By Alex Nnabue ’18

After a year-long search, the MCPS Board of Education voted unanimously on February 4 to conditionally name Dr. Jack Smith as the next superintendent.

Last year, former Superintendent Joshua Starr resigned five months prior to his term ending, after it became apparent that the board would not renew his contract. The board then nominated a new superintendent from Texas who later withdrew for a job offer in Ohio. Afterwards, Larry Bowers, who is expected to retire in July, was named interim superintendent of MCPS in order to fill the position while the search continued.

Smith is the current interim state superintendent of Maryland schools. He has also served as the superintendent of Calvert County Public Schools and was named the Maryland Superintendent of the Year in 2013. Smith says he is ready to tackle the numerous issues that MCPS faces. “I certainly am excited, nervous, humble, and very much looking forward to this opportunity and this effort to work on behalf of all children,” said Smith who narrowed in on a specific issue that concerns him as he spoke to Fox 5 News following his appointment, “…the significant range of graduation rates across 25 schools…something that we should talk about right away.” Graduation rates among county high schools range from 78 percent to 98 percent.

Smith said MCPS’s diversity is “a gift” and that he plans to address the different obstacles that exist for the various student populations. Other major issues include racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps, budget costs, technology, and the overgrowing enrollment.

MCPS held numerous public meetings and forums to lay out expectations and desired qualities that students and parents expected to see in the next superintendent. Having reviewed more than 70 impressive applications and conducting 11 interviews with candidates across the nation, the MCPS Board of Education and their search consultants concluded that Smith was the best fit for the county. He is expected to begin his four-year term as superintendent on July 1. In the meantime, numerous public meetings will be held so that the MCPS community can meet its new superintendent.