Board Reappoints Dr. John E. Fredericksen As Superintendent Of Wicomico County Public Schools

The Wicomico County Board of Education in a special meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21 voted to reappoint Dr. John E. Fredericksen as Superintendent of Schools for a four-year term beginning July 1.

Dr. Fredericksen has served as Superintendent since July 1, 2008, having been selected after a national superintendent search. “I am delighted to be continuing to serve the students and families of Wicomico County as Superintendent. Wonderful things are happening every day in our schools and our classrooms, and I’m glad to be a part of that. As we go forward, we will continue to strive for success for all students, to have our schools be great places to learn and work, and to close the achievement gap.”

Board President Ron Willey said every Board member takes seriously a board’s top responsibility of deciding whether to select, renew or dismiss a superintendent “There is no greater responsibility that a Board of Education holds than that responsibility,” he said. By state law, the Board’s vote to reappoint a sitting superintendent had to take place before March 1.

In a vote on reappointment of a superintendent, Board members consider almost four full years of job performance and not just one or two decisions that did not meet with someone’s approval, Willey said. In a time when Wicomico is facing its severest financial challenges, and the county has become a poster child across the state for what can happen to funding for education, Dr. Fredericksen has shown leadership and vision, and has worked diligently on behalf of opportunities for all children, said Willey. He joined three other Board members in voting in favor of reappointment.

Board members Dr. Carolyn Elmore and Don Fitzgerald voted against reappointment, while Board member Larry Dodd abstained. All three said that like other Board members, they considered the matter carefully and voted in what they believe is in the best interests of the students of Wicomico County.

During public comment on the matter, two people expressed concerns about the afternoon time of the meeting, which they said made it more difficult for people to attend. They also said the Board should postpone its vote until the community was more aware of the issue.

The special meeting was announced through media on Friday and posted on the Board website, in accordance with standard procedures for meeting announcements. Mr. Willey said the Board looked at six different meeting dates and times before setting the afternoon special meeting. The time was chosen because it was the only time that all seven Board members could be present for the vote, and it was important that all seven members be there.

Mary Ashanti, president of the Wicomico County chapter of the NAACP, spoke in favor of Dr. Fredericksen’s reappointment, saying that any complaints the NAACP has received over the past four years have been addressed and resolved.