The Wicomico County Board of Education has announced the names of the three finalists for the next Wicomico Superintendent of Schools, and will give each finalist a busy “Day in the District” next week. Members of focus groups that will participate in interviewing the finalists learned the names of the finalists after an orientation and preparation meeting on Wednesday, March 9.
All three finalists have strong local connections, having served in Wicomico County Public Schools in various capacities during their long careers in public education. The finalists, in order of the date for their “Day in the District,” are:
Monday, March 14: Dr. Cathy J. Townsend, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services, Wicomico County Public Schools. In Wicomico, Dr. Townsend taught elementary and high school math, and worked as assistant principal and principal of Salisbury Middle, School Climate Coordinator, and Supervisor of Safe Schools. Dr. Townsend was principal of Delmar Middle and High School and Director of Special Education for Delmar School District.
Tuesday, March 15: Dr. Lorenzo L. Hughes, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction for Dorchester County Public Schools. In Wicomico, Dr. Hughes served as an assistant principal and principal of Wicomico High School. Dr. Hughes was a teacher, assistant principal and principal in Talbot County Public Schools.
Wednesday, March 16: Dr. Donna C. Hanlin, Co-Chair and Director of Assessment and Accountability, Department of Education at Shepherd University. In Wicomico, Dr. Hanlin was as a school counselor, served as assistant principal (Wicomico Middle and James M. Bennett High), principal (James M. Bennett High), and Director of Secondary Education. Dr. Hanlin was Associate Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer for Washington County Public Schools.
Each “Day in the District” will include:
An informal coffee time with local officials
Interviews with panels of Central Office administrators, principals, support staff and retirees, business leaders, teachers, parents and community leaders
A quick tour of three Wicomico schools
Lunch with students
A time to meet with media
Dinner and dialogue with the Board of Education
“The search for a new Superintendent of Wicomico County Public Schools has been top priority for the Board members this year. We are pleased with the process and excited to bring forth three qualified finalists,” Board President Don Fitzgerald said. “We appreciate the investment our community is making by participating in focus groups and providing input to the Board. We look forward to making a final decision soon and helping our new Superintendent create a vision and plan for the coming year."
The Board’s goal is to choose the top candidate for superintendent by around April 1, and vote to appoint the chosen candidate. The new superintendent would start work on July 1, 2016.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen informed the Board in June 2015 that he would retire when his second four-year contract ends June 30, 2016. The Board of Education brought in the expertise of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) to conduct the search process. MABE held four stakeholder input sessions in October to gather the input that shaped the search for a new superintendent.
Starting in November the superintendent opening was posted widely so that qualified local, state and national candidates could apply, with the first consideration of applications by MABE on Jan. 11. The Board conducted two rounds of interviews this winter to select the three finalists for extensive interviews March 14-16 with various stakeholder groups. These groups will provide input to the Board as it prepares to choose a new superintendent.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
20 comments:
Byeeeeeeeeeeeee
Fredrickson.
Fredericton will be hanging out with the idiot politt in /hitfield printing county credit cards.
Please ask these candidates if they feel it's right that black children who commit violence in schools that they get a pass on discipline unlike white kids? This is a known Obama agenda.
Please no Cathy Townsend!!!!!
Lorenzo Hughes will be no better than Fredrickson!!
Thanks God my youngest child is graduating this year!
Dorchester superintendent just lost his power on hiring non certification teachers now the school board does so instead of the superintendent hiring friends now the school board does, good ole boys.
Well at least it seems they meet the educational requirements unlike city of Salisbury way of filling top positions
He couldn't run WiHi when he was principal. How is he going to run the whole system?
It appears that all 3 candidates are just going to follow Dr F's agenda. Nothing will change, why even bother? I thought they were going to
757, this will not change, it will only get worse. If you look at Dr Townsend background, she is the current supervisor of safe schools. You see what we have presently? Well she is in charge of that. Sad for our children in this respect.
The BOE had a real chance to bring the needed change to the office, it appears that just don't want to.
Served under Townsend, very unpleasant experience. It is my opinion that she is a black liar. I would not support her for dog catcher.
Sorry to say this but hiring Townsend will only push the African American Obama agenda.
Please NOT: Lorenzo L. Hughes
Could not wait until my kids Graduate from
Wi Hi. He could not control his school.
And to my opinion is racist.
Dr. Townsend would a huge mistake. It's her way or the highway. While at Delmar a lot of quality people left because she personally didn't like them not because they were not educators
It will be years before the Delmar District recovers from the damage inflicted upon it during Townsend's three year stint.
On top of that, her penchant for displaying clears favoritism among staff members has destroyed staff relationships.
She is responsible, along with the Delmar School Board for not "reining" her in, for destroying the Delmar "Family"
Why does it matter? who is chosen - because - in a very short period of time Wicomico County folks will be vilifying the new Superintendent, saying "worse than Frederiksen" - actually the trashing has already started against the three choices. Just read the comments on here. Each candidate is doomed before the decision is made.
Wicomico should be taken over by the feds. The feds are absolutely horrible, but would be an improve for our county.
I don't know if she is a liar or not. I do know she is white though. Dont you feel like a fool now for bringing race into it......
You idiot. A "black" liar has nothing to do with race.
Hanlin . . . hands down. Where did they get their doctoral degrees?
Hanlon best qualified.
Post a Comment