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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

WCBOE UPDATE

Administrative Appointments

The Wicomico County Board of Education, acting on the recommendation of Superintendent Dr. John Fredericksen, made eight administrative appointments at its June 9 meeting.

The appointments are effective July 1.

Susan Jones
Director of Elementary Education

Susan Jones has served as the Executive Director of Elementary Education for Cecil County Public Schools since 2007, and was a principal (2001-2007), assistant principal (1998-2001) and elementary teacher (1987-1998) in Cecil Schools. She received a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Salisbury University in 1987, and a master's degree in Education Administration & Supervisor from Loyola College in 1993. Jones will replace Margo Handy, who is leaving the Director of Elementary Education position to become Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Student Services.

Cathy Townsend
Safe Schools Coordinator

Cathy Townsend, formerly the principal of Salisbury Middle School and currently the principal of Delmar Middle/High School, will return to Wicomico County Public Schools as the Safe Schools Coordinator. She replaces Steve Brewer, who is retiring. Townsend previously spent 22 years in Wicomico Schools as a teacher, assistant principal and principal, and in 2004 was the Maryland Middle School Principal of the Year. She is working on a doctorate at Wilmington University, with a dissertation on character education.

Jason Miller
Elementary Assistant Principal, Delmar Elementary

Jason Miller is currently serving as the math professional development coach for Delmar and West Salisbury elementary schools, and served as interim assistant principal at Delmar in 2008. He is the co-coordinator of Wicomico County's Math 24 Game Tournament, and served on the school system's Code of Conduct Revision Committee. He received a master's degree in Public School Administration from Salisbury University in 2006.

Jennifer Rice
Elementary Assistant Principal, Northwestern Elementary

Jennifer Rice is currently serving as the assistant principal of Accawmacke Elementary School in Accomac. She also served as assistant principal of Owings Mills Elementary School in Baltimore County. She received a master's degree in public education from Towson University.

Ruby Brown
Elementary Principal, North Salisbury Elementary

Ruby Brown is currently serving as assistant principal of Pinehurst Elementary School and had also been assistant principal at North Salisbury Elementary. During her time as a reading coach and elementary school teacher, she was a finalist for Wicomico Teacher of the Year four different years. She received a master's degree in School Leadership from Wilmington University in 2006.

Scott Fowler
Elementary Principal, Prince Street Elementary

Scott Fowler currently serves as assistant principal of Prince Street Elementary School, and has also served in that position at North Salisbury and Northwestern elementary schools. He is a former teacher and lead teacher of the Title I Summer School Program. He received a master of education degree from California University of California, Pa.

Ellen Harlan
Elementary Principal, Fruitland Primary

Ellen Harlan currently serves as assistant principal of Westside Primary School, and has also held that post at Westside and Fruitland intermediate schools. She was a classroom teacher at East Salisbury Elementary. She received a master's degree in School Administration from Salisbury University in 1998.

Christel Savage
Secondary Assistant Principal (school assignment to be announced later)

Christel Savage is currently working as a Social Studies teacher at Parkside High School, and has also taught the subject at Bennett Middle School. She co-chaired her school's Instructional Leadership Team, and served as Professional Development School Coordinator for University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Salisbury University. She received a master's degree in Public School Administration from SU in 2007.

Dr. Fredericksen has also announced transfers for some secondary schools. Effective July 1, principal assignments will change for the following high schools:

James M. Bennett High School: Steve Grudis (transferred from Parkside)
Parkside High School: Micah Stauffer (transferred from Mardela)
Mardela Middle and High School: Lori Batts (transferred from JMB)
Wicomico Evening High School: Awaiting assignment of a lead teacher (Principal Clay Belgie will transfer to a position as Pupil Personnel Worker)

Margo Handy, Director of Elementary Education, announced the following elementary administrative changes for 2009-2010, effective July 1:

Beaver Run Elementary: Kathy Vail, assistant principal (transfer from Pittsville Elementary and Middle)
Charles H. Chipman Elementary: Larry Collins, assistant principal (transfer from James M. Bennett High)
Delmar Elementary: Jason Miller, assistant principal (promotion, see above)
East Salisbury Elementary: Renee Hall, assistant principal (transfer from Delmar Elementary)
Fruitland Primary: Ellen Harlan, principal (promotion, see above)
North Salisbury Elementary: Ruby Brown, principal (promotion, see above)
Northwestern Elementary: Jennifer Rice, assistant principal (promotion, see above)
Pinehurst Elementary: Sheila Cain, assistant principal (transfer from East Salisbury Elementary)
Prince Street Elementary: Scott Fowler, principal (promotion, see above), and Maria Marshall (transfer from Charles H. Chipman Elementary)
Westside Primary: Valerie Schor, assistant principal (transfer from Northwestern Elementary)

EDITORS NOTE: The Board does not have the ability to block any transfers. The Board also does not have access to ANY personnel files.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Imagine the chaos and political schemes that would be commonplace if the Board had any role matters such as these.

It would be micro-management at its absolute worst

Anonymous said...

there goes MARDELA!
it will soon be the worse school.

Anonymous said...

We're getting some from out of county and out of state. I thought Wicomico's pay scale was at the bottom.

Anonymous said...

I am so sad that mrs. veditz is leaving north salisbury..She will be missed.

Anonymous said...

Clay Belgie's downward spiral continues. What goes around comes around.

Anonymous said...

Renee Hall was awesome at Delmar!!

Anonymous said...

3:52 - Leave it alone. You do not know the whole story.

Anonymous said...

3:44 You can do better. If you want to argue position on a salary scale, do so with data comparing different systems. Individual people choose to apply in different areas for many different reasons.

Try again...

Anonymous said...

THANK GOD STEVE GRUDIS IS LEAVING PARKSIDE...thats all I can really say!

Anonymous said...

Its like "Musical chairs", funny & sad.

Anonymous said...

I dont need to know the whole story about Clay Belgie. I do know that he is an inept, incredibly callous man who has personally hurt many people with his complete lack of care and ability. He has cost multiple students college scholarships (both academic & athletic) through various acts of administrative mismanagement. His personal attacks on students and faculty members will continue to come back to haunt him in his future. It's easy to attack someone when they are a high school student. A few years later, when they have completed college, med school, etc., they have the means to return the favor, and their attacks may be much more powerful than Clay's attempts at ruining peoples lives.

Clay Belgie deserves every bit of bad karma that comes back to him.

Anonymous said...

As a Delmar High School parent I'm heartbroken to see that Cathy Townsend is moving back to Wicomico. She was a tremendous asset to an already awesome school, and will be missed.

Anonymous said...

It is a sad day for Parkside to lose Mr. Grudis, but I understand that JMB has become something of a dangerous joke - hugs for thugs - I hope Parkside can survive this loss.

Anonymous said...

Parkside will survive. They are getting a good person to be principal and they have good VP's there that will help keep Parkside the best school in the county.

Anonymous said...

Parents keep a good eye on your kids Mardela. I truly feel sorry for the staff and students when Batts gets there.

Anonymous said...

I am glad they have left Wi-Hi alone! Briggs and Hughes are "holding it down" there.

Anonymous said...

Why is it that Delmar can't seem to keep a Principal????

Anonymous said...

Delmar is keeping its principal, Chris Nunzio. I think you misread the announcement.

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness that Lori Batts is being transferred from Bennett. She was simply in way over her head at JMB. The morale there suffered horrendously this year. Steve Grudis has years of experience at Parkside and will be needed to restore Bennett as well as to open the new school. Batts' credibility was all but shot, so she could not have run a new facilty the way it must be run.

On the other hand, I feel bad for Mardela. Every year or two Mardela gets another principal . There needs to be continuity there. Mardela has for so long been treated as a step-child. If a principal at one of the "big schools" cannot succeed, he/she gets moved to Mardela. Then, when he/she still doesn't work out, a supervisor job will be found at the Central Office because it's almost impossible to fire someone. How many principals has Mardela gone through in the last decade or two?

Anonymous said...

Nunzio needs to go from Delmar!!! He's the most inapproachable, incompetent principal I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with. He, by his own admission, doesn't know what is going on in his school from day to day. With any luck Mr. Miller will take over within a year.

Anonymous said...

Wicomico County can gladly have Cathy Townsend back. Good riddance!

Anonymous said...

Why take a good thing from Mardela, Batts can not handle Parkside? Sounds like she needs a new job. I feel sorry for Mardela they are a Middle and High School and it seems they get nothing! They will have nothing with Batts. Wake up WCBOE and listen to your community sometimes they do know a little more than you. I do not understand why you would take Mr. Stauffer from MMHS and give Batts, When you are not qualified I suppose MMHS gets all the leftover!

Anonymous said...

Thank Goodness the school board woke up and realized that Mrs. Batts has abused her authority at Bennett High School and has not supported the teachers and has let certain members of the student body run the school. Also, hurray that Mr. Field's is retiring!! Sorry Mardela, you are getting a loser.