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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Wicomico Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen Announces He Will Depart When His Current Contract Ends

Wicomico Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen, who has led Wicomico County Public Schools since 2008, announced at the June 23 Board of Education meeting that he will not seek a renewal of his current four-year contract when it ends next June. The Board voted unanimously to accept his resignation effective June 30, 2016.

“During the past seven years our teams have worked hard and have had wonderful successes with our students and schools,” Dr. Fredericksen said as he prepared to make the announcement. “I have been glad to serve Wicomico students, families and staff as part of a dedicated and effective team. I look forward to continuing this work for the next school year, but will not seek to extend my time as superintendent beyond next June. At that point in my life, and after a very long and satisfying career in public education, I will be ready to relocate along with my wife Renee closer to our children and grandchildren. I wanted to give the Board plenty of notice so it could begin a superintendent search.”

Dr. Fredericksen began serving July 1, 2008, and received a second four-year contract in 2012. His tenure is among the longest in the state of Maryland. He has been highly visible as superintendent, eating lunch in school cafeterias two to three times a week to chat with students, attending athletic events and performances to show support, and bringing together groups of parents, administrators, teachers, and community members to help guide the school system’s planning and operations.

More than a year ago, after participating in a retirement planning seminar, he began to consider retiring as superintendent of Wicomico County Public Schools, and discussed his plans with the Board President and other Board members.

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52 comments:

JoeAlbero said...

Yeah, well, we now have a Republican Governor, new Board Members, we've exposed the credit card scam and our new County Executive refuses to take any more crap from this guy. Good, I'm very glad to see him go, it's about time.

Anonymous said...

Thank the good lord.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Frederickson has done an amazing job and this County is lucky to have had such a talented and accomplished educator. Say what you will but not one of you that continues to bash the man can match his accomplishments and credentials. Godspeed Dr. Frederickson and thank you.

Anonymous said...

He had a good run, but the times are a'changing.

Anonymous said...

AMEN!! I just wish he would go NOW and I wouldn't have to deal with him for my youngest child's Senior Year....Oh never mind, there are only 3 High Schools in this County, according to Delmarva Now/Daily Times, so he probably won't bother Mardela.

Anonymous said...

Early departure for the advocate of improving education by letting buildings rot so you can build new ones and ignore curriculum would serve the County extremely well.

Anonymous said...

There is a God

Anonymous said...

just get out. sooner the better. this guy is not a leader, communicator or manager. it is almost inconceivable they could not find a better person.

Anonymous said...

See ya four fingered Freddy! Please don't recommend Cathy Townsend as we would be even worse off than we are now with you. Thanks for doing such a great job treating employees like crap so says the union!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 12:22; first you must be a democrat, and probably voted for Obama & O'Malley. Frederickson was out for Frederickson. Out of touch, no fiscal responsibility, and wasted tax payer money. Had previous issues with his prior job prior before comming to Wicomico County. Don't know why he was hired in the first place. He will not be missed and has accomplished absolutely nothing.

Anonymous said...

A true leader takes less than his share of the credit and more than his share of the blame. A boss hogs the credit for everyone else's efforts, sends others to do his dirty work and never admits a lie or mistake. A leader empowers others while a boss empowers himself.

Anonymous said...

12:22-My what low low standards you have.
You are all that is wrong in this country. He's utterly and completely clueless as to what is going on under him. The spending for example. If you think he did an "amazing" job then you are ignorant to what being in management means. He let the schools go into states of disrepair. That is NOT being a good manager. You take care of what is entrusted to you.
The only thing "amazing" is your entirely screwed up thinking. You need to get out in the real world and see what a real accomplished and credentialed person is all about.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure all of the negatives of this administration have been due to a shortage of funds, not a shortage of integrity.

Anonymous said...

Yea, hooray, good riddance.

Anonymous said...

To 12:22 Poster that said; Dr. Frederickson has done an amazing job and this County is lucky to have had such a talented and accomplished educator.

My response: Good GOD - yes - let's closely examine what he has done. He went across town and entered into a 20 year lease (AT TAXPAYERS EXPENSE) that is ultimately going to be passed onto our residents. Then - after he signs the dotted line on the multi-million 20 year lease - he decides to exodus out of here sticking us taxpayers. IMHO - I would say that his actions were criminal and a misappropriation of taxpayer's money. Good riddance.

Anonymous said...

He did NOT do a good job for the citizens and students of Wicomico County. Not to be trusted. Pray we hire someone with common sense, good morals and a great history. Check the new applicants out completely.

Anonymous said...

Does a tornado leave a legacy or a path of destruction?

Anonymous said...

anonymous 2:21 If Frederickson's lips were moving he was lying!

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness we have the history of his decision to retire. Such a relief to know it had nothing to do with the November elections or other unpleasant developments. How dumb do we look?

Anonymous said...

Whoever takes his place will want more salary and benefits,isn't that the way it works.They always claim cant find experience on the shore.

Anonymous said...

Hire from outside the County. Don't need local yokels moving up in that corrupt system.

Anonymous said...

Uh, didn't we just do that with JF?

Anonymous said...

With all the negativity from the public and the blogs, who would want the job. They will do heir research and realize this community will never support education no matter who is in leadership. So sad!

Anonymous said...

John Palmer for next superintendent!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 4:41 He was was from outside the county and look how well that turned out! I do agree though that none of the in house higher ups are good choices.

Anonymous said...

The search committee needs to check references and dig into issues from the person's previous place of employment.

Anonymous said...

Writing a glowing ode to oneself about oneself . . . interesting.

Anonymous said...

All of you who think he was a terrible leader obviously don't remember Dr. Boston.

Anonymous said...

Did his staff do anything during these years?

Anonymous said...

You actually think they won't do this? How stupid!!!

Anonymous said...

N is for knowledge as she used to say. Lol.

Anonymous said...

Lol. Give him 6 months and he will cave like they all do.

Anonymous said...

We missed our chance to get John Gattis. He is doing wonders in Somerset.

Anonymous said...

My favorite part of the press release is where he thanks all of the employees of the board of education as well as parents and community members for their work during his time here. Oh, wait . . .

Anonymous said...

Hasn't the number of high performing learners dropped dramatically during his time in office?

Anonymous said...

A gracious leader might have announced retirement in a paragraph and thanked the school system staff along with board members and others for their dedication and hard work on behalf of students. Of course, such a person might not be an experienced writer of fiction.

Anonymous said...

Our system will never again see this level of truth-telling and ethics.

Anonymous said...

Possibly but the criteria changed so it is deceiving.

Anonymous said...

1:51, criteria did change but also scores are lower for our strongest students. You can't close the gap by speeding up the learning of kids with little ability; you have to slow down those who could master grade level content in a few months. If all students are taught appropriately, the most able will out-achieve the least able by more than a year, every year. The gap would widen, and we can't have that.

Anonymous said...

Glad we missed that chance - talk about a person with a lack of morals and values! They don't come much sleezier than Gaddis. The county he was groomed to take over didn't even want him!

Anonymous said...

To the search committee: please pick someone who tells the truth and treats everyone with respect and someone who makes personnel choices based on actual ability to do the job.

Anonymous said...

Maybe some knowledge of curriculum and instruction would be helpful.

Anonymous said...

Don't think Wicomico has ever had a good superintendent. Middleton was a snake, Boston was clueless and Holman was up in the clouds. The actual work and decisions are made by staff. So blame the comptroller,facility director,assistant super,etc. for the bad decisions.

Anonymous said...

Good bye and good riddance! Don't let the door hit you in butt on the way out!

Anonymous said...

Certainly better than somerset county, Gaddis is as spineless as they come! Parents and their misbehaving children run the school system and sexual predators, DUI recipients & drug addicts teach our students while supervisors take cruises/vacations while schools are in session or they attend meetings in the Florida Keys!! Education is as corrupt and grossly mismanaged in this small town and I'm ashamed of what my children get, that's supposed to be called an education!! Boo Somerset and it's top heavy BOE and pitiful excuse of administrators and supervisors that don't step foot in a classroom or schools because quite frankly they are clueless about what good teaching or the curriculum looks like!! Disgusted!!

Anonymous said...

The buildings have been rotting for years. I attended high school in Pennsylvania in a high school that was built in 1959. It has been continually maintained and upgraded since then and is almost as good now as it was then. Who let these schools go to hell all these years so that the only option left is to tear them down and rebuild?

Anonymous said...

Well now , he's about to find out what real work ethics mean.
Nothing but a white Obama with a spending degree. Doctor of Dollars.

Anonymous said...

He's only been here 7 yes. Don't some of the previous superintendent's have some of the responsibility for the problems?

Anonymous said...

You people are pretty funny....none of you even know what it takes to run a school system....you all no how to talk about what none of you know anything about......oh yeh and to the first comment from someone who doesn't even live here.....get a life.....you people don't have much left and as time goes things will really fall apart......good luck to you all your all gonna need it......Albert has money that most of you do not.....try to remember that....he has no skin in the eastern shore and no kids in the schools.

Anonymous said...

I worked with his wife , the difference is night and day . Still don't know why they are together.

Anonymous said...

Big ego not much else.....

Anonymous said...

let's hope they get someone who cannot be manipulated by the board and is not from here. That means.......we don't need Cathy Townsend or MARGO HANDY!!!!