student and Family Services during the 2008-09 school year)


Prior to her appointment as Acting Director of Student and Family Services in 2008, Finger served as a Pupil Personnel Worker from 2002-2007 and as Lead Pupil Personnel Worker from 2007-08. She had also served as Dean of Students and as the Human Relations Liaison for Wicomico High School. During her time as a Pupil Personnel Worker/Lead PPW, Finger served as the truancy reduction pilot program coordinator, co-chaired the school system's United Way drive in 2007 and 2008 (United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore co-coordinator of the year in 2007), served as a member of the African-American Summit leadership team, and won the 2005 MSDE Excellence for Minority Achievement Chair Award. Finger received a bachelor's degree in English from Villanova University and a master's degree in public school administration from Salisbury University.


Patricia Adkins

Program Coordinator II - Wicomico Infants and Toddlers Program

(Adkins will replace Genie Hershberger, who is retiring)


Adkins has served as a Pupil Personnel Worker since 2007, and in addition to other duties has coordinated Wicomico's services for homeless students, whose numbers have grown by approximately 400 percent in the past few years. She had also served Wicomico Schools as an assistant principal at Salisbury Middle, James M. Bennett High and Wicomico High, and as a special education teacher. Adkins was the 2004 Maryland Assistant Principal of the Year. She is the current United Way co-chair for the school system. Adkins received a bachelor's degree in special education from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a master's degree in public school administration from Salisbury University.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

With Margo Handy in place a white student won't stand a chance against that angry black woman.

Anonymous said...

Margo Handy is very deserving and extremely well qualified. I can't fathom the earlier comment and I'm a white parent with elementary kids.

Anonymous said...

That is not true. I have worked with her and found her to love all children.

Anonymous said...

I would have to disagree with that Angry statement. She took very good care of my "white" child just this past year.

Unbelievable that there are so many angry/racist people in this world. Be thankful for what you have.

Anonymous said...

I don't know why they have a position for infants/toddlers-they could be saving money by elimanting the position and all the paperwork that goes with it.

Anonymous said...

I googled "Wicomico County Infants and toddlers" and got this -from MD state dept of Ed-info
Wicomico County
Wicomico County Infants & Toddlers Program
Wicomico County Health Department
108 East Main Street
Salisbury MD 21801
(Main) 410-677-5250
(Fax) 410-219-2822
Why is the Board of Ed involved...it says at the very top of the source "Point of Entry Program" what the heck does that beauracratic double speak mean?

joealbero said...

anonymous 11:52,

One of the greatest things I love about this Country is our right to our freedom of speech.

One of the things I hate the most about Blogs, (including my own) is the anonymous button and someone who comes along and abuses that right to freedom of speech.

I have a responsibility here as owner of the Blog to allow your freedom of speech but others have to notice that you too have the right to your opinion and express it against a blowhard like this anonymous commenter.

One of the main reasons Salisbury News has readership in the tens of thousands each and every day is because so many people from all over the Country come and read a jackass like this and they think to themselves, are we still back in the 1950's or 1960's? I thought this all went away. Well, it did, everywhere else. However, the Eastern Shore has shown just how ignorant some people can be.

Mrs. Handy is a fine woman. She is the most qualified for the position and quite frankly, she was up against some very serious competition from others who applied from around the Country.

I personally congratulater her last night and she responded with grace and class. Here's a piece of the "Old Joe" I haven't used in quite a while. Screw You 11:52. Man up and use your real name or shutu your fat trap.

Congratulations once again Mrs. Handy. You clearly earned it!

Anonymous said...

You'd be amazed what is required for preschool kids these days. With the way that so many poor kids are raised, they really do perform much better when we get them involved in programs early. Fed and state law trumps what the bloggers want....

Anonymous said...

As a parent, I know that Mrs. Handy will over rule any teacher and any principal to placate me. The teacher and principal can be right and have the evidence to support their decisions, but that does not matter at all. She will put kids in higher groups than they should be in, direct teachers to pass kids who should be retained, insist that kids get awards and recognition they have not earned, "improve" a student's grade even if the higher grade has not been earned and reduce disciplinary measures even if they conform to the Code of Conduct. She never stands up to any parent no matter how outrageous the demand and always gives them their way. Hope the new director is as afraid of people going over her/his head.

Anonymous said...

Kim Finger is a nice person who has not spent one minute as a teacher or principal. Who better to direct all of us on how to run a school?

Anonymous said...

3:09 PM I think Mrs. Handy tries to be fair to all parties and find middle ground in situations. I have had the pleasure of speaking to her before and she really does listen to what you say. She also listens to the other side. She then gets back to you with a fair solution to the problem. I didn't find her to be a push-over. I think she is very good at what she does.

Anonymous said...

3:59
Ask any elementary principal how many times they have been told they have made the correct decision but it is being overturned by Mrs. Handy because the parent doesn't like it. Any parent who does not want her child held back is told the child will be passed. If a child has not earned an award the parent wants her to have the teacher or principal is told to give it anyway. If a parent wants a child in an advanced group or program that the child in no way qualifies for the principal is told to give the parent her way. Grades have even been changed when the parent wanted a higher grade. There is no middle ground, parents always win.

Anonymous said...

Joe,

First let. Me say hat I really enjoy you postings and web site. You do a great job for all of us! I was reading your posts looking for something when I came across this post about Mrs.Handy - I am sure your comments werebacfurate anthem time, but please know she has changed, and not for the better. As a Principal, she was tough on us all. And we respected her. But now, she is no difference in my eyes, than Fredricksen's team....she has been ugly to so many of us and we are just shocked